Zhouth's voice came over the comm a moment later, his words raggedly gasped out between heaving breaths. "I think... we'll need... to go... somewhere else... to be safe... you know?" There was a noticeable pause in speech (if not breathing), then, "The palace... can still... shoot at us... on the... way in..."

"Then they'd claim the king dead and take over, when he healed and came back, they would attempt to kill us as soon as we entered space. If they failed to kill us, it would be civil war."

The Highport is in a geosynchronous orbit that keeps it over the Floating Palace at all times even though the Palace drifts across the landscape below. There's simply nothing on the planet's surface to warrant a fixed position.

With the Palace several kilometers beyond the storm now, it's easy enough to head for the Highport rather than the Palace. Concerns about the Palace shooting at you is unfounded since the Palace itself isn't armed. The four orbital gun platforms are more for the protection of the Highport. The person who currently has control of them is in your AutoDoc, though it's remotely possible that Lord Wrax has somehow gained control of them.

As the Vultan passes the Palace, however, you see a trio of atmospheric flyers coming in on an intercept trajectory. The lead fighter hails the Vultan, ordering it to divert course to the Floating Palace's main starport dock instead, even though the Vultan is clearly not heading for the Palace. This command comes straight, the fighter pilot says, from Lord Wrax himself. However, they don't fire on the Vultan, and Teddy at least realizes they were just pawns, readily sacrificed to get the Vultan to make a mistake.

Comms are picking up lots of traffic from within the Floating Palace, including weapons fire on board. From the sounds of the comms traffic, it appears that partisans supporting Prince Harrick have prematurely declared the king dead and are trying to secure the Floating Palace before Rao can muster allies. There is confusion over who is in charge.

Upon docking at the Highport, there is not only a medical team waiting for you but an armed guard to get the King to the Medical Bay. They don't object when Varca, Rejji, Teddy, and Donio provide their own security detail.

As it turns out, your AutoDoc is better than what the Highport has so there's no reason to transfer Oleb. After considerable consultation, its agreed that Oleb shouldn't be woken up until he's fully healed... otherwise he's liable to do something foolish and exacerbate his injuries all over again. As it is, he'll be healing for at least a week. H had some minor injuries, including a concussion, but the major wound was seven pieces of polycarb of different sizes that had stabbed through his abdomen and damaged several organs. The AutoDoc was able to sustain him on life support for the damaged organs until they can be healed or replaced.

With the polycarb rods, each one had to be removed individually and slowly while the Doc and surgeons followed behind mending the damage. That was going to take a few hours. Then it just needed time to heal--modern miracle medicines not withstanding.

Meanwhile, a 4-man security detail stands watch over the Medical Bay, though they are only wearing security armor rather than full boarding vacc suit armor. They wield laser pistols, snub pistols and stun batons.

"Thank the gods he's stable and out of surgery. I think at least one of us should be with him at all times just in case. We need to contact the Palace and let them know they can stop fighting, the King is okay and will be back in a few days. What do you think Varca? Zhouth? We should double the guard here with better armor and weapons too." Teddy looks from face to face, "We need to get the rest of our crew up here too, contact them and have them shuttled up if we can."

Next he hugged and kissed Ingrid, "Thank you sweetheart for saving our bacon. We should all be checked out too, almost killed out there, I'm never going back to that city again. Can you help with my armor dear?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:59, Tue 06 June 2023.

Ingrid was relieved to give up command and head back to engineering. Once they docked she took the opportunity to practically tackle Teddy in a hug. "You scared the living daylights out of me. I was a nervous wreck up here. Although I confess it was a little fun to be the captain."

"I don't think it'll work that way, Teddy. I think they've gone too far to back down; if the King isn't dead they might just try to make him that way" she said of the fighting over the throne.

"I agree dear, that's why I said we need to stay with him and increase the guard in number and in gear. They'll be coming to make sure he's dead. Damn I'm glad I'm not king."

