Rig nods to himself as he hears the news, feeling a sense of relief that he'll be able to get close to the Yonder Ho without raising any suspicion. He sets to work, gathering his tools and heading out to the docks.

Once he's there, he starts to mingle with the other workers, trying to blend in and not draw too much attention to himself. He quickly gets to work, fixing and repairing ships alongside the other crew members.

When there is a bit of downtime he tries to assess how best to position himself so it seems only natural that he'll be the one assigned to the Yonder Ho's final inspection.

As for the equipment

15:31, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 7 using 2d6+1.  persaude/soc.

Ledo considers the idea for a moment, then nods in agreement. "That could work. Let's give it a try."

Ledo pulls up the map and scans for an out-of-the-way corridor that they could "indispose" Codger in. Preferably something near the Tia so they can just toss him in their brig for safe keeping.

He turns to Fritz. "Alright, send him a message. Here's what to say:"

Hello, Mr. Blugens. This is the dock security office. We've been informed that you were overcharged on your last trip and we're reaching out to let you know that you're owed a refund. If you can report to corridor <the location Ledo found we can have an officer deliver your credits. Thank you.</i>

Ledo looks over the message, making sure it sounds convincing. "Send that over, Fritz. Let's see if we can get him to come to us."

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 49):

Codger doesn't take long to respond Ledo.

Don't need it.  Enjoy

---

One of the men leans back in his chair.  "WooooooOOOOOOO!!! Now that's my kinda woman!

"C'mere and have a seat!"  He pats his lap Tehpa.

The woman smacks him playfully on the back of the head.  She laughs at you and motions with her chin to the chair across from her.

"They're not such bad friends.  This is Deet.  That's Jobs.  I'm Lexia.  What's your name?"

Jobs, who seems to be the "quiet one", orders you all another round.

I'll give you a choice:  we can roleplay this scene out.  Or you can see what you get by rolling a Persuade/Soc for Tepha. 

---

It's easy enough to get the gig Rig.  Most of the crew are overworked and glad enough to pass the final inspection off.

You're going along, acting like you're inspecting the landing gear struts, when a hand lands on your shoulder.  One of the crew.

"We pass strut inspections when we landed.  Why are you lookin' 'em over again?"

Ledo sighs and rolls his eyes. What kind of man passes up free money?

"Fritz, you wouldn't happen to be able to trace that response for me, would you? I don't need him thrown in the brig I just need to get to the Yonder> first and he needs to get to the docking bay after the ship takes off.">

Tepha fits right into a bunch of salty and filthy deckhands. When she worked as a cargo broker she had to talk to these unsavory types all the time. Now it was a matter of getting in with their group, getting them greased up with a few more drinks and then waiting for another suitably drunk crew to pass on by and she could casually trip someone into someone else and start quite the ruckus.


18:59, Today: Tepha Pezal rolled 8 using 2d6+2.  persaude/soc.

Rig likewise was no stranger to these kinds of situations. He had been on both sides of that equation, actually as both crew and tech. He also wasn't the kind of guy to be intimidated by a surly crew. He had a lazy bored look in his eye, the perfect mix of annoyance and stubborn pride that would make it unlikely he was going to budge.

"Well if you did, it's not in the log. Log says I inspect them so I'm inspecting them. There's no need to make a fuss...unless you're worried I might see something I'm not supposed to."

He leveled a steely gaze at the crewman.

"Now you had better go find someone else to bother before I find a reason to flag your ship for the Navy to do a deep and thorough inspection. I hear sometimes they go bolt...by...bolt."

Rodger Dodger Captain Ledo!  On...it...huh...hmmm...uh...

I sent out a tracer.  And it bounced back.  With something tracing it.

I routed it to the dock office comm line.  So it couldn't track back to us.

Should I try again Captain Ledo?

---

They love you Tepha

Hmmm.  I'm gonna need a roll for the trip up I'm thinking.  Acting/Soc or another roll you feel is appropriate

---

The guy looks back at you Rig.

And another hmmm.  I'm gonna need a roll.  Deception/Soc. Or Pesuade/Soc

While partying Tepha kept an eye open for a possible target walking by their table and then committed a party foul by leaving her foot hanging a little too far away from the table...

07:32, Today: Tepha Pezal rolled 7 using 2d6.  Carouse/Soc roll.

Carouse lets you party successfully so likely also lets know how to party unsucessfully...

It wasn't a bluff. To his knowledge they just needed to get the courier swapped so if it ended up with the ship in impound and all the smugglers arrested, perhaps the courier could then use a ride on the Tia and this just makes everything easier.

Rig's fingers started drifting slowly down to his comm...


07:34, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 7 using 2d6+1.  persuade/soc.

Ledo cursed. This definitely wasn't an ordinary passenger. Refusing free credits is one thing but having a trace is another.

"BB, I need a quick favor. Here is a picture of a guy. You need to make sure he doesn't make it onto the Yonder."

He went back to his quarters an quickly threw together a travel bag. He brought his ceremonial sword and pistol but made sure the pistol was unloaded and then decided to just roll the dice and head over to the Yonder to board as "Codger".

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 57):

The guy smirks when he sees your hand go for the comm Rigg.

"Go ahead.  An' tell Bixby that Radu says "Hey"."

Bixby was the name of the officer who assigned out the work crews for dock admin...

---

Are you going on over to the Yonder Captain Ledo?  What should I do?

BB, the picture buzzed to your comm is of a large man with close cropped blonde hair.  He looks ex-special forces type.  Just has that kind of vibe.

---

That is kind of pushing the definition of Carouse a bit. But I'll allow it this time.

The big man who you stuck your foot out in front of manages to hop over it Tepha.

He frowns at you. "You wanna watch what you're doin' Sugar Tits?"

That gets on Deets wrong side.  He stands, and that means Jobs and Lexia have to stand up too...

You're going to get your bar fight. What does Tepha want to do next?

Rig's eyebrow pops up.

"Why would I talk to him?"

He flips on the comm to station security.

"Security this is technician at Docking Bay <XXX>. Got a crew member who can't keep his hands to himself during pre-flight inspection. Seems really interested in keeping me away from a section of the ship. Please advise."

It might not be protocol to not go up through the technician officer but Radu here had technically put hands on Rig and in the event of such a situation it seemed logical that there would be protocols in place if a dock tech felt their safety was being threatened.

Rig was really just winging it though, getting caught during his "inspection" wasn't really part of the plan and he still had to figure out how to get an extra crate loaded up with the rest of their cargo.

Maybe while security was getting statements he could quick swap a label on the Yonder's incoming cargo to get their weapons and armor scooped up with the rest.

Ledo wasn't happy at all with their situation. This guy wasn't some ordinary passenger which meant one of two things, most likely.

Either he was a bodyguard sent to watch over the courier by the enemy organization or some kind of government or rival agent targeting this ship..

Either way their recent interactions might have this guy represented a major problem for them if he was allowed to board the ship. Ledo's best chance he felt was to get on board first and then convince the crew that this guy is a government agent and hope that they believe his word over whatever identification this Codger can provide.

"Fritz, just to confirm there is nothing on local file about this guy. No news articles, no service records... does it look like he just kind of popped out of existence here on the station?"

Tepha's goal was to first and foremost ingratiate herself to the crew and secondary push the crew into really giving it their all in the fight. She will stand up with the rest of them and wade in. The old Tepha would have been scared entering a bar fight but after getting held hostage by cyber-assassins and being trapped onboard a gruesome murder-playhouse space station she had long since shed the simple fears of getting punched or kicked in a simple bar fight.

Hmmm...It's a little hard to tell you for sure Captain Ledo.  I want to say he just popped up.  But with the way this sector is right now, getting intel particularly from off station is kind of difficult right now.  All the nets are down are jammed with misinfo.

I can't find a record of him ever showing up on this station before now.  That's all I can tell you with certainty.

