Silver tilted her head back, incredulous.

"Woah there. Last I checked I'm part owner of this little venture. I ain't one of your little privates."

She had to stop there and let out a giggle. Little privates.

Ledo's eyes narrowed. So that was what this was all about. She felt like because she had her name on the deed didn't mean she had to listen up.

"You're right, you're not a cadet. Even the greenest recruit would know better than to put everyone's life at risk this way. You might be a partial owner but that doesn't mean you get to ignore my rules. I own 65% of the ship and I can remove anyone's ownership with a simple majority vote. You will follow the rules of conduct on this ship or I will buy out your share and exit you out the nearest airlock. Understood?"

The edge he put into his voice and the fury set in his eye made it clear that the threat was not vague hyperbole. It wasn't that common but it also wasn't unheard of for captains to send crew out the airlock for gross incompetence or insubordination. The legality was grey but in general if a crewman was putting everyone's life at risk nobody would stop the process.

Silver found her high coming to a crash. Captain Buzzkill was getting all bent out of shape and throwing around contracts and finances at her. Maybe now wasn't the time to get into a fight. Maybe she should have checked with Rig first before lighting up. Eh. Most likely Captain Buzzkill just had a stick lodged up his kiester.

She decided the best avenue was to deflect and redirect.

"Sorry bossman. Captain. Captain Bossman..."

More giggling threatened to undermine her plan but she powered through it.

"I just wanted to let you know about the finger I found."

The anger and fury died in Ledo's eyes.

"The what!?

---

Ledo and the others were standing around the science scanner as it scanned over the finger Silver had found. Rig had confirmed it was perfectly preserved thanks to the miniature cryogenic unit. Ledo had decided to let Silver off the hook while they figured out this latest mystery.

"Maybe it's related to a bounty? This ship was owned by skip tracers. Is that a thing? Taking a finger back as proof of a reward?"

Tepha's eyes sparkled and her voice was full of excitement. Logically she thought she should be revolted by a severed finger but the mystery was just too exciting!

"Maybe it's a key? Like we can use it to bypass a biometric lock? Do we know who it belongs to?"

Rig scratched his beard. His mind was stuck in a loop. Just over and over he thought "now that's a weird thing to leave behind..."

Tepha's question helped him snap back to reality.

"Actually we might be able to. Autodoc can pull off the fingerprints and we can run them through the database. We can at least see if there is a warrant for their arrest or something. Let me see what I can do..."

OOC:
20:27, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 9 using 2d6+2.  medic check.

Silver was just in the background smirking. Her high and buzz were slowly fading off. She was starting to come to realize the implications of pissing off Ledo might be but for now her stoner plan had worked like a charm and she could just sit back and let the others work their asses off while she got back to riding the good vibes.

As they puzzled on this Tepha brought up her news.

"Speaking of mysteries, I've got one to toss into the mix. One of our low berthers is riding on a fake ident."

Ledo was the only one to keep an interested look on their face. Riding low berth wasn't exactly known for attracting high quality honest citizens.

"No, no, no you don't understand. I think she's Aje."

Ledo and Rig just shook their heads but Silver coughed in surprise.

"Seriously? Aje? What the hell would she be doing riding low?"

Seeing the others weren't catching on Tepha launched into a background.

"Aje is a model. She's the face for Izzaick's Cosmetics. She's pulled in millions from that campaign."

Ledo let the pieces click into place. They added up to potential trouble. He gave the nod to Tepha.

"Good catch. Let's wait until we're further out of the system and then wake her up. If she's running from something maybe we can help out, or at least keep a look out for trouble."

"Or kidnap her and hold her for ransom."

Ledo glared at Silver and Silver realized her mistake. Just like that she was top of the shit list again.

"Or not. Just brainstorming."

"We are not turning on our first batch of passengers. End of story."

That one was going to be a problem. Almost every crew had that person. The one who looked at every rule not as a lifesaving guideline but as a challenge, an obstacle to be broken or bent or overcome. That attitude was what made Silver useful but it also meant that Ledo was inheriting a headache.

