Joxe links her handcomp into the station's commnet and brings up some videos on the table's holo display. Everyone oohs-and-ahs over the imagery and specifications Edak provided about the ship and the facilities.

"Let's take this to the leadership," Trudy says at length. "We will need to officially recognize Radshir Adair as the facility's owner, if for no other reason than the station probably won't cooperate with us otherwise. At the same time, we must assure that none of this falls into the wrong hands. That ship could wipe us out all by itself." She looks to Brent for his response.

Brent nodded to Trudy. "Even though it is very lightly armed for its size, the technological difference alone will make it a potential threat to the entire system. One thing we've been working on is building small system defense boats to station in each of the Allied systems. If nothing else they will work well to train spacefaring crews and maintenance personnel. I think we could really make a difference in the subsector as long as we can ensure that we don't have new fights on her hands."

315-1402 1430 - Egg System - Tala Research Station One

Over the next six hours, the Tala Station group holds a meeting with the Egg System leadership regarding the Gorky facility. Given that responses take up to ten light-minutes to reach their recipients, it's a slow and frustrating process. The Egg natives take it in stride, but the outworlders have to throttle their frustration with the glacial conversational pace. In practice, each respondent gives a brief speech, which the other sides have to digest and then respond with their answers.

By dinner time, the meeting has reached the following resolutions:

1. Wanderer will remain under Brent and Joxe's personal control. The ship is registered in the Egg System, and must abide by the relevant commercial and criminal codes that every other merchant vessel and Egg citizen does. The agreement to not suborn the ship still stands, as well.

2. Brent and Joxe will be paid to transport personnel for Egg. (Brent can specify his terms here, including how many trips he's willing to make.)

3. Trudy will oversee the operation to rotate personnel through Gorky. The government assigns an ambassador and their staff to the shipyard, who will represent the Egg System government.

4. Other ambassadors will be assigned to Execute and any other friendly systems, as needed. Malcolm and the others will transport personnel and supplies to and from Execute using the repaired scouts.

5. (Anything else Brent wishes to bring up.)

Brent will mention the need for joint defense. There might be some need to subsidize the defense of critical planets that are unable to defend themselves at the present time.

The government agrees with Brent's statement, and they will instruct the ambassadors they send out to consider this situation.

Trudy looks around the table. "Anyone else?" Joxe and the others shake their heads. "In that case, we stand adjourned. My people will refuel Wanderer so she can depart when the passengers are ready. That should take us three days, if that's acceptable."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:33, Sat 10 Feb.

Brent will nod in agreement. "That sounds like a reasonable plan. We will be elbow to elbow for a few weeks so everyone enjoy the open space while you can." He looked over at Joxe. "We should stock up on air filters to keep the odor fresh." Brent said this last with a smile.

Trudy's technicians set about readying Wanderer for the return trip to Gorky. Under Joxe's direction, the old trader was converted into a passenger carrier. Edak's remotes had thoroughly cleaned the ship  after her refit, but there was now not a speck of dusk left anywhere. The arriving engineers oohed-and-ahhed over the new equipment, and Brent could recite his ship's tour spiel in his sleep.

Three days later, Wanderer boosted away from Tala Station for the jump point with sixty-two people aboard under a contract from the Egg government which included maintenance services and Cr100,000 for this trip. An optional clause offered the same payment for additional trips, if Brent and Joxe wanted to make them.

After they have entered jump space Brent turned to Joxe in the privacy of their state room with a serious look on his face. "Do you want to run a ferry service for a while or head off down the main to see what we can find? I am of the opinion that we should stretch our legs."

Joxe sat cross-legged on their bed, her hair loose and covering her nude body. "As much as Aunt Trudy would like to hold onto us, I think we should resupply at Gorky, and leave the rest to more capable folk." She waved her hand toward the aft end of the ship. "I'm reasonably sure that the Egg government will work out a decent arrangement with Radshir and her shipyard, and they have that big ship to start with." She smiled. "All we need is one of those new autodocs, and we can turn the other room into the nursery."

Brent brushed Joxe's hair back in an affectionate gesture. "I've never been one for government or bureaucracy. Best to stick to space, flying and our life together. They can move more people than Gorky can handle in one go anyway. Wandering the stars will be more exciting than acting as a crowded bus driver." He nodded and started to think. "A top-of-the-line autodoc would be a good idea given where we are going. We are headed for…" Brent suddenly paled as Joxe's words hit home. He took her hands and squeezed. "A nursery? Are you… Are you… Pregnant?"

"Oh, yes, Spacer. You've knocked up this poor trader girl." Joxe pouted. "What will I do now? I don't even know how to make drinks in a spacer bar."

Brent looked flabbergasted. He stared at Joxe for a moment and then wrapped her in a ferocious hug. "I thought… I thought…" Brent mumbled as he held her. He pulled back a little and smiled and kissed her. "Regardless, I cannot imagine being happier that I am right now to share a new life with you." Brent laughed a bit hysterically and kissed her again. "You'll never need to worry about hustling for a living! We are in this new adventure together." He asked. "How far along are you? How long have you known?"

319-1402 1005 - Aboard Wanderer enroute to Gorky

Joxe blushed. "I didn't even think about my implant. Even though I was in stasis, it still expired. I remembered yesterday when one of the engineers was talking about renewing her implant. So, I went to the station's infirmary. They run a pregnancy test before replacing the implant." She shrugged. "Oops."

Brent hugged Joxe and gave a laugh. "I suppose I should have asked or had my own implant. Anyway as they say, no one is just a little bit pregnant." He held her for a while stroking her hair. "How do we want to mix our adventuring and exploring with your pregnancy? I hate to be the overprotective father but it is something of concern. The star port may be the best place to have the baby but I'm not sure how we want to raise him or her."

Joxe smiles. "The traditional way spacers had children was to live on a suitable planet until the child was born. That doesn't apply anymore, of course. And, we have the capability now to make long jumps if we need to get back home in a hurry. We can convert the upper deck to a larger space for us and the children, especially now that we have the personnel modules in the cargo bay. We can keep a couple of them."

Brent considered Joxe's explanation. He frowned a bit as he thought through the implications. "That makes good sense when the children are little. We will want to have a larger community for them to be a part of when they get older. I guess that is what we are striving to do right now; pull back the darkness and open up a peaceful spacefaring community." Brent thought a bit more. "I hadn't thought about the personnel modules but that makes good sense. We will want to have a little more room to move around while still preserving the cargo deck for more hazardous shipments."

"We've seen that some people have survived, but we are apparently one of the few who've managed to get back into space. That is both good and bad, as we are always in danger of having the ship confiscated by the locals. We know that Keipes is a threat, so I'd like to stay away from that part of the main until Egg's scouts and navy is up and running. We can go rimward if you'd like."

https://travellermap.com/?p=22.437!-72.649!6.85

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:20, Sun 17 Mar.

Brent nodded his head with a solemn look. "I agree with you." He brought up the local star map and displayed it holographically for the two of them to consider. "I say we had rim ward down the main. We can skip Donegal but the next three worlds in a row could have relic survivors given the favorable biosphere."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:57, Sun 17 Mar.

Joxe nods. "I agree. We can stop by Egg to refuel on the way back, and to deliver anyone who needs to return. After that, we can resupply and go."

Brent looked at the map further. "We can go down the main as far as Montezuma and then jump over to Lira and run up that main before jumping back toward Egg."

"I like that idea," Joxe replies. "Would we take anyone else with us, or we two go on our own?"

Brent thinks for a moment and then shrugged. "We could bring another long or we could rely on a couple of high-end AI robots like Edak to help out. Actually if we have modular robot brains then we could pair them with remotely piloted or small vehicles that we can carry. I think at the very least we need a higher end, armed air raft for exploring."

Joxe grins. "I never thought I'd have a shipyard at my beck and call." Her smile fades and she looks down, patting her still-flat abdomen. "Of course, I never thought I'd be in this situation at all. Everything and everyone I once knew is gone." She sniffs and begins to cry.

Brent pulled Joxe into his arms and stroked her hair and back soothingly. "You have friends and now family here in the future. We have a bright future ahead of us as we make our own little family and portion of the universe. All those you left behind will be in our memories and all that we do will be dedicated to them."

Joxe cries and sniffles for a few minutes, and then she finally lifts her head. "I love you, Brent. I know that you're right, but I will always miss what once was."