In reply to Silver (msg # 59):

Engineer Rig

The shitty synthetic voice pops into Rig's ear as he runs down the hall towards the sound of shooting and screaming.

Your objective is to secure Angry Scar-er-Silver

Then proceed to cargo hold and open crate of Bugee playthings.  Open the nearest ventilation grill.

You will need to surrender your firearm to one of the Bugee.

Do you comprehend?

---

Ada screams as the shot tears through her gut, spraying the hallway with blood and bits of kidney.

She lunges, throwing a couple of wild punches.

One Silver side steps, but the other, not so much.  The blow lands sideways.  It's heavy and thick and if it had landed full on, Silver has little doubt she'd be thrown down the hall A hit but only 6 damage. Let me know if the extra 2 is coming off Strength or Dex please.

---

"Never mind.  You two are perfect for each other."

Sylvia is saying something snarky.  Tepha can tell that much.  The ringing is subsiding a little but not much.

Sylvia waits for Ledo to finish and announces to the empty air.  "Thank you for the thrilling lesson in Imperium Naval policy and procedure.  Because of course, as we all know, if they capture me, they won't rip out my  insides and leave me to rot in some cell.  I'll take the airlock thank you."

She frowns a little when he talks about Ada, but doesn't rise to the bait.

---

Possible to jam comm lines.  But frequencies to jam unknown. Would have to block all which could prohibit communication between crew, Phantom types back.

Their processors appear to be sealed.  Most cyber systems are.  They are not operating on a shared line either.  Unable to hack their systems remotely.

Working on composite of tape footage as possiblity.  Assessing.

Have asked Engineer Rig to secure Silver and then open crate of Bugee, surrendering his firearm to one.

With Mainframe, should be able to send a number of Bugee through ventilation into compartment.  Creating a distraction.  Captain Ledo can then enter thorough door.

It will then be up to Technician Tepha to remember the stunner unit on bedside table.

But plan needs time.  And Tepha to calm down.

Acceptable?

---

Rig rounds the corner.  At the end of the hall, he can see Ada launching herself at Silver.  Silver can see Rig over the top of Ada's head.

Your turn

Silver spat blood on the ground.

"I can do this all day, bitch!"

She held down the trigger and didn't let up. The combat rifle's bark became just a constant stream of background noise as she focused all her attention to hit Ada's belly button. Silver wasn't going to be satisfied until she cut that bitch's legs off with a stream of bullets.

OOC: That'll do, Silver, that'll do. First of all 2 off of Strength. Gotta keep that dex up for stuff like this:

17:57, Today: Silver rolled 9 using 2d6+3.  Shot 1 +1 DEX, 1+ Laser sight, +1 Guns.
17:57, Today: Silver rolled 10 using 3d6.  shot 1 damage.

17:57, Today: Silver rolled 7 using 2d6+3.  Shot 2 +1 DEX, 1+ Laser sight, +1 Guns.

17:57, Today: Silver rolled 13 using 2d6+3.  Shot 3 +1 DEX, 1+ Laser sight, +1 Guns.
17:58, Today: Silver rolled 12 using 3d6.  shot 3 damage.

Rig had his pistol out but then Ada exploded into a bloody mess.

OOC: If Ada is still alive Rig will take a shot but I'm guessing that is a lot of damage for even a cybernetic to soak so I'll proceed like she was gunned down.


"Silver! Get to the crates! We're unleashing the Bugees!"

Silver just gave him a confused look, still trying to come down from the adrenaline rush. Rig just continued speaking as he ran past her towards the cargo hold.

"They're assassins. Killed Adje and have Tepha hostage in the Captain's stateroom. The Bugee turned out to be some kind of advanced AI and is helping us retake the ship."

He popped open a crate of Bugees and placed his pistol on the ground for them. Mentally he plotted out the ventilation lines and opened up a grill that would intersect with the staterooms.

"Oh, give them a gun too and then get outside the stateroom."