---

Radu laughs.  "You really don't know how shit works around here, huh?"

He picks up a wrench.  "There's a reason they have to keep hiring techs."

And we're in combat Rig.  He seems intent on beating you over the head with a wrench.

But he rolled double 1s on his init, so Rig is going first.

Speaking of combat...

---

Sugar Tits tries to elbow you Tepha, as he also tries to smack Deets on the side of the head.

This guy is going on Init 10.  Roll 'em

---

BB, you start your search for the elusive Coger...

How is BB going about it?

Questions?  Thanks

Rig ducks the wrench and backs up to put space between him and Radu. His hand slips into his coveralls and he pulls out his snub pistol and levels it at the crewmen, keeping it close to his body so as not to draw too much attention and to make it hard for Radu to lash out with that wrench and knock it out of his hands.

"Alright Radu, you can either be heading to the brig or the morgue. Your call..."

Holding his action to see if Radu puts his hands up or tries attacking and if so he'll start firing.

BB's plan was to start at the hangar bay and work her way outwards scanning the crowd.

Up to you if BB happens to be in the right spot at the right time to see Rig and Radu skirmish...

In reply to BB Nova (msg # 64):

Radu grins again Rig

He steps back, putting his arms up.  "Help!  He's gotta gun!  Someone call security!  I think he's a spy!"

Let's leave it up to Lady Luck.

Roll 2d6.  If you get over a 6, BB hears Radu yell and looks over.  If it's a 6 or below, she's already left the hangar

BB is too busy focused on her search to worry about a ruckus happening over at the docks...

Man the roller just loves having me go 1 under what I'm looking for...
23:43, Today: BB Nova rolled 5 using 2d6.  lady luck roll.

Rig rolls his eyes and uses his free hand to wave the comm link.

"You idiot. I've had it open to station security the whole time. They heard everything."

While he's waving it Rig shifts the comm channel over to Fritz, hoping the AI is smart enough to figure out what's up and play along.

"Did you hear that, station security? Did you catch the part where he admitted to assaulting other techs? When can you send someone down to pick up this piece of shit and lock him up? How about Sgt. Nova, is she free?"

In reply to Gary 'Rig' Rigan (msg # 67):

You head out of the hangar BB.  As the door shuts behind you, you think...think...you hear something unusual. But by then the lift door has shut and you are on your way to the next level.

Whatever it was, it'll probably work itself out.

You arrive on the main terminal.   Your comm squawks.

I forget.  Does BB know about Fritz?

That may impact what happens with Rig

---

The brawl ends when station security arrives Tepha. You find yourself on a bench at the security station with your new "friends" as you wait to get processed.

"Shit.  Ya think we're gonna get pinched?  Captain won't wait for us."

"Nah," says Lexia, folding her arms.  "Even if they try, security on this station's all kinds of up for sale.  We'll just need to give 'em a few creds and they'll let us go."

She looks at you.  "What about you?  You got some cred for the ol' payola?"

Tepha gave a noncommital shrug.

"I'll be fine. It's not like I have anywhere I need to  be."

She looked around and leaned in a little towards Lexia and dropped her voice a little.

"So what's the deal with these guys..."

She nodded her head towards Lexia's "friends" sitting down the row from them.

"Seem an awful lot of trouble, that bunch."

In reply to Tepha Pezal (msg # 69):

Is Tepha talking about Deets and Jobs?  The two guys who were drinking with Lexia when Tepha first approached?  Or is she talking about the guys they all got into a fight with?

---

BB and Ledo, your comms both squawk.

What's your location Engineer Rig?  Sending Sgts. Nova and Typhin to assist with the altercation

Tepha nods towards Deets and Jobs.

Rig reports in what section of the hangar he is standing in. Ledo's hand instinctively moves to his comm link as he hears the squawk, his eyes narrowing with concern.

Ledo hoped that BB would hear it and back him up as he turned about and ran towards the hangar. Things were about to get really complicated.