---

OOC: To recap

1) Try to find the identity of the finger

2) Wake up Onyx/Aje for a chit chat.

3) Rig is going to just keep repairing stuff.

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 38):

Nav-com signals.  The nearest optimal Jump point to Jone is about a hour and half away.  There are several more coming up as well.  Ledo doesn't have to rush.  But starting in an hour and a half, Jump is doable.

---

Rig pulls the protocol-fails and warnings.  The airlock outer seal needs an adjustment.  It shouldn't take long, but it will require a vacc suit.

Line 12U is the next big bugger.  He was sure that one was patched.  Which means it either developed another fault or it has a deeper issue.  He checks the diagnostics he ran on that line before.  They aren't showing anything unusual.  He can rerun the program.  Or he can just walk Line 12U himself.  Inspect it visually from start to finish.

The other stuff is all refinement-of-patches.  That will take a while.

---

The finger has a print.  But it's not in the Gen-Node of the Karin data webs. Then again, not many fingerprints are.

It might be on file with the Naval webs.  Assuming whoever this guy was either served or was apprehended by the Navy.  But that's not a system just anyone can log into.  Ledo doesn't have access any longer.  Maybe he can get someone at the Hath to look it up once they arrive.

---

Update Notification.  Please Acknowledge

Tepha can check a third or fourth time.  But it doesn't seem to be a mistake.  The Computer is sending a Priority 2 message to her comm.  Not Ledo's.  Not Rig's.  Not even Silver's.  Hers.

System Status

Cryogenic Respirator Functioning at 72%

All Vitals are within acceptable parameters.

No tissue damage noted.

Coolant standing at 52.  Below ideal levels.

Power Input is at 82%

System Failure in 6 hours 22 minutes.


Just to reiterate:

You can proceed to Jump within an hour and a half.  Or longer.  Just remember that time is money.

As for the rest, you're on your own to figure all that out.

Oh.  I almost forgot:  BLIND ROLL TIME!

That's right.  It's that moment in our game where you give me some blind rolls!

I need 2 rolls each from Silver and Rig.  So four total rolls.  2d each.  I'll add in the DMs.

You may assign the rolls however you want, either to Silver or to Rig.  So if you want to give one of them the better results, that's your prerogative.

I'm sure everything will work out just fine.

Rig decided to walk the line and see the problem with his own eyes when is comm rang. It was Tepha. He answered sounding very confused.

"Hey Rig, I just got an alert that says the low berths will run out of power in...6 hours. Did you add me to some kind of system so I get these?"

Rig's confusion just deepened.

"Ahhhh...no? I'm registered as chief engineer, everything should go to me for work details. Well, if I had a team to detail work to. Weird, I'll look into it. If it's going to be six hours we should be fine. I'll add it to the queue but we should be jumped before they run out so everything should be fine. Worst case we'll wake them up and they can ride in in the kitchen part of the way."

"Oh, okay. Let me know if I can help out with anything."

"Will do. Later Tepha."

He flipped open his phone and set an alert for four hours from now. He had other things like the airlock and the fuel line to look at first but if those problems went long he didn't want to forget about the low berths. On his backlog he marked it as critical and it started flashing red with about a half dozen other items.

He sighed and went back to walking the line. The sooner he got one problem fixed the sooner he could get to the next.

OOC:

19:42, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 9 using 2d6.  blind roll 2.

19:42, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 8 using 2d6.  blind roll 1.

This message was last edited by the player at 05:09, Tue 31 Mar 2020.

After their meeting Ledo went to the bridge to get everything set for the jump. With Tepha discovering that their low berths were running low on power the new plan was to get docked as quickly as possible.

It looked like he would get a chance to run those shiny combat thrusters after all. He double checked their flight time to ensure they could dock before power ran out and then heading back to the low berths to have a chat with Adj/Onyx.

OOC: Jumping ASAP. Tepha and Ledo will wake up Onyx about 30 minutes before jumping.