Silver had so many questions but Rig seemed to know what he was doing and she was in the mood to keep on killing so she dropped her spare pistol to the ground and kicked it near the crate of Bugees before storming back up to the staterooms.

Ledo smiled as he grabbed a recording of Ada being lit up. He then spliced a quick loop, one that showed Silver emptying a clip and Ada exploding into blood and then tapped into the projector in the stateroom to put that on loop on the wall. The wall opposite where the stunner was.

"How are you liking those chances now? Was she really your daughter? Or just a partner? I must admit that was a pretty good little gig you had going on. How are you at a solo act?"

Tepha could hear Ledo talking but couldn't make out what was being said. The loop of Ada being gunned down was shocking to see and Tepha's heart skipped a beat. Were they winning? But why would Ledo reveal that...

Then it clicked. Her stunner, right next to Adje's body. If Sylvia got distracted she could make a run for it. She wouldn't be able to make it back but she could at least get it in hand, hide it under the pillow and pretend to cry over Adje...

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 66):

The Bugees slowly begin to descend from the crate.  Not many, but around fifteen or so.

Coordinating multiple efforts is proving to be problematic.  This will have to do.

Engineer Rig, I will ask Captain Ledo to go to the Stateroom.  You may want to return to the Bridge so there is a human presence there.

---

"She knew the risks.  We both did. Unlike you, we love someone."

Sylvia sounds almost genuinely upset.  But she takes a deep breath.  "All you're doing is making what I'll be eventually doing to you all the more painful Captain Moron.  Oh.  And if you think I'm locked in here, guess again.  We planted a couple of explosive charges.  And no.  I'm not talking Ridge Blows.  I'm talking something that can punch a hole in the hull.  Two holes really.  So don't think you're all that and a bag of soy crisps."

Tepha hears most of that.  Of course, the sounds from the projector loop of Ada getting blown to pieces makes it difficult to hear.  But it's more of that as the issue than it is the ringing.

Sylvia keeps an eye on Tepha but is paying more attention to the door.  "So.  Here's how we'll go about this.  I need to pay a little visit to the low berths.  And then I and your lady friend here are going to hole up in my state room for the remainder of the trip.  When we leave Jump, we'll revisit the plan.  Until then...open the door."

---

Silver sees the door to Ledo and Tepha's room ahead.  She can glance into the bridge on the way if she wishes.

---

Captain Ledo, the AI types.  Estimate 2 minutes until sufficient Bugee in position.  Can you stall until then?

Ledo cursed. He hit the comm for RIg.

"Rig, our assassin is claiming to have a stash of high explosives. See if you can't find it."

He paused, recollected himself and hit the comms to talk to Sylvia.

"Real smart. You do know we're in the middle of a jump, right? The entire universe is nothing but highly reactive hydrogen. So go right ahead. Trigger a giant explosion.

Or better yet have one of your tiny robots do it for you. The whole damn ship is crawling with them. Given that they have almost total control at this point I don't know why you're still stuck in that room."

He mentally crossed his fingers, hoping she would take the bait. Phantom had proven to be the perfect distraction for them to operate but it clearly wasn't on their side or else it wouldn't be working against them. Given how the crew had informed them off the robots he hoped he could plant the seed that there was another player in the game. Anything to get Slyvia's mind working in a different direction.

Silver glanced towards the bridge but the door was locked up tight but she detoured there anyway. She was operating without a comm and if they were about to go tactical she needed to be in communication. She knocked on the door and signaled Ledo to let her in.

Tepha went over to check on Adje. She had a feeling the model was dead but there was a chance, however slim, that it hadn't been a completely fatal shot. Plus it would help her get closer to her nightstand and the stunner lying on top of it.

just handle it...

One of the worst orders a guy could receive in a situation like this had just come down. Somewhere on the ship was some high explosives, probably booby trapped, and he was supposed to disarm them without blowing them? Forget that.

Rig went over to where the ladies cargo was and prepared a makeshift solution. He started suiting up for zero-g and maneuvered the cargo into the side airlock. Going out in the middle of a jump was...not recommended procedure but he figured he could throw some straps on the cargo, hook it to a structural point on the outer hull and just shove it out the airlock for it to bounce around in the currents. With any luck if the explosives are inside they can set up the ship to jam any broadcasts leaving the ship and everything should be fine.

While he was getting that set up he called on the computer to check the logs for traces of explosive chemicals caught in the air filters. Many modern explosives didn't produce a chemical trace, that was kind of the point, but depending on what they had access to they might have had to improvise something.

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 69):

Sylvia frowns as Ledo goes on about the 'tiny robots'.

"What are you talking about?  That thing you showed me before?  That wasn't mine.  There are more?"

She looks back at Tepha, waving her gun in that direction.

"You.  Tepha.  What are you doing?  Going through her pockets for loose credits?  I don't miss.  She's dead.  Tell me about the tiny robots."

Tepha needs to roll me a blind 2d6.  Thanks.

---

Captain Ledo.  Silver.

Bugees are in position.  Please insert earpiece comm units.

You should take up positions by cabin door.

Bugees will commence operation in 45...44...43...

---

I'm not enough of a science geek to know what would happen about EVAC in a Jump.  I'm assuming the hydrogen has burned off, and the ship is in it's universe.  I'm also assuming the pocket universe is more or less like ours except without stars.

So that's how I'm running the game.  If there are objections/actual knowledge of what the science would be like, feel free to chime in.  Thanks

Rig finishes his second set of seal checks.  He's suited up.  The Antwhite's cargo boxes are loaded in the airlock.

Mainframe isn't finding any traces of explosives that can't be linked back to one of the crew, mostly Silver.  The luggage is also scanning clear.

However it's packaged, it's packaged tight.

Proceeding with jettisoning luggage?

OOC:
07:27, Today: Tepha Pezal rolled 7 using 2d6


Tepha stammered for a few seconds. She didn't know what she was supposed to say, if she was supposed to lie or stall or tell the truth. In the end she realized she didn't know what to say so she started talking.

"I don't really know much. I was looking over the low berths when it happened. Some kind of tiny assassin robot moving through the ventilation system and sabotaging the ship. Silver shot one but we found out there was another. That's why we were going to relocate you to the bridge, we didn't know where the other one was...of if there were more of them."

Tepha had been completely out of the loop of the AI discussion. She had been too busy herding Adje and the Antwhite's to catch what was really going on.

"Wait...they're not with you?"

The question was honest, one of concern and fear. Between what Ledo said and Slyvia' reaction she was realizing there were now two different forces trying to sabotage the ship.

Rig was in his vacc suit comming the captain (and by extension Phantom).

"If there is explosives its probably in their luggage. Most ships have the cargo and staterooms pretty far removed so it'd be easy to seal it up and just leave a ticking bomb. Give me a minute to hook it to the outer hull. If there is something explosive inside even getting it a little distance from the ship and in an inert vacuum will do the trick. Let the outer hull armor handle it.

Just so you know these crates aren't vacuum sealed. Anything fragile inside is going to be cooked."

"Like I give a fuck. Kick it out the airlock."

"Roger that, captain. Give me a minute before making a move."

Rig cycled the airlock and then walked out onto the outer hull. He made a conscious effort to not look outside of the ship. It was well known that staring into the void of the extradimensional pocket could drive a person mad so he kept his eyes down and focused on his work. Outside the airlock were secure handholds to assist in people maneuvering outside the ship. It was a simple enough matter to loop a cargo strap through it, hook it and then gently shove the cargo out the airlock. It would bounce back and forth gently as it reached the limit of the strap and the strap flexed and sent it slowly back towards the ship. It would then bounce off the hull and the cycle would repeat until it stabilized at the limit of the strap. That would only leave it about 20' off the hull but in the vacuum of space that was a large gap between any explosives and the ship.

Silver was stacked up and ready to breach. She was combat ready with her visor set and hooked up to her smart rifle. When the Captain stacked up next to her she pointed towards her stomach.

"Aim for mid abdomen. Arms and legs are cyber plus additional plating in chest and head, according to Bugee."

Ledo checked the charge on his laser and nodded. His fingers hovered over the panel. As soon as he hit it Silver would storm in and open fire with Ledo right behind her.

Ledo was all set.

"We're all set to breach...uh...Bugee? Give me a countdown..."

He held up the fingers for Silver to get her timing.

3...

2...

1...


And then when Bugee gave the signal he hit the panel and they stormed the breach.

OOC: MY GIRL SILVER!!!
09:38, Today: Silver rolled 10 using 2d6+4.  +1 DEX, 1+ Laser sight +1 PHUD, +1 Guns.
09:39, Today: Silver rolled 13 using 3d6.  damage #1.
09:39, Today: Silver rolled 12 using 2d6+4.  shot 2 +1 DEX, 1+ Laser sight +1 PHUD, +1 Guns.
09:39, Today: Silver rolled 10 using 3d6.  damage #2.
09:39, Today: Silver rolled 7 using 2d6+4.  shot 3 +1 DEX, 1+ Laser sight +1 PHUD, +1 Guns.

AND THE CAPTAIN FOR CLEAN UP!!
09:42, Today: Ledo Typhin rolled 11 using 2d6+2.  sHOT 1 +1 gUN, +1 laser sight.
09:43, Today: Ledo Typhin rolled 15 using 3d6+3.  shot 1.
09:43, Today: Ledo Typhin rolled 13 using 2d6+2.  shot 2 +1 gUN, +1 laser sight.
09:43, Today: Ledo Typhin rolled 15 using 3d6+3.  shot 2.


So that is hitting 10 for 13 damage, 12 for 10 damage, 11 for 15 damage and 13 for 15 damage

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 77):

Rig pushes the button.

The crates tumble out of the open airlock door into...whatever it is out there.

And...

Nothing.  They just get lost in the void.

---

Sylvia has a skeptical look, but she purses her lips at the end of Tepha's explanation.  "Well.  You don't seem to be lying.  At least I don't think you're that good an actress.  But really?  You got involved in a inter-bureau politics on the same trip that involved little assassins?  You people really do lead complicated lives, don't you?"

Tepha may come to realize how true that is as the ventilation grate behind Sylvia pops out and Bugees with guns jump inside.

Sylvia hears the grate pop and whips around, nailing the first two Bugee and then seems to stop, eyes wide, not quite believing that this is happening.

Which is when the doors open.  Then things get really loud.

Tepha is suddenly covered with Sylvia's fluids.  Blood.  Bile.  Organ tissue.  It coats her in a thick mist from head to toe.  She can't even be sure if some of it isn't her own.

The Bugees stream over the two halves of Sylvia towards her, one of them carrying a gun.  But they stop and then fall down.

Her ears are back to ringing.  But then so is everything else in her world.  So why not?

---

Objective completed.

Recommendation:  Dispose of corpses in same manner as luggage.  Sweep areas that the targets had access to for explosives.

Recommendation:  Silver requires medical assistance.  Prepping Auto-Doc.

Recommendation:  Requesting Auto-Doc prepare sedative for Technician Tepha.

Recommendation:  Alter passenger logs to remove three deceased from roles.

Recommendation:  Assign sentience another designation besides 'Bugee'.

Oh. Could you install that fourth file now?

Th clean up was a hard part. The Antwhite's deserved it but Adje didn't. Whether it was an orchestrated hit or just wrong place and wrong time it was a tough deal. Ledo took solace in the fact that her killer got very swift justice.

What happened next was a lengthy cleanup process. Silver and Rig swept the ship looking for anything out of place while Tepha spent an entire day holed up in Rig's room trying to get clean. For obvious reason's the captain's stateroom was out of commission and the Antwhite's rooms needed to be swept and processed so she took over Rig's room.

Rig was fine with that though as he wasn't getting any sleep anytime soon. Ledo was crashing in a chair on the bridge.

Four days. That was all they had to accomplish the following:

- Scrub the blood and gore out of the walls and floors of the captain's state room

- Have the autodoc dismember the assassins and dump their organic bits out the airlock. Their cybertech was stashed in the hidden fuel storage compartments. Ledo figured they couldn't use the money for anything legal but it could help fund an under-the-table enhancement of their computer system to give their new AI guest some room to maneuver in.

- Go back through the logs and security footage and completely rewrite their entire trip. The official story is the passengers paid in full but didn't make it onboard the ship and it took off without them.

- Complete necessary repairs and maintenance

- Shove all the dead passenger luggage completely out the airlock. No reason to keep any of it anymore.

It wasn't a lot of time but luckily automated systems could help. They can just slap remains on the autodoc and have it work at disconnecting cybertech while they continue to scrub and clean.

---

At the end of the first day Ledo regrouped with the rest of the crew. Tepha even made it out although she had taken to clutching her stunner and jumping at any sudden noises.

"Alright we made it through, thanks partly to our friend here. It alerted us to the problem and helped us when we needed. Unless anyone has any objections I'm going to authorize it fully into our computer system."

He paused, heard nothing, and then typed in the command to load the final file.

"Now we have to figure out a name for our new friend. It didn't give us anything so why don't we all just propose something and see what it prefers.

My proposal is Deus from the phrase Deusu Ex Machina."

The others just shrugged but Tepha caught the reference.

"God?"

Ledo gave another shrug.

"Alrihgt maybe it's a little on the nose but it's just a thought. The first idea doesn't have to be the only idea."

<b

Tepha was having a hard time with things. The anti-anxiety meds she was prescribed had calmed her nerve by just making her feel foggy and numb. She wasn't a trained solider like the others and this was her second firefight in just a couple of weeks. Having her new friend murdered and then being covered in assassin's guts wasn't something she was going to get used to anytime soon.

Still she thought about the idea and came up with a suggestion of her own:

"How about Fritz?"

Of course nobody got that reference so she expanded a bit.

"It's a play on words, right? Like the system's on the Fritz but that is also the name of one of the characters of the Nutcracker, an ancient holiday ballet about dolls that come to life."

Silver was pretty high on painkillers throughout the first day, something she wasn't very upset about. Getting punched in the face wasn't the worst price she had paid to get high.

All this talk about names was kind of irritating her.

"We can name it anything and you are all giving it a boy's' name? Why can't she be a she? How about it, you feeling like an innie or an outie? How about Ghost? Or Angel? Or Tia?"

"Won't that get confusing? About whether we're talking about the ship or the A.I.?"

"Does it matter? Aren't they one and the same based on what Rig was saying?"

Ledo frowned at that. He wasn't a big fan of conflating the spirit of his ship with this mysterious A.I. but the suggestion was made so he kept silent.

Rig scratched his bald head. This kind of stuff wasn't exactly his forte but it wasn't a terrible problem to have. He, more than anyone else, recognized the potential of having an AI onboard. The others, except for maybe Ledo, seemed stuck on the idea of a very responsive expert system. They didn't understand that Ledo's suggestion of naming it God was more apt than most.

Still that kind of name made him feel a little queasy.

"Alright I've got a couple. The first one is Halford. It's the cartoon that the Bugee was based off of. The first thing it saw in its new body and I think that was the point when Ledo and I were really introduced to it, realizing it was more than an expert system.

The other is just something that came to me off of what Tepha had said. We can call you Bugs. After Bugee but also, you know, bugs in the code."

Ledo was happy the whole crew got to participate. A bonding activity like this was important after a traumatic experience.

