As soon as the ship dropped out of J-space, Carmichael was on the comms wheeling and dealing with his counterparts on the planet. Well, probably the Highport. He'd spent a few conscious moments checking the computer data on the planet. He found the mobile mining cities down on the surface to be quite fascinating, but he felt the vids did them justice so he had no great desire to experience one first hand.

He was surprised to realize that Vadada was such a busy hub! Raw metals could be mined from the planet, but a lot of other manufactured parts had to be shipped in... particularly to support the Navy Base, the Military Base and the Military Academy, not to mention the Florian shipyards. And as soon as you built a ship, you needed people to crew it. So they had to come from somewhere.

He double-checked their next three destinations, just in case he forgot something. Then he started going over the feeds from the planet to see what was outbound.

"That's a new one for me, Countess," the Commander responds, "but I don't see why my second in command, Lieutenant Candelor, can't show you around. He'll meet you at your ship in 10 minutes... if that's acceptable."

"Thank you, Commander," Daphne answers. "That is acceptable."

After the communication was ended, the Countess turns to Baris and Beto.

"So, is this just an in-and-out pit stop, Captain, or are we looking for something to do?" she asked.

"I'd better go with the Countess," Oscar suggests. "Not that I don't think she'd be safe, but there are bound to be crazies even here."

"Besides, it'll give her an extra air of importance is she's got a bodyguard-factotum."

"Anything we should be on the look-out for?"

"That's a good idea, Oscar," Yuri agrees.

"So, Carmichael... how long is all this cargo unloading and loading going to take? The Countess should have an idea of when she needs to be back here."

"It sounds like there's enough time to stretch our legs... get a bite to eat... see some sights... visit a museum or two..." He said the last a bit facetiously as if there wasn't likely to be any museums on the Highport.

"The mail is already off as it's got a priority," Carmichael responds. "As for the freight... well, that depends on how fast the workers here get their asses in gear. Probably within the hour, but if it takes longer than that, I'll raise a little hell with them."

"It could go faster, too, since the Countess has made her presence known."

"That leaves the passengers. Those disembarking here will be off within 30 minutes. I told the transients that they had two hours to stretch their legs."

"Since any freight we're taking on isn't here in this bay, it'll probably be a couple of hours before it gets transferred over here. That'll all depend on scheduling."

"Damn you're quick Carmichael! No time for any museums I guess."

"I was kidding about visiting a museum, Bannacor," Yuri replies. "We've actually got time; it's not like I was going to spend a day in the museum."

"Besides, it didn't seem like Highport would really have any museums."

"Hey, Nic... didn't I see in the datafile for Vadada that they have anagathics here? Think that's something you might want to look into?"

Beto wore utility clothes, and cleaned and refreshed the rooms, starting with those of the passengers in transit who stretched their legs, and ending with the crew's.

She also ordered "local" (if it can be said from the highport) "delicacy" food, again both for passengers and crew. All coordinated by Bannacor, who was the Steward.

Being a cleaning lady allowed her to relax and enjoy things being tidy.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:16, Wed 27 July 2022.

The appointed time came for her tour, and she greeted her guide enthusiastically.

"So pleased to meet you, Lieutenant Candelor," she told the young officer. "You're probably already wondering why I requested a tour. Well, I'm sure this is all old, boring stuff to you because it's part of everyday life. Being a countess, I don't tend to see 'everyday' life that often. I've always felt it important to stay grounded, though, so I like to see how the Other Half lives."

"I don't mean that as a put-down. It's just my lifestyle is so different than yours. My responsibilities and obligations are quite different from yours, I'm sure."

"It also helps to have a broad base of knowledge about things as well as details when it could be important. I just wanted to get a better sense of how such a huge place as this manages to function so efficiently."

It may have sounded like she was flattering the man, and she sincerely hoped it didn't, but she was genuinely interested in how this place ran.

In reply to Yuri Argonov (msg # 211):

"Do you think so? I don't really FEEL that old. Besides, between their cost and their desirability it's profit potential is barely worth the risk."
"Most of our medical stores will be replenished as a matter of course, I've barely had to use any exotics, I think we're good, here."
"Of course, if anyone needed anything of a personal nature it would be unethical of me to discuss it."

"It's no secret that Baris underwent anagathic treatment," Yuri said. "Even if it wasn't obvious, there aren't a lot of secrets on a small ship."

"I was thinking more in terms of having something in stock, so to speak, if it should be needed, but I suppose there's not a lot of durability to it... unless you freeze it. Assuming that's even a viable option."

"I was just pointing out that anagathics can't be had on every planet."