With Ledo and Tepha focused on the strange passenger and Rig busy with all the repair work Silver found herself alone again and started heading back to her room to finish off the last of the beer.

OOC:

19:46, Today: Silver rolled 8 using 2d6 with rolls of 5,3.  blind roll 2.

19:46, Today: Silver rolled 7 using 2d6 with rolls of 4,3.  blind roll 1.

One other note.  Line 12U is a power line.  Not a fuel line.

The airlock seal is a pretty quick and clean job.  One of the hydraulic rollers is out of lubricant.  Rig spends more time getting in and out of the suit than actually fixing it.

Line 12U turns...interesting.  The line is one of the two main feeds to the emergency systems.  It and 12Q both terminate in to the back up atmo generator.  12U also powers the emergency lighting and air filters for the hydroponic garden.  The line runs down the center of the ship through the ceiling, dips down into the hydroponics, and then up to the back up atmo generator up by the Bridge.

At least on the schematics.

At some point, someone spliced it into oblivion.  From where the line descends to hydropoincs, it ceases to exist as a single line.  It becomes a writing mass of tentacles.  Rig pulls the panel where the splices start.  It's like staring into the maw of some octopodial horror.

A quick scan shows that the splices do still feed into hydroponics, most-though not all-of the emergency lighting (the hold and most of the cabins will go dark), and there is still a line to the back up atmo.  Though the amount of juice getting fed to it from 12U is only at half.  If the system switched on, as long as the feed from 12Q held, the back up would be good.  If 12Q was gone...which is why the back up has two lines feeding into it...back up would only be working at a quarter efficiency.

If that wasn't enough, the splices go freaking everywhere.  Outside of the lines that go where they're supposed to, Rig identifies five separate terminal points.  And no idea what they're doing.

There's one by the bridge.  One in Silver's room.  Two in the hold.  One in the kitchen.

The closest one is the Kitchen.  The furthest away is the one in the bridge.

---

Destination in 22 minutes.

Proceeding to Jump in 34 minutes.

The Nav Com accepts Ledo's authorization and locks the Jump coordinates.  The Ship is ready to jump.

He and Tepha head down to wake up Onyx.  As they cross the Hold towards the Low Berts, they both notice a smell.  It's an odor like a nut butter.  Almond butter maybe.

As they get closer, Tehpa suddenly slips.  She catches herself on a crate and looks down. The floor is slick.  It's coated in a thin, clear, jelly like substance.  It's the source of the odor.

As they come around the corner, they see the low berths.  The computer screen is flashing an ominous amber color.

WARNING

WARNING

WARNING

The screen suddenly goes to static then pops up again.

Coolant levels at

The screen goes on the fritz again.

WARNING

WARNING

There is a central pillar behind the low berth tubes.  From this pillar, lines run to the back of each tube.  Obviously the pillar is where the coolant used to freeze the tubes is kept because two of the lines are hemorrhaging coolant from them.

Everything smells like someone has thrown up almond butter sandwiches.  The window of each tube is completely frosted over.

---

Why did it catch her eye?

Oh little fly.  Oh little fly.
Why did you catch my eye?

Is that how that rhyme went?   And why the hell do they say to kids anyway?  Why would a kid care about a fly?

Silver stares at the Ridge Blow.

After everyone went their separate ways, Silver returned to her room and finished her last beers.

The idea suddenly came to her.  Maybe there's more beer in the kitchen?  At least some wine.  Would Tepha really come aboard without a bottle or two stashed somewhere?

So Silver ventured out.  In to the hallways beyond her hidey hole

And she saw the Ridge Blow.

It's an old trick.  A pirate crew targets a ship and has one of their crew hire on to the ship.  The spy goes aboard with a supply of Ridge Blows.  They come in all sizes and shapes.  Some look like fountain pens.  Some like gambling chips.  She'd even seen one packed into a vibrator.

But whatever the disguise, the Ridge Blow is a small device that can be triggered by either a timer or central radio switch.  Each Ridge Blow is different.  Most make a small amount of smoke.  They can also make small explosions-nothing serious.  But enough to make a huge amount or racket or blow open a power line.  Other Ridge Blows might house nanos that plug into a system.

The point is, the spy spends a few days placing Ridge Blows.  Then, at some point, they trigger them.  Silver's old crew, when they used that trick, would have the spy use smokers.  Suddenly the hallways would be filled with smoke. The computer would go nuts and trigger safety protocols.  The crew would get into a tizzy.  And the spy could sashay down to open the airlock or futz around with the control console or whatever.

This Ridge Blow is designed to look like a rivet head.  It's been laid over an actual rivet head sticking out of a support strut on the main hallway.  It's really a good disguise.  No one is going to necessarily look at a rivet head and go 'Huh.  That rivet head is just a little larger than the other rivet heads.  How odd', now would they?

Silver must have passed this by six or seven times already and not noticed it.  If she hadn't just been looking at the right time and at the right angle, she wouldn't have noticed it now.

But yeah.  That's a Ridge Blow.  Someone's planted a Ridge Blow on a rivet head on the second support strut between Silver's room and the Kitchen.

Rig is staring at the mess of splices at the same time that

Ledo and Tepha are seeing the leak at the same time that

Silver is staring at the Ridge Blow.

Twenty nine minutes until auto pilot commences Jump protocols

Silver flipped open her shiny new phone and commed the rest of the crew.

"Hey guys, we're about to be fucked. Hard. Just spotted a Ridge Blow. I'm going to go secure the passengers."

Without waiting for a reply she readied her snub pistol. Low berthers didn't move about the ship and it was possible, albeit unlikely, that the Navy and inspectors and station security missed it. What was more likely that one of their two passenger wandering around might be responsible. Time for Silver to play the cop once again.

She moved in close, inspecting the device to get a better feel for how long it has been there or how it was placed or perhaps even a clue on who placed it.

OOC: Investigation -> ...welp...
01:34, Today: Silver rolled 2 using 2d6.  investigation.


Satisified that there was no possible way this could possibly have been delivered any other way she headed back to the state rooms where their passengers were staying. She burst in with an override code and motioned for Ada and Sylvia to follow her.

"There's a security issue. We're working on it but I need you to follow me quickly."

She was tapping the pistol against her thigh. An old cop trick to remind people that it was there but without shoving it in anyone's face. Almost as an aferthought she added.

"Everything is under control, I just need you to follow me immediately."

She didn't answer any more questions, instead focusing to make sure neither of them grabbed anything suspicious on the way out. Then Silver led them down to the brig.

"Quick, in here. You'll be nice and secure while we resolve our investigation."

And just like that she forced the two women into the brig and secured their passengers turned prisoners.

OOC: Assuming nothing crazy happens (ha) she will try to politely get the two women into the brig using her cop persona but if they start protesting she will stick a gun in their face and throw them in there and just leave it up to Ledo and Tepha to smooth things over later.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:40, Wed 01 Apr 2020.

Ledo let out a stream of expletives even as he jumped into action. He ran to the nearest supply cabinet and pulled out emergency hull repair goop. For larger hull damage there were metal plates you could spot weld but for smaller holes from micrometeors or shrapnel instead there was a fast drying caulk to quickly, cheaply, and temporarily fill up a small hole while larger repairs were being handled. The ship might be old but it was well equipped with spare parts to handle the stresses and damage from combat.

Ledo starts applying the sealer to the leak in the coolant even as he barked orders. First he hit the comms to alert Rig.

"Rig! Low berth coolant tank has ruptured. Coolant is spraying everywhere. Get up here now!"

He clicked off his comm and turned to Tepha as he started to apply the sealant.

OOC: Let the bad luck continue...

01:46, Today: Ledo Typhin rolled 4 using 2d6+1.  mechanic check?


"Try and find a status. We need to figure out if our passengers are still alive or not."

Tepha froze when she saw the mess. She wasn't used to these kinds of situations and while Ledo was moving immediately she just kind of froze. Her mind was empty and stuck trying to process what she was seeing. None of it made any sense.

Ledo's command cut through the air and her confusion like a knife. With her mind empty her body was acting on autopilot and when the voice of authority gave a command she listened.

She started tapping on the screen but she didn't know what to do or even what to look for. Then she remembered the ship had an autodoc and so she went to a terminal and brought the medical expert online.

"Computer, what is the status of the passengers in cryogenic sleep?"

She crossed her fingers hoping this would work out.

Rig was heading towards the kitchen when all hell broke loose. He heard Silver's comment about sabotage shortly before Ledo called him about a rupture in the cryo coolant tank.

He rushed towards the low berths. If they were going to get shipjacked then they needed every helping hand they could.

OOC: I don't know if Rig needs to  roll for this or not. Feel free to roll in my stead if it needed. I've been rolling like shit tonight anyway

System scanning...

Passengers have not yet passed unacceptable levels of cell damage.  Cryo-suspension had entered Stage 4 prior to malfunction.  Passengers were in deep enough state to not suffer.

Greatest danger lies in unregulated thaw.  Calculating survival projections...

The computer answers Tepha's question on what may be a hopeful note.

Ledo breaks open a cylinder with the patch goo.  He slaps some on one of the lines and smears enough on the second to get it mostly sealed.

Calculating....

Calculating...

---

The two women are in various states of dress when Silver walks in.  The older woman is in a black sequinced dress, putting a pin into her hair.  The younger one is only a skirt and bra, a blouse in her hand.

They both stare at Silver as she makes her announcement.  The older woman...was it Sylvia?..nods, seemingly unpeturbed.  "It must be serious.  We were just dressing for dinner.  I do assume we will still be fed, correct Ms...I'm sorry.  I don't think we've met.  I'm Sylvia Antwhite.  This is my daughter Ada.  Hurry along Ada. Don't dawdle." She picks up some earrings.

Ada isn't nearly as composed.  She gapes at Silver's gun.  "Uhh...Mother..."

Sylvia stops putting on the second earring and looks at her daughter.  "Dear.  I keep telling you. The best way to deal with a crisis is with a cool, measured head. Well.  Some vodka doesn't hurt either." She checks herself in the mirror and gestures at a purse on a nearby table. "Can I bring my purse?"

"Mother..."

Sylvia rolls her eyes.  "Really Ada.  You would drown if we left you outside in a rain storm.  Put your blouse on and pick up your shoes.  No.  Not those shoes.  They don't match your blouse.  Pick up the other ones.  You can put them on your feet when we get...wherever we're going.  She can can't she?" she asks Silver.  "Right.  Well.  Shall we?"

---

Rig comes around a corner onto the main hall.  Silver should be securing the guests somewhere in the hallway behind him.  Ahead, and in the other direction, is the stairwell leading down to the Hold.

As he makes the turn, he sees something move.  The door to his own state room is sliding shut.  Someone just went inside.  Or something like that.

With everything going to shit at once, why wouldn't someone have just ducked into his quarters?

---

Calculating...

Calculating...

---

Rig has made it to the main hall and seen the door to his quarters shut as

Sylvia is asking Silver 'Shall we?' as

Ledo has finished smearing goo to patch the lines as

Tepha, and probably you, want to slap the computer

Good Luck!

Twenty seven minutes until Auto Pilot commences Jump protocols

Rig opened up his comm.

"Someone just entered my room. Silver I need backup."

Rig drew his sidearm and trained it on the room. Whatever was inside would be trapped.

Silver's comm sqauwked.



Silver let out a curse and slapped the clothes from the women's hands.

"Dress up time is over. We need to move, NOW."