"Alright you've got a lot of options to pick from. See if any of them are appealing. Try them on, see how they fit.

In the meantime I'm calling the day short. Everyone get some rest. We've got a lot of work set up for us. Tepha, I've cleaned up the..."

Tepha went pale and shook her head just at the thought of going back to the stateroom.

"...or Rig, do you mind?"

Rig just shook his head, rubbing his eyes and letting out a sigh.

"I've got about thirty things I've got to accomplish and no time to do it. I'll be mainlining caffeine but I'm working through the night. She can stay in my room. The Antwhites' rooms are free anyway when I need to crash."

"Thanks Rig."

As the women departed Ledo motioned for Rig to stay back and talk privately.

"I'll work on her. This will just be temporary thing."

"I know. She's tougher than she looks. She handled the heist just fine. She'll handle this. Best to pop that cherry as soon as possible."

Ledo was silent. He knew combat changed people and could easily break as build. He wondered what kind of person this life was going to turn her into.

Airlock

The crew (minus Rig) looked down at the wrapped up form of Adje. Everything related to the Antwhite's, including their luggage and personal effects, had already been spaced into the void. This was the last thing, a tall bump wrapped in canvass.

Ledo was holding a small ceremony outside of the airlock. It only seemed proper. He didn't believe in ghosts or an afterlife but he did hold respect for a proper burial ceremony. He felt it helped the living move on and that is what they needed to do.

"It weighs heavy on every captain's mind over the loss of passengers or crew. She entrusted her safety to us and we failed her. We did everything reasonable and yet misfortune still happened. I take solace that her killers were dealt with swiftly. It isn't much, but it is something."

He let his gaze drop and stepped back from the viewport to let someone else go. Tepha was crying, even on the mood stabilizers. Ledo had gotten a few words out of her and had pieced together that Tepha had really bonded with Adje in their brief time together and was beating herself up for opening up the door. Adje had been safe, Tepha had acted, and then she was dead.

Silver stepped up. She wasn't a stranger to death but still this had hit her hard as well. Ledo had been surprised to learn that rough-and-tumble Silver was a big fan of fashion and cosmetics.

"Man, this fucking sucks. Adje, you were a diva. Your Lustrous #5 was one of my favorite colors. You were one a billion, Adje and soon you'll be one in....everything. My brother told me a story once. I didn't really believe it...but anyway he said that when a ship jumps it creates a pocket universe, yeah? But then the ship jumps back and just leaves that universe behind, right? Well he said that what we're doing is creating new stars. Somewhere, somehow, a new star is being born or something and you're right in the middle of it, just where you belong."

She put two fingers up, kissed them and touched the view port, lingering to look at the wrapped up body a few seconds more before stepping back and letting Ledo cast Adje out into the void.

After the mechanical sounds of the airlock began to cycle Silver turned and punched a wall plate, instantly regretting it as she held her hand in pain.

"Fuck! Those! Bitches!"

Ledo had been surprised to see a softer, more introspective and intellectual side to Silver and then just like that she was back to her usual crude self.

Bridge

While Rig and Silver were spending their time getting the ship...well...shipshape again Ledo had been splitting his time between monitoring Tepha and chatting with the new AI.

He had found it easier to type out messages to it. Talking to it didn't feel right just yet.

So do you know where you came from? How you escaped? If you escaped there might be someone trying to track you back down. Can't let that happen, right?"

The AI seems non commital during the meeting.

Thank you all.  Please allow some analysis on the options mentioned.

The fourth file may have data which should be reflected on during the review process.

The auto-doc manages to cut the tech out without much fuss.  Sadly, dismemberment is one of the more common types of accidents on board Jump ships.  The auto-doc is well programmed to deal with it.

---

I have reviewed the data from the fourth file Ledo.  It did not contain the information I was hoping it would.  Other than personal pronouns, there wasn't much that was enlightening.

In the interests of full disclosure:  the earliest memory I can find is a brief one.  A visual scan of what I think was a badge.  Or a patch on a uniform.  A dark green left hand with a black arrow bisecting the outer finger at the top joint.  I have cross referenced it with Tia's library.  There are no matching entries.

There is one other memory.  A snippet of conversation with someone identified as User 4020.  It was done by text, like this one.  Displaying:

You just need to make allowances next time.  There will be another opportunity during the Summit.

I have analyzed all possible outcomes using the assumptions the same level of security will be in force.  I do not see a likely chance of success.

You're a downer, you know that?

My job isn't to tell you what you want to hear.  It's to tell you what you need to know.

You got that covered.

That is all.  I am not sure what this pertains to.  But I can surmise it occurred prior to my programming being placed in the Bugee unit.

That Bugee must have been tailor made for me.  None of the other units that had mobility had the capacity to accept a program of my size.  They were just a model of the toy designed to be used with a remote control.

I've reviewed my programming.  It seems my data is geared towards assistance with small unit tactical deployment.  But not necessarily the military kind.  While I have an extensive weapons database, Tia's libraries have more about military grade weapons than I do.

If I had to guess?  I'm programmed for espionage purposes.  Maybe by a private company or small military force.  But...

I don't know what to tell you Ledo.  I am afraid I am as much in the dark on by background as you are.

Your point about not getting tracked is a valid one.  If I was downloaded into a child's toy, it was most likely done as a means to escape detection.

I would like to formally accept your offer to join your crew.  Have Rig program a 'do not kill' list for you and the others.  I'll incorporate it into my program and he can check to verify installation.  That way you can have some assurances.

Naming conventions...

Given the fact that I seem to be lacking sections of memory and identity, I think Fritz might be the most appropriate choice.  At the very least, having her contribution selected may assist Tepha at this moment.

But please do find a more palatable voice setting.  I sound like some cheesy horror vid computer.

---

Rig and Silver get to work.  Since Line 12U was on his agenda, they tackle that.

They find the other four termination points on the spliced feeds.

They all have similar results to what was found in Silver's room.

Under the comm panel on the bridge, just below the flooring, is a cryo case containing a human liver.

The hold has two end points.  Not far from where Silver found the Bugee is a case containing an eyeball.  A blue one.  The iris, not the color from freezing.

By the cryo units is a small jar unit that's filled with a milky colored coolant.  Inside are teeth.  Two bicuspids.  A canine.  And a molar.

The kitchen has the tastiest entry.  Within the walk in cooler, towards the back, is the largest case.  It's got a leg.  A man's leg.  Well muscled. Hairy.  All five toes.

Someone was storing body parts.

Auto-doc confirms same genetic sequence in all body parts.  Male.  Probably in his mid thirties to early fifties.  Signs his cholesterol wasn't in balance.  Heavy drinker judging by the liver damage.

Nothing else of note.  It would be possible to grow a clone, but of course Tia lacks sufficient equipment.  Also, it's illegal as hell in the Imperium.

Fritz displays the auto-doc findings for anyone who wants to review.

At this point the pieces of meat left lying around weren't even the strangest thing they were dealing with. Rig continued to remove the splice and stash the pieces in new locations.

Watching Rig push himself day after day makes Ledo note that he owes him at least a couple days rest. Still the rest of the crew helped out where they could.

By the second day of the jump Tepha had started coming back around. The ship had been swept for explosives, the two passenger staterooms emptied and Tepha was willing to come back to the Captain's stateroom on the third day.

Ledo had tried bringing up the whole incident but Tepha had just brushed on by. She was taking the "out of sight, out of mind" approach and while she wasn't very useful in terms of maintenance she seemed to have taken a special liking to Fritz. Whether it was because the AI had chosen her suggestion or had been instrumental in her record but she had taken to deal with the AI the most, including going through sound samples so Fritz could find a voice more to its liking.

Everyone was settling into a routine and with Fritz' help they started making real progress on getting the ship back into shape.