Zhouth waved one hand side to side while pointing straight at Ingrid with the other. "You're going to be captain again for a while, or something close to it. We still haven't put all of the expedition through medical yet, and I'm pretty sure that everyone is going to need some serious treating after the bug and wind and lightning and getting shot!" He swiveled the pointing finger toward himself. "I'm probably the one in the best shape of all of us, and I still feel some kinship to a crash test dummy after going through that!"

"Yes Zhouth, you are quite correct, I said I needed help getting my suit off, I might be in hospital a week too. I'm hurt inside, as well as the wounds from that, thing, that attacked us. Can you arrange to get the others up here Ingrid? Viridian, Collyn, RayJay, Taliesa and the rest? We are going to need help, plus analyze what they found, if they found anything."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:36, Tue 06 June 2023.

OOC: FYI--I have no desire or intention of trying to keep the two timelines in sync... they'll happen at their own time and pace.


You are in the Medical Bay of the Highport, so you have access to better medical personnel and equipment (except for the AutoDoc, which is otherwise in use) than on the Vultan.


22:29, Today: StarMaster rolled 18,18,13,13,19 using 2d6+7,2d6+7,2d6+7,2d6+7,2d6+7 ((5,6,6,5,1,5,1,5,6,6)).

After an hour of medical treatment ('surgery'), the following damage points are restored:

Aaron gets 10 points back.
Rejji gets 10 points back.
Teddy gets 5 points back.
Varca gets 5 points back.
Zhouth gets 11 points back.

While you can apply these to any of your 3 physical attributes, you need to fully restore one of them for you to benefit from long term (one day) care. Teddy and Varca may need an additional hour of surgery.

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 120):

Teddy Stabilizes at:
Temp STR [6] 3(+1) 4
Temp DEX [9] 7(+2) 9
Temp END [7] 4(+2) 6
--------------------
Temp INT [A] 8(+0)
Temp EDU [A] 7(+0

Teddy is feeling much better, but he wasn't 100% by a ways!

Between taking up extra responsibilities due to injured crew and medical duties, Ingrid had had an extremely busy few hours, but was relived the crew seemed to pull through okay.

In reply to Ingrid Gustavdottir Sigar (msg # 122):

OOC:  as I understand StarMaster's post, abouve, Teddy & Varca will be bed-ridden for at least a day--maybe two (SM mentions possible additional surgery; I/Varca will opt for such, he's still down 4 Points).
   Again, if I'm reading it correctly, it looks like Zhouth will recover quickly.  He might be up and moving within hours.
   Ingrid was left "in command" by Teddy--The Captain.  And even though Zhouth is a part of the "Command Structure", I don't think he can relieve her of that duty, because it was The Captain who assigned her the duty.  So, for at least 24 hours...Vultan will remain under Ingrid's command.  ^_^
   Also, I RP'd Varca as pushing himself pretty hard--he likely drained his Medikit of pain killers--so I'm RP'ing him as having crashed once he got to medical care--either by "Doctor's Orders" or just his own reaction, Varca will be "out of it" until the doctors release him.
   So, as I see it, a few hours after Vultan lands on the highport and we hand over The King--Ingrid "has the Conn", Zhouth is up and about, and Teddy is Okay-But-Bed-ridden...
   Good Luck, you guys... ^_^

In reply to Varca Lexand (msg # 123):

ooc - I'm still down 3 points, but assume I'll recover those normally if I opt out of surgery and resume duties soon?

"When you get a chance dear, get someone to contact the away team on the palace and see if we can get them up here if we can."

Ingrid nods. "Get the folks back together, will do."

7 hour later

"Able to reach the palace dear, any news on the status over there?" Teddy asked Ingrid.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:01, Thu 22 June 2023.

There is virtually no security on the Highport right now as the Star Guard is in the outer system looking for that Aslan spy. All that's available is the starport authority.

The medical staff confirms that Wrax is down on the Floating Place.


Because of the use of fast drugs, Varca and Teddy have to go through a second surgery, and won't be conscious for 24 hours as it requires the AutoDoc's cryoberth function. At the end, you both are a bit stiff and groggy for a minute or two.