Gone was the "friendly police officer" persona and now was the "securing hostages in a firefight" persona. With one arm she moved Ada and Sylvia into a line and pushed them towards the brig. As quickly as possible she shoved them inside and then sealed the door behind her. Double timing it back she regrouped with Rig, making eye contact with him and then nodding before the two headed towards Rig's room. She motioned for Rig to get set up on one side of the doorframe and she stacked up on the other. She held up three fingers. Two fingers. One finger.

With practiced movement she hit the door panel to open the door and brought her gun to bear, peeking around the door frame to spy their mysterious intruder.

Tepha nervously tapped her fingers on the side of the console. It was doing its best and she didn't believe in hitting inanimate objects. What good would that do except maybe chip a nail or get an unsightly bruise. Her fingernails clicked against the metal.

Almost unconsciously she began to whisper...

"come on...come on... don't be dead...come on..."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:53, Thu 02 Apr 2020.

Ledo heard Rig's message and cursed.

"Tepha, you have to handle this. I've got to go help Rig."

Tepha looked up from the computer console, incredulous.

"What am I supposed to do?"

Ledo was already in motion. He called out without looking back.

"Just handle it!"

He raced up the stairwell drawing his laser pistol and moving towards Rig's room...

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 52):

Twenty five minutes until Auto Pilot commences Jump protocols

"Eeek!" eeks Ada as Silver slaps away the shoes.  They really are cute shoes too.

"Ada!" Sylvia snaps.  She holds up her hands.  "Alright. Alright.  We're cooperating. Come on Ada.  Hurry."  She instinctively puts an arm around her daughter's shoulder and moves her along, going in the direction Silver points.  They step inside the brig and glance back as Silver shuts the door on them.

---

Rig sees Silver approaching and takes position.  She counts down...and...

BAM!

It's Rig's room.  Lights out.  A quick voice command and the lights come on.

The room is it's usual sterile self.  Except for the far right corner.  Someone has pushed a box against the wall and ripped out the grate on the ceiling.  A quick scan of the room confirms it.  Unless it's a mutant dust bunny, whoever or whatever went through the grate.

Which means they're small.  Because the opening is about two feet by one foot.

Ledo runs up as the two of them are studying the grate.

---

...Calculating...

Coolant levels stabilizing.

Recalibrating systems.

Systems unable to recalibrate.  Damage report to follow.

Auxiliary activated.

Stabilizing temperatures.

Stabilizing biorhythms...

The computer spits out a list of problems.

Core temperature regulator damaged.  Estimated repair work:

Gauge 4 needs replacement.

Coolant filter needs replacement.

Feed Lines 2 and 7 ruptured.  Sealed but will need replacement.

Virus detected in Vitals Notification software.  Passenger information being transmitted.

Vitals Notification will need to be wiped.  Security systems overwhelmed.

Nutrient Monitoring system damaged.

Reboot of system recommended

Auxiliary Online.  Passengers stabilized.  Recommend conducting full scans.

It seems Tepha's prayer has been answered.

Twenty three minutes before Auto Pilot commences Jump protocols

Ledo was quite confused until Rig explained what had happened.

"Alright if they're pushing boxes around we're dealing with a person. Maybe a mutant, a dwarf, a child...maybe even a robot? I wonder if this is an assassination attempt. Rig I need you to go down and help Tepha with the low berth cryo. Silver, see if you can track it. I know, I know but follow the vent line and see if you can find its exit point.

I'm going to go check the security feeds and figure out just what we're dealing with."

With orders given everyone rushed out. Or at least everyone but Silver who took the time to shine a flashlight up the vent just in case their guest hadn't gone anywhere and was looking to double back.

On his way to the bridge Ledo passed by the brig and grimaced. He confirmed the lock was set so only a crew member could unlock it and then hit the comm to speak inside.

"My deepest apologies. It appears we have some kind of intruder or stowaway moving through the ventilation. Your rooms might have been compromised but the brig is on its own life support so this really is the safest place to be in at the moment. Once we figure out what is running around I'll be right back to let you out."

That being that he ran towards the bridge, securing the door behind him so again, only crew could open it, and then activating the ship's security measures and scanning through the surveillance feeds.