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09:24, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

4: Next Stop--Torpol.

Posted by StarMasterFor group 0
StarMaster
GM, 136 posts
Fri 14 Aug 2020
at 21:52
  • msg #1

4: Next Stop--Torpol

The extra fuel storage 'pod' gets constructed fairly quickly. It took only two days because of the supplies available, whereas it would have only taken a few hours at a base. At the last minute, it occurs to someone that there needs to be a way to process the fuel that goes into the pod. While a fuel processor could have been salvaged from the other ships, it was decided that it'd be easy to pump fuel from the fuel tanks into the pod. The appropriate hoses and pumps are stored in the cargo bay for possible future needs.

It takes two days to reach the gas giant to refuel. It's no longer possible to make a jump-2 due to the lack of fuel until you refuel at the gas giant. On the other hand, you have around 44 weeks of operational fuel (which would leave just enough fuel to make a jump-1).

Refueling at the gas giant goes fairly smoothly; after all, the ship was designed to do that.

And then you make the jump to Torpol. There are no problems entering j-space, no problems along the way, and no problems when you exit.

It's up to the captain and the astrogator just where you want to exit j-space in the Torpol system.
BB Nova
player, 127 posts
I7C966
Orbital Drop Marine
Fri 14 Aug 2020
at 22:35
  • msg #2

4: Next Stop--Torpol

BB continues to drift in and out of view of the rest of the crew. Her routine through jump space is to work out exhaustively in the morning, do minor maintenance as assigned by Ingrid in the afternoon, and in the evening she tends to disappear within the depths of the ship or her room to watch trashy reality holos.
Theodore McFarlane
player, 703 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Sat 15 Aug 2020
at 12:01
  • msg #3

4: Next Stop--Torpol

100 diameters from the highport. That is the target, then maneuver drive on in there.

Teddy continues to woo Ingrid during the trip. He also trains to keep fit and works in engineering alongside Ingrid on the drives.

"Lets try those papers of Zhouth's and get on with this. Comms, contact the highport and tell them that the Vultan is here in seardh of what Varca? You tell them what Fat Oleb wants them to know. We're looking for pirates and such to clean up their space? Oleb's best wishes in the endeavor. What else?"

"We need to refuel in the ocean too and then set down and look for courier work too.

This message was last edited by the player at 14:09, Sun 16 Aug 2020.
Varca Lexand
player, 438 posts
Human Vespexer
Raider
Sun 16 Aug 2020
at 14:10
  • msg #4

4: Next Stop--Torpol

In reply to Theodore McFarlane (msg # 3):

     Down in the Portside Countermeasures Room, Varca quickly calls up the computer entry on Torpol from the Drinaxi Database that Princess Rao had had installed on the Harrier--including information gathered on Drinax's neighboring planets, by the Star Guard Scouts.

     "Ah...Captain Theo?  Sir?  Just which one are we doing--approaching Topol, or heading off to a gas giant to wilderness refuel?  Knowing which one we're doing will influence my hail to their Port Authority."

     "And if we are going to go to the planet first, you should know that the Highport, abouve Torpol, isn't much more than a glorified refueling station.  All other Port Services are done at a Downport located near the south pole of the planet--big landmass down there."


     "If I might make a suggestion...?  Since we have several weeks worth of operating fuel in the Pod, let's go land at the Downport, now, and see what's happened since the Raider attack, weeks ago, now.  Maybe there's more information available, or just more to the story than we know.  We should go look into it, before we decide on our next move."

     "Hell, Theo, we really don't even know what the actual reward is, that's being offered--other than Fat Oleb's statement of 'enough gold and lanthanum to bury a man!', that is.  Let's start by getting better informed."

Theodore McFarlane
player, 707 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Sun 16 Aug 2020
at 14:16
  • msg #5

4: Next Stop--Torpol

"You answered your own question Varca. Downport and Port Authority. We'll refuel while we're down there then.

"We need anything for the ship's Locker or are we good Varca? Can any repairs be done here?"

This message was last edited by the player at 14:25, Sun 16 Aug 2020.
Zhouth
player, 545 posts
Vargr
669999
Sun 16 Aug 2020
at 14:46
  • msg #6

4: Next Stop--Torpol

  "Hey, it wasn't just Oleb!" Zhouth called out in protest. "That line about being showered to death came from Scholar Voha at the tower!" Shoulders rippled in a shrug as he held his hands out. "Probably a metaphor either way, though, and I don't think that we can rebuild the ship with gold. Maybe some specialized electronics and stateroom fixtures, but the hull? This is supposed to be the Vultan, not the Vanity, right?"

  Glancing at one of the shipboard monitors that was displaying the system and planetary data, Zhouth tapped at the latter with the tip of one finger and added, "Downport is best unless we want to get fuel first, but we should use one of their ports for that either way. They might not like us just scooping water out of the ocean and we're supposed to be making friends here, not annoying the port authorities by avoiding their fuel charges."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:47, Sun 16 Aug 2020.
Theodore McFarlane
player, 710 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Sun 16 Aug 2020
at 14:51
  • msg #7

4: Next Stop--Torpol

"Roger that Zhouth. Pay for fuel with what few credits we have to spare. Make arrangements to get the missile turret installed too. Hang out the help wanted sign in the starport for a drive engineer at the very least, Ingrid can't do it all 24/7. We need anyone else? Another gunner? Another Marine?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:41, Sun 16 Aug 2020.
StarMaster
GM, 137 posts
Sun 16 Aug 2020
at 16:57
  • msg #8

4: Next Stop--Torpol

As soon as you come out of jump-space, your ship's transponder is picked up by the Torpol defense systems. (Whatever papers you agreed on, the ship's transponder has been 'fixed' to transmit that signal. In fact, since you had access to over a hundred such transponders, half a dozen were salvaged and sit in a crate in the cargo bay. None of them have been installed yet. It's generally illegal to have more than one functional transponder on a ship.)

You receive a comm from the ASTC of Torpol.

===BEGIN COMMS: "This is Commander Reldam of the Torpol Air/Space Traffic Control to ship Vultan. Identify yourself!" :END COMMS===
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:58, Sun 16 Aug 2020.
Theodore McFarlane
player, 711 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Sun 16 Aug 2020
at 18:07
  • msg #9

4: Next Stop--Torpol

"Respond to them Varca, with what you want them to hear and what they need to hear." Teddy says with a grin. He leans back in the captain's seat and takes a deep breath. It felt good to be back in control IN space.
Varca Lexand
player, 441 posts
Human Vespexer
Raider
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 08:32
  • msg #10

4: Next Stop--Torpol

In reply to Theodore McFarlane (msg # 9):

     Varca opens the channel--pauses a moment to focus--and then begins speaking in a (bad) imitation of a Palacer accent,

     "Greetings Commander Reldam!  This is, indeed, the courier vessel Vultan, inbound to your lovely world from Drinax.  We're looking to land at your downport to refuel, and possibly see about getting some work done on our little courier, here."

     Varca deliberately pauses for a moment, before adding "That is...if you think its safe to do so!  Even on Old Drinax, we heard about those awful raids you had, a few weeks ago.  Oh, I do hope the shipyards weren't too horribly damaged."

     "Back over to you, Torpol Air/Space Traffic Control."

     Varca clipped his mic.
Ingrid Gustavdottir Sigar
player, 214 posts
Human Merchant
Sword Worlder
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 08:47
  • msg #11

4: Next Stop--Torpol

"Well, I'd certainly like a chance to go down to the planet" Ingrid said. She liked to see other worlds, and was more comfortable planetside. Besides, it'd give her a break from her engineering work.

She looked over at Varca when he answered the comms but didn't interrupt.
Zhouth
player, 547 posts
Vargr
669999
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 10:04
  • msg #12

4: Next Stop--Torpol

  "This is the right place to visit if you want to take a break from your work. All the ships passing along the Florian route stop here unless they're in a big hurry. Why?" The accompanying who-knows to ta-da pose transition was quick enough to be almost dizzying. "Pleasure ports! Place is famous for them, and they're really the only reason why most people would go to the surface. Should be able to set you up for sport fishing rather than partying if that's your thing instead."

  His expression shifted to a more thoughtful one, and one hand waved toward the planet before the other waved back in the general direction of the Drinax system as he continued, "I think fish are the only thing that Torpol has as a local export. Maybe we should bring some back to the palace later, once this raider business is dealt with. Would go well with all of the hydroponic algae they usually eat, don't you think?"
Theodore McFarlane
player, 712 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 11:35
  • msg #13

4: Next Stop--Torpol

"I think we all need some shore leave, AFTER we check on the pirates! And while the missile turret gets installed. Don't forget the help wanted placard for a chief engineer and a missile maggot."
StarMaster
GM, 138 posts
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 15:33
  • msg #14

4: Next Stop--Torpol

===BEGIN COMMS: "You can refuel at the Highport, and the shipyards at the Highport weren't attacked, so you can have your ship serviced there."

"And you still haven't identified yourself! Your transponder is 200 years out of date! Before you can land anywhere, you need to transmit your engineering clearance, your medical clearance, your owner, your captain of record, your registration, your occupation, route and destination, purpose for visiting Torpol and your news packet."
:END COMMS===
Theodore McFarlane
player, 714 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 15:39
  • msg #15

4: Next Stop--Torpol

"Transmit the information Commander Varca. Time to find out how Zhouth did. The Vultan Transport Company LLC. Captain Theodore McFarlane in command. Follow all flight instructions from them Viridian, I'll work out the course for the Highport."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:51, Mon 17 Aug 2020.
BB Nova
player, 129 posts
I7C966
Orbital Drop Marine
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 17:09
  • msg #16

4: Next Stop--Torpol

BB gives a nod at Theo from where she was standing off to the side of the bridge.

"It sounds like you have a lot on your plates. I'm a pretty good judge of character and can probably drum up some potential recruits to take a look at. I think we could use another turret gunner to operate those missile pods, but someone who can also handle a gun and a vacc suit to assist on the boarding operations.

The only question I have is how many people are we looking to add to our little posse? We can make it clear these are probationary contracts so we can dump them at the next port if they don't work out."

Theodore McFarlane
player, 718 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 17:16
  • msg #17

4: Next Stop--Torpol

"Hmmmm, agreed! I think a marine/missile maggot, and a chief engineer will probably suffice. What say the rest of you? Ingrid as the Engineering Officer can take her station then if she wants to, or hole up in engineering."

"We never updated the transponder, I guess we should take care of that. Medical records for everyone Aaron, I guess we need updated too. We got what we need as far as registration goes from Drinax at least."

"Ingrid dear, you got or need anything added?"

This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Mon 17 Aug 2020.
Zhouth
player, 550 posts
Vargr
669999
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 18:20
  • msg #18

4: Next Stop--Torpol

  "Isn't the chief engineer the officer in charge of engineering?" Zhouth sounded mildly surprised, or perhaps mildly confused, by Theodore's suggestion that she be replaced in that role. "So we want a deputy engineer, not a chief one? That's how I always understood it anyway."

  Ears a bit flattened, he paused to take a quick look around himself, as if expecting to find some heretofore hidden figure lurking and listening to everything that he said. "And, umm, are we going to hire people who know that they might have to do some slightly off-record things while they're here, and will keep quiet about it afterwards? That's going to change our hiring prospects, especially on a trade world like this!" He stabbed one finger toward the distant image of Torpol on one of the monitors before letting it fall.
Theodore McFarlane
player, 720 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 18:28
  • msg #19

4: Next Stop--Torpol

"Chief Engineer is Chief of Boat, it would be the Chief Petty Officer in charge. Ingrid is the Engineering Officer. She has a post on the bridge but also tells the Chief of Boat what to do to the engines. She can keep it the way it is if she wants, but it would be nice to have someone on the bridge watching the engines too."

"Hiring on Torpol will be problematic, Vespexers would have been better, but we don't have room for a dozen. We can hold off until we get back to Drinax if you want to."

StarMaster
GM, 141 posts
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 18:40
  • msg #20

4: Next Stop--Torpol

On large capitol ships, there might be an engineering station back where the engines and power plant are, but on the Harrier, there's no such space. As it is, there's barely enough space to make any repairs. Small repairs rarely happen anyway. If an engine stops working, it's not like you can just change a spark plug.

Ultimately, while the ship is in flight, anything Ingrid can do she can do better from the bridge than she ever could from 'engineering'.
Theodore McFarlane
player, 721 posts
Human Capt, IN ret.
697AAA
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 18:45
  • msg #21

4: Next Stop--Torpol

There you go, we don't need a chief engineer. BB can run the missile turret short term until we get someone, or Rejji.
Viridian Starfire
player, 70 posts
Human Merc
Mon 17 Aug 2020
at 19:03
  • msg #22

4: Next Stop--Torpol

Sitting at the gunner's station, Viridian was relieved that they weren't instantly attacked by anything. The Highport was still out of range... from either side, so he decided to delve into the library computer to see what he could find out about Torpol.

After a quick skim, he spoke up.

"Hey, folks! Torpol is a tourist trap!" he announced. "The only people that go down to the planet are tourists that want to luxuriate in the fancy resorts that Torpol is known for."

"There's a Downport, but there's no repair facilities there because it's built on a slab of ice. It's at the capitol on the South Pole. There's little or no land under the ice, so there are no monstrous skyscrapers and stuff. They don't build up, they build out."


When the request for the ship's medical clearance came, it caused a frown on Viridian's face. He tapped at his console for a moment.

"I apologize, folks, for not staying on top of that. I did medical scans on all the Stregors, but, for some reason, I just thought that the Princess had done it for all of us. After all, it was her ship at that point."

"And, like everyone else, I just took it for granted that it was being done automatically... like it's supposed to do."

"I think there's a lesson to be learned here: we can't take anything for granted. I suggest, the first chance we get, we do a complete detailed inspection of the ship. Yeah, we did an initial one, but we were directing our attention only to what needed repaired."

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