"I'm not a drop-tank technician!" Zhouth declared with a wildly-swirling point toward himself, ears noticeably flattened and a distressed look flaring about his muzzle. "Aren't those things meant to be broad-use? Different takes for every ship..." He trailed off, looking at the datapad. "Well, we could put modular storage in the cargo bay, but that will take a few more fittings. Or do the drop-tank thing. If we can find the fittings for it, the modular design should let us use the pods for cargo or fuel. They'll block off the access a bit, though. Or we get tanks and hope they don't get caught on anything when it's time to pop off. We'd only need them once to get to Tech-World to fix the proper tanks, right?"

  We have to take all of the Vespexers. They won't separate, and something bad is going to happen if we try to make them. Like them quitting, or getting all shooty again. Don't tell Varca until he's out of outburst hearing range, okay?

  That came through text-only on the comm, and only to Theodore. Apparently, Zhouth had managed to slip that message into the midst of his tapping about on his own comm as he looked at the Harrier schematics for the umpteenth time.

Comms to Zhouth - We'll hire later then, let them here. We don't need them all, we don't want them all. a pod in cargo will work. comms out
This message was last edited by the player at 11:36, Tue 28 July 2020.

At the end of the week of salvaging and repairs, Ingrid makes a final assessment of the ship and updates the status of the various areas.

Up till now, no one has said what they were going to do about the cargo scoop, nor has an agreement been reached about how many missiles are going to be put on board and where they are going to go.

Also, since an agreement couldn't be reached with the Stregors, they pack up their gear and are gone the next morning. Thazakar agrees that they won't tell anyone else about this cache, and they'll leave the missiles in case you want to come back for some of them. What were they going to do with them anyway?


The remaining options:

1. repair the cargo scoop--1/2 day
2. load missiles into the ammo bay; includes missile auto-loader--1/2 day

3. construct fuel drop tanks--1 week
4. construct a fuel pod in the cargo bay--1 week

Both of the latter options require a lot of fabrication work. Fortunately, the tools are here on the derelict ships.

Teddy will get Rejji to help with the cargo scoop while Varca loads missiles and an auto-loader into the ammo bay with help from Zhouth and Aaron.

Then all will work on constructing a fuel pod or drop tanks. We are willing to hire 3 Stregors if any are interested.

[Common Area, aboard the Vultan.  The Lost Base, Planet Drinax]

     Varca, wearing his hazard suit (without the helmet), steps out of his quarters, into the central common area of the Upper Deck--where he spots Theodore.

     "Captain McFarlane." Varca says with a nod, walking over to Theo, "I need to speak with you, please.  In private.  Perhaps...on the Bridge?"

In reply to Varca Lexand (msg # 469):

Teddy follows Varca onto the bridge, "Why so formal Varca, what is it? How can I help?"

  "Well, losing all of those Stregor fellows wasn't great, but I suppose it was better this than them becoming unfriendly again, right?" Zhouth was staring rather disconsolately at his comm, which was displaying a manifest on one side of the screen and a shrunken roster on the other, as he maintained a safe distance from Ingrid and her work on the ship's drive systems, something for which he had both no aptitude and no desire to set off any accidents. Then his mood brightened somewhat, ears and mouth perking up into a semblance of a smile. "Oh well. I couldn't keep that crazy space pirate act up around them forever. Now I won't have to!"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:33, Wed 29 July 2020.

"I wasn't very comfortable around them, but now there's a lot more work to be done without them" Ingrid said. She giggled "You did make a most fearsome space pirate"

"Missiles first. Then the fuel tank" Ingrid suggested.

  Zhouth's expression flattened back into one of nervousness at the mention of dealing with the salvaged missile supply. "I hope those things are still stable after all this time..."

  Despite the wan apprehension, he nevertheless he put his best effort into the task.

[Bridge, aboard the Vultan.  The Lost Base, Planet Drinax]

     Walking onto the Bridge with Theo, Varca notices that it's Viridian sitting the Watch.

     "Viridian, could you give us the Bridge for a moment?" Varca asks, "Maybe go get a beverage?  We'll monitor the scopes."

     With a puzzled frown, Viridian silently nods, rises from his seat, and walks out of the Bridge.  As Viridian steps through the door, Varca moves over to activate the door seal, then turns back to Theo.

     "Okay, Theo, we need to talk, before we can leave Drinax." Varca says,  moving down the Captain's Walk, and gesturing for Theo to sit in the Captain's Chair--while he, himself, leans back against the railing that runs around The Walk.

     "First--half of our deal with the Stregor has fallen through, and none of them will be coming with us.  So, you need to stop checking with them to find out who among them wants to come with us.  For them, it's all of them, or none of them."

     "I keep telling you, my old friend, not to think that other Vespexers behave like Rejji and myself!  Rejji and I are the ones that are different--we want to travel, and experience new cultures!  Most Vespexers do not.  Most are insular and, if I'm being honest, most Vespexers are even a little bit xenophobic."

     "Second--we both know that this ship really needs servicing that we will only find at the shipyard on Tech-World.  But the thing is, I do not think that we have the time, yet, to do so."

     "Have you considered how long it will take us to get back here, if we head straight to Tech-World?  Assuming we can perform Jump-Two's, it's two Jumps to get there, and two Jumps to get back--that's four weeks, right there.  And that's not allowing for how long it will take to make repairs!  And if we're still stuck making Jump-Ones--the time will be doubled!"

     "So, let's say we go to Tech-World...and, say we stop here at Drinax, on our way to finally go to planet Torpol, like King Oleb thinks we've been doing.  So, we show up on Drinax after--let's say five weeks--and The King will ask us two questions--'Why did we spend so much time at Torpol?' and then he will ask 'Where is all the Treasure that was offered as a reward for solving their Raider problem?'"

     "Because right now, that is what The Damned King thinks we are off doing.  When next he sees us, he will be expecting us to be reporting that we concluded a successful mission, and that we've brought back treasure.  And if, after five weeks, we show up with nothing but a repaired Harrier...trust me, that fat bastard will take the ship instead of the treasure that, in his mind, we promised him."

     "I really think we have to go to Torpol, first, before we can go to Tech-World.  I believe that it is important that we do so.  And I want you to back me up on this."

     "And finally, Theo, I think that you may have too strong an attachment to these missiles we've reconditioned.  Theo, we do not have a functional missile launcher on the Vultan, and it is likely to be a long time before we get a functional missile launcher installed.  The missiles we've loaded aboard the Vultan are nothing more than cargo, buddy.  They are a means to getting credits, which we'll almost immediately spend on the ship."

     "Again, my friend, I think it's important for both of us--you as Captain, and me as Mission Commander--to be in agreement about this.  That's why I'm discussing this with you, now, behind a sealed door.  Between us, we can disagree--but out in front of the others, we must present a united front.  Or this mission is doomed from the start."

     "So, if you have a different opinion, let me hear it, so we can decide, together, what we are going to do.  And remember, Theo...."

     Varca gives a grin,

     "I never fight fair--even over differences of opinion!"

"And I don't respond well to threats, we can't even get the Vultan to Torpol as is. I don't like flying in a roman candle full of hydrogen. Fuck fat Oleb, I'll do his mission when the ship is repaired and not held together by bailing wire and chewing gum.

"The missiles will work just fine once we get it repaired at Tech-World. I'm not going into combat with one arm tied behind my back with half a crew, we need to hire gunners too.

"I know the Stregors are leaving, they said it was all of them or none of them and I told them no.

"Torpol after. Or I do a Cyrus and let you run it!"

BB had been around the corner unintentionally eavesdropping on Ingrid and Zhouth's conversation but she let out a laugh and made her presence known. Once again it was a bit of a surprise for someone so ruff and gruff to have a light and feminine laugh.

"Fuck them. Let's be honest they are probably going to be more trouble than they were worth. The first port we find we can fill the ship up with people who actually understand how a ship works, people who won't get all...weird over working alongside a woman, and people who probably won't take a shit in the middle of the floor because..."

She shifted and adopted a voice and posture that was clearly an imitation of Varca.

"...that's the Vespexer way."

She continued back in her regular voice with a grin on her face.

"And yeah Zhouth, you were fucking terrifying."

She gave the Zhouth a friendly slap on the back, one that would have probably been painful without the flightsuit he was wearing. For such a small woman she was frighteningly strong.

"The missiles will go all right, Zhouth. They're made to survive the rigors of space." Ingrid said confidently

Ingrid turned and curtsied to BB. "Miss Nova, good morning. Lovely to see you."
"They were a rather difficult group of people to work with. Although I would guess that's rather common in the interstellar raider business." she added. "Their attitudes are different from back home, although women working along men isn't common there." she said in a bit of an understatement. "I'm sure it can't hurt to find some starship experts. As long as none of them put me out of a job!"

She giggled at Nova's impression of Varca.

"The frightening Vargr corsair!" Ingrid laughs, pretending to hide behind BB from Zhouth.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Thu 30 July 2020.

BB laughed, soft and light.

”Does this little group have a name yet? The Vargr Corsair has a nice ring to it.”

  Zhouth wobbled precariously forward under the impact of BB's wallop and needed a moment and a couple of breaths to steady himself, around which he managed a protest of, "That... everyone will be... confused. Even us!"

  "I mean, there are vargr corsairs all over the place!" The wide, expansive double arm-wave was illustrative and could have caused further stumbles if he'd been as burly as his moment-ago assailant. "We don't want to get blamed for everything they do, or them blaming us for taking their reputation. Not yet, I mean. Maybe later when we're the scourge of the sector, but, umm, even then they'd all expect me to be in charge with a name like that."

  The passingly-startled look was replaced by one of unabashed humor as he poked one thumb toward the bridge. "You want to go be the ones to tell Varca that he can't be in charge anymore because he doesn't look the part?"

BB can barely contain her laughter.

"But he isn't nearly as terrifying as you!"

  "Okay, I'm better at acting than he is when things are safe," Zhouth conceded with a slight slump of his shoulders, then straightened and mimed gun-firing with his fingers. "I don't have the nerve for it on a battlefield. You saw what I was like out there. Or wait, maybe you didn't since you were on the other side of the salvage field. Right, bad example!" He threw up his arms in mock-frustration.

  Then he grew thoughtful. "Maybe it we make a vid series about all of this one day? Should look into the licensing. If we get enough of an advance, the way some of those things are budgeted, we'll either be no better off than now, or be able to repair this ship and build several more of them too..."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:35, Sat 01 Aug 2020.

"McFarlane's Marauders? We good now Varca? I want to get to Torpol sooner than later too. Now, I'll consider it if we go straight to Tech-World afterwards, we will not go to their system and stay. Unless they can afford repairs to us. If we can make repairs at Torpol, I'm all for it. Can we make repairs there? We can't upgrade but we might be able to get the turret and missiles fixed and the fuel tanks sealed and restored. Maybe hire a few gunners and and engine monkey too. Ingrid needs good help."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:43, Fri 31 July 2020.

In reply to Theodore McFarlane (msg # 482):

[Bridge, aboard the Vultan.  The Lost Base, Planet Drinax]


     "I don't take well to threats, either, Buddy--I'm with you, as far as Oleb stepping off the Floating Palace without a grav-harness.  But Theo, you've been away from Drinax for a long time--I'm telling you, Oleb doesn't make threats.  If he says he's going to do something, he makes it happen.  Luckily, right now, he thinks we are doing...wait...you are talking about how I said Oleb would be angry if we show up over a month from now with nothing to show for it...right?"

     "I mean...Theo!...you don't think I just threatened you!  Do you?  No.  I was just warning you that I'm stiff-necked, and don't let go easily, once I've put my teeth into something.  That's all I meant, with my crack about not playing fair."

     "And I also agree with you that Tech-World is the place to get the best work done on the ship--I've been there, I've seen what their advanced shipyards can do.  That's why I suggested going there--and I was prepared to go there, immediately after we'd made the repairs we've just made.  But  then The Damned King started talking about the reports he'd got about Raiders in the Torpol Cluster, and a big reward being offered.  Like you, I don't care about Oleb's suggestion about where we should go--but the concern that I do have, which is based on living under his rule for longer than you have, is that the amount of time it will take for us to go to Tech-World before we go to Torpol will be unacceptably long to Oleb.  Even if we come back with the huge rewards he heard were being offered to anyone who gets rid of Torpol's Raider problem."

     "You should know--you're both a better Astrogator and Pilot than I am--that us getting to Tech-World, then back to Torpol, then back to Drinax, will take us about two months!  Maybe more!  Oleb will be expecting us back by the end of Week Five--because he still thinks we're limited to Jump-One--he doesn't know we've done some work on the Jump Drive.  If we can do Jump-Two, we gain a couple of weeks.  Which is good...since we've stayed here on Drinax for the last several days making those repairs."

     "And also--because I have faith in us--if we head straight to Torpol, now, solve their problem, and come back quick with a reward--not only will this make Oleb happy, it will also let us go to Tech-World with hard currency to spend there, not just a cargo of refurbished armaments to trade."

(OOC: yeah, I know we're planning on using Ship Shares we still have left, for work done on Tech-World--I'm just roleplaying that Varca is not aware of what/how much you guys have in banked Credits, or Letters of Credit, or whatever form your Ships Shares take.  We're surrounded by Varca's "Ship Shares"--this "Lost Base" represents, like, 90% of Varca's Shares.)


     Varca gives Theo an odd look,

     "Of course the missiles will work fine!  We worked hard enough refurbishing them!  And we've loaded only the ones that tested out at ninety-five percent, or more, as ready for use.  I also agree with you that we need more crew--even Gunners.  But, for right now, we have all the Gunners we can use--because we only need one!  There is only one functional weapon on board, plus this ship is designed for the primary gunners to operate their weapons from stations here, on the Bridge.  I asked Viridian."

     "Viridian even said he might be able to run the particle barbette while he's piloting--if he keeps it aimed straight ahead, pointing the ship at the target.  Even he admits that you are a better pilot than him--but I asked The Damned King to make you the Captain, instead of having you be our Chief Pilot, because I'm assuming that that Imperial Navy of yours gives their Officers some kind of leadership training, plus, I also assume, you're trained in the day-to-day operations of a starship.  Plus I know you!  I don't know Viridian, beyond that he says he's a Mercenary, and I don't know if that means he's had leadership training, like you and I have had."

     "Actually, now that I think about it, I never did ask you if the Imperial Navy gave you leadership training..."

(OOC: I have no idea, actually, if either Viridian or Theo has the Leadership Skill.  Varca has it at Level 2 ^_^)


     "Really?" Varca asks, slightly puzzled, "That's odd--Thrazakar told me you'd asked him, again, just this morning if he knew of three of his guys who were willing to stay on.  Huh.  Oh, well, never mind I brought it up, then."

(OOC: ^_~  In message #468, abouve, even after quoting StarMaster's post that all the Stregors were leaving, you still, then, posted "Then all will work on constructing a fuel pod or drop tanks. We are willing to hire 3 Stregors if any are interested.".....unless...oh, crap.  I misread that, when I originally posted, didn't I?  You meant we'd hire 3 Stregors to help build the fuel pod, didn't you?  Not to ask if any of them were interested in comin with us.  Dammit, I am so oblivious, sometimes...)


     Now Varca looks really confused,

     "Do a Cyrus...?  You mean, you'll go to planet Strend and try to recruit an entire company of cyborg Space Marines, to come join us?  Because that's what Cyrus is doing.  Before our meeting with The Damned King, Cyrus and I had a talk--remember, when I arrived late, just before we all went into the Throne Room, I said I'd talked with Cyrus--well, I pointed out to him that I had more political clout on Drinax than he did, and I'd already made arrangements to have some strings pulled for me.  We then came up with the idea that he would go home to Strend--where he had some influence--and try to get us an attack force made up of Strendian augmented soldiers, which he would command, while I stayed behind and took the Captains job on the ship."

     "But then, just as we were being admitted into His Lard-Asses' presence, it occured to me that you knew more about how to run a ship than I did, so that's why I pushed for you to be the Captain, and I would take the job of overall Mission Commander.  And then The Damned King shouted that he didn't care who was what--I think my political allies may have upset him--well, I just went ahead and instituted my plan as if I had The Kings permission to do so.  Of course, now, when Cyrus comes back, in a year, he and I will be right back where we started..."

     Varca gives Theo a strange grin,

     "What?  When I said Cyrus had gone off on his own--did you think I'd shot him, and stuffed his body into one of the Palace's reactors?  I'll admit, the thought did cross my mind...but c'mon, Theo!  You saw Cyrus in action--he's augmented!  That bastard is three times faster than I am!  The only way I could get the drop on him would be to, literally drop something on him from orbit!"

     "And, y'know, he's a friend, so..."

     Varca's grin gets wider.


     "What's that, then--McFarlane's Raiders?  That your old unit in the Imperial Navy?  You trying to tell me you've been holding out about your combat experience, there, Old Buddy?"

(OOC: Um, you do recall that Theodore & Varca are on the Bridge...alone...behind a sealed blast door...which is designed to be sealed from inside the Bridge...as defense against Boarders and Mutineers...?  'Course ya did.... ^_^)


     "Of course we're good, Theo!  I'm Mission Commander, but I'm not a tyrant.  Well, not much of one, anyway.  Look, I don't know contamination about how to run a starship or how to best use one in a battle!  That has to be all you, my friend.  As far as ship-board jobs go, I'm only trained for Electronic Warfare Ops--and even at that I'm still, basically, a Trainee."

     "I can't do this job properly unless I lean on you to handle everything concerning the ship.  And I can't be making mission critical decisions all by myself if I haven't any idea how to best utilize this ship.  So it's you and me that'll be running this whole operation, Buddy!  As equals!"

     "Well, except that I'll be more equal, 'cuz, y'know, I'm the Mission Commander..."

     "And I wasn't planning on staying around Torpol any longer than we had to--get there, figure out a solution to their problem, then resolve it for them, get the reward, then get back here, make The Damned King happy, take our cut of the reward, then head straight to Tech-World.  That's the basic plan, yeah."


     "Well, according to the Star Guard Scouts briefings I remember, yeah, the starport at Torpol can handle those things.  They can't fix the hull or the jump grid, I don't think--that stuff is strictly Tech-15 repairs--but the rest?  Sure."

     "Except for the ventral turret--there is no 'repair' for that, Theo.  The turret and the old single tube missile launcher are destroyed, Buddy.  Destroyed and gone.  Princess Rao's techs just sealed it up well enough to hold atmo.  That's not a 'repair' job, that's a 'replacement' job."

     "But I beieve that the 'Port at Torpol is capable of removing what's left of the old, destroyed turret, and then mounting the complete turret assembly--that has a frikkin missile launcher already installed in it--that we pulled out of one of the wrecks, outside.  That whole assembly is only two tons--make it three tons, because we should bring along some extra parts, just in case--and all we'll have to pay for is the Yard Dogs labor.  Probably."

     "And I'm sure we can find a few star-bums, there, who'd be available for Privateer work..."

     Varca takes a deep breath, then says,

     "Look, I don't like it--I really don't like it!--but at this point in our relationship with The Damned King, I think it would be a good thing for us to take Oleb's oh-so-subtle hint, and go get him that reward from Torpol.  If we can give him a quick turnaround on this first mission, that also brings home some money, then I'm thinking that that'll reassure Oleb about the overall mission, and he'll then leave us to go out and do what we think needs doing--without him looking over our shoulders."

Leadership 2

"Huuummmpphhh, without gunners and missiles, we'll have a particle accelerator to 'resolve' their problem. We'll be the ones with a problem I'm thinking. This is going to be a short cruise. The Harrier might be a high tech craft, but it's still a little piece of shit with little punch. Unless I'm missing something.

"Who is going to operate the turret? Who has gunnery on the crew?"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:32, Sat 01 Aug 2020.

In reply to Theodore McFarlane (msg # 484):

     "Beam Las--Theo, I told the Stregor this ship was armed with a laser cannon...I was lying!  This ship is armed with one of the most terrifying weapons, this side of a nuke!  We're armed with a Particle Beam--it fires a concentrated beam of high intensity radiation.  The beam is powerful enough to actually do some physical damage, but it also hoses a target with thousands of RADS of lethal radiation.  Just the threat of being fired upon by this weapon can make a courageous man crap himself in fear!"

     "That's what makes it such a perfect weapon for Piracy!  We fire a particle beam across a ship's bow, and every radiation sensor on that ship will start screaming, and put such fear into people's hearts that, when we follow up the bow shot with a demand for surrender, any smart spacer will demand that their Captain shut down the Drives and prepare to be boarded."

     "Yeah, I'm very excited to have a particle beam barbette on this ship!  But...you're not trained as a turret gunner?  Neither am I!"

     "Wait...wait...I'm pretty sure that Viridian said he has Gunnery/Turrets."

Viridian has gunnery 1 with beam. Zhouth already corrected me and I am duly informed now by both of you. Get the missile turret installed and hire two gunners and an engine monkey on Torpol I guess. We muddle through to Tech-World where we get proper repairs on the fuel system and some permanent fixes."

"Lets get to work on the fuel pod, we go nowhere until that is done." With that he heads for the cargo hold to build the fuel pod for extra fuel for the trip to Torpol he assumed

"My PMOS is actually listed as 'Gunnery (turrets)', Viridian corrects everyone. "I just trained on lasers, or as some instructors called it, 'beam weapons', so that's the way I tend to think of it and usually list it as such."

"So any weapon system mounted in a turret I can handle. The whole point of that is you have to pivot the turret towards the target, as well as acquire the target at the same time. If there is an electronic augment system installed, then you also have to know how to work with it instead of against it."

In reply to Viridian Starfire (msg # 488):

Teddy opens the door.

"Good Viridian, when we go into battle, I fly and you shoot. Varca readies the boarding party."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:56, Sun 02 Aug 2020.