There are four base security personnel assigned to guard the King. When half-a-dozen Star Guardsmen show up to take custody. They are promptly arrested by Security.

That's when you learn that the communications blackout was initiated by the Royal Palace.


Shortly after that, the Hawk Warriors arrive at the Highport dragging the assassin's body.

Seeing the assassin's body, Ingrid tells Zhouth "Well, that's one problem solved. The question is, what now? We're cut off from out team at the palace but we're in no condition to be charging into an unknown situation."

Zhouth had alternated between keeping watch over the cryo-caskets of Oleb, Varca, and Theodore, alternately pacing the area while working on his comm, and scrutinizing the medical readouts from the medical hardware. The only exception was when he was resting: a bit more than usual, which was understandable given how bruised up he'd been on arriving - not enough to require extensive treatment, but more than could be remedied by a quick patch-up or taking a few minutes for a breather.

"We're missing two very important people for any kind of charge," he agreed, looking and sounding rather depressed about that fact. Then he addressed the Hawk Warriors who had brought the body in. "Do you have any way to get onto the palace right now, or are you just as locked out as everyone else?"

This message was deleted by the player at 16:17, Sun 25 June 2023.

"Hey, we'll be okay" Ingrid said to Zouth with a smile, trying to encourage him. "We've come this far, right? Didn't come all this way just to end here."

Highport Medical Center, in orbit abouve the Floating Palace; Planet Drinax



     Laying in a nearby AutoDoc, Varcas red-orbed eyes snap open,

     "Nothing ... is ... ended." he says, stiffly sitting up in the AutoDoc, "And I'm not ready to go 'missing', quite yet..."

     Varca shifts his legs, and sits on the edge of the AutoDoc,

     "That Planet ain't killed me yet..." Varca says, stretching his arms and torso, "...kicked my ass several times...but it ain't come close to killing me..."

     Finished with his short stretch, Varca looks around, over his shoulder, at Theo in a nearby AutoDoc and gives his old friend a nod -- then Varca turns a serious glare at the group...

     "Where's the Damned King...?"

Teddy crawls out of his too, looking around, orienting himself.

In reply to Theodore McFarlane (msg # 133):

     "And what about the Team on the Palace?  What have they reported while I was out?", Varca continues, rising to his feet,

     "And didn't anyone bring me a Hazard Suit?  We're in the middle of a frikkin Medical Center, here!  Surrounded by Toxins and Pathogens!  You people trying to kill me, or what?!"

In reply to Starwolf (msg # 134):

"Looks like I need one too, can you bring me one Ingrid dear? How is the king doing?" Teddy asks before questioning about the others.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:30, Mon 03 July 2023.

"You're surrounded by toxins and pathogens that are all very carefully contained, so as long as you stay calm and don't start poking or breaking things you'll be perfectly safe!" Zhouth replied brightly to Varca. He whirled one hand in a small circle to his side. "Well, safe from toxins and pathogens, anyway. We'll have to start doing something about those high blood pressure issues, though." Was he smiling as he said that? It looked like he might be, just a little.

Then his hand moved up to point over his shoulder toward the door as he regarded Varca with a look of concern. "But, umm, you might want to both double check your suits before you use them again. All of those strikes and smashing around and getting electrocuted may not have done their systems and integrity any favors, you know? Things like undetected lubricant leaks into the breather can cause some pretty nasty long-term toxic effects that the rest of the suit won't help you with."


Then he pointed toward a side wall. "As for the king, he's still out, and he's probably going to stay that way for a while because he was in much worse shape than you two were. The palace team?" He pointed toward the floor. "All quiet, but that's probably because the palace is blocking everything, and best intel says that they'll start shooting at anything that isn't theirs. Maybe even at some things that are." He shifted to an exaggerated shrug. "Okay, yes, the Vultan is a pretty capable little ship, but taking on an entire floating palace with it might still be a bit much, especially since none of us who were still walking around are exactly master tacticians."

He pointed through the wall again. "The Hawk Guards are here, though. Seems like they're still loyal."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:50, Tue 04 July 2023.