"Can't be had hardly anywhere, . . . and expensive! By the gods they're expensive. Others might need them too in the near future."

"That's true," Yuri agrees, "and there's the price. But it's well-known that Vadada has them. No doubt it's a significant source of income for the system."

"So, shall we go see what kind of trouble we can get into?"

"I should probably accompany out passengers onto the station," Baris suggests. "They can keep me from getting into trouble since someone will have to bail out Yuri and Bannacor."

"Care to join me, Beto? Nicodemus?"

"Khor'ruhn, you should get off the ship too for a bit. You won't find any wide-open spaces out there on the station, but there might be a park. Stretch your legs a bit. Too much time in jump space can get to even the most experienced of spacers."

"That sounds good. After my last visit planetside I could use a little break."
Nicodemus deliberately leaves his kit on the ship. "We're really not working, right?"

"Other than doctors are always working, no, you're not on the clock, so to speak," Baris replies.

"Not that we work all that hard while we're in J-space, but it doesn't take much to get cabin fever. So every opportunity to leave the ship while in port is encouraged."

"Does that apply to you, too, Captain?" Yuri said in response to Baris's comment.

"Okay, whoever else is going out, just follow me! If you want... you can go off on your own if you want."

He headed out the ship's airlock. Then out of the space dock on the search for some entertainment. While he walked, he tried to ascertain where the boundaries of the starport began or ended... assuming this Highport even had such a thing as extraterritoriality.

He doesn't recall there being any mention of it... such as a warning... in any of the library entries or the communication protocols.

In reply to Yuri Argonov (msg # 221):

Bannacor looked for a quiet pub that served good food, tired of the ship fare.

OOC : let's say Beto has perfectly timed the 3-days-stay in the system, and made everybody aware of the takeoff time.

Beto hesitates. On one side the Countess went on her way, so she would only be a bother. on the other, Yuri and Bannacor went their ways too. She decided to go with the person she new the least, and that was the doctor who would soon inject her with Rejuvenium; so she joined Baris and Nicodemus, wherever they went.

There was not much variety in an industrial/garrison world. When the workers and soldiers had finished their shift, they swarmed the circuses, taverns, brothels, casinos, Luna-parks and everything that would sell entertainment for their salary.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:24, Mon 11 July 2022.

Yuri and Bannacor are joined by Khor'ruhn as they head out of the spacedock. It isn't long before they see the signs about the 'Starport ends here'. It doesn't take much to realize that this is because it's a pinch point. If something goes wrong with the dock or the ship, the whole section could be jettisoned without taking out half the station.

Once past the signs, you passed significant bulkheads and blast doors before reaching the promenade. The term was applied loosely to any large or long open area where businesses catered to the crews of starships.

Apparently because they'd had a countess on board, the ship had been assigned a dock close to the center of this promenade. According to the directory, there are seven promenades on various levels around the space station/factory.

Two bars that are immediately visible in this area are the Skrootlydoo and the Crimson Quasar.

As an alternative, there's the Captain's Table, the Stellar Breeze, the Terra Nova, and the 57 restaurants.


Baris, Beto and Nicodemus also head out of the ship and run across the same area. In Beto's case, she notices that the Terra Nova restaurant actually has a small garden.

The 57 claims to have 57 different menu items.



Anzha and Grouch also head off the ship, kind of looking like 'Beauty and the Beast', which Oscar amusingly encourages.

In reply to Space Control (msg # 224):

"Where to Yuri? Khor? The Captain's Table,? 57? A nice meal and good beer is what entertains me."

"Ok, now I'm curious. Do you think the restaurants have their own grow tanks or would they all use the communal ones and rely on ambience and preparation to distinguish themselves? Unless, of course, this is tourist area in which case they expect everyone to visit once, anyway."

In reply to Nicodemus Trask (msg # 226):

"I suggest going to the Terra Nova and check if they grow their own vegetables..."

"Although they have the look of bars," Yuri replied to Bannacor, "I suspect they are closer to being pubs or cantinas. Traditionally, bars didn't sell food... except salty beer nuts to make you thirsty so you'd buy more beer. Pubs... short for 'public house'... was drink and food without having rooms to rent. Cantinas were pubs with entertainment... usually."

"Of course, over the years, the distinction between them all has kind of blurred, which got further complicated by local laws and ordinances, some of which were meant to stifle competition."

"It kind of depends on what kind of 'good meal' you are looking for. Pubs traditionally have good food but it's simpler, homey cooking. If you're looking for something fancier, then the Captain's Table is probably the better choice."

"I'm more inclined to try Skrootlydoo. You'll notice how clean this area looks? It's not only a tourist spot, but I'd guess one aimed at VIPs as well."