With the fresh model of the power plant's current state in mind and backed by digital expertise, Sven approached the discussion, aiming to bridge diverse accounts without disclosing his own discoveries.

"Apologies for the abrupt beginning," Sven started, sharing his credentials to emphasize his expertise and the earnest nature of this joint inquiry.

Is Blackfish's assessment from accurate firsthand observations, or is there a deeper bias at play?

"Officer Blackfish," Sven proceeded, "given the urgent need for improvised solutions after the failure, I’m interested in your perspective on how these measures held up against the damage."

Aiming to enrich the investigation with more perspectives, Sven then respectfully turned to Engineer Lermontova, "In your experience with such operations, does the Spaceguard commonly use body cameras or other recording tools? Access to such records could greatly enhance our understanding of the incident."

"It's the worst patch-up job of the shoddy workmanship ever known in the universe", began Blackfish, getting more and more upset all by himself. "This ship held with chewing-gum and scotch ta-" - he was interrupted by his colleague.

“Such apparent mess is not a surprise however when civilian ships are in distress and engineers have to quickly scrap every spark of energy.”, Lermontova remarked firmly.


The 'Pride engineers exchanges embarrassed glances. The female Floriani confessed: "We should, but due to budgetary restrictions we only videorecord when there's a crime scene or something. And your situation did not seem to require that".

[OOC: characters with the Law skill are allowed to ask questions to the witnesses. Or you may just roll and leave the dialog mode]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:30, Fri 12 Apr.

Sven, having inspected the jury-rigged systems himself, knew their chaotic appearance belied a desperate ingenuity.

Blackfish prizes precision, and anything less seems to fall short. Yet, there's an opportunity here to delve deeper into his technical critique.

"Officer Blackfish," Sven interjected, focusing on the crux of the Old Lady's Hope jury-rigged solutions, "the setup was indeed makeshift by necessity, as you've noted. In your view, despite its rough execution, did this jury-rigging serve its emergency function? Or were there particular aspects of the workmanship that compromised the ship further?"


Acknowledging the constraints, Sven nodded understandingly. "Resource limitations are an all-too-common hurdle. Given these limitations, your detailed firsthand observations become even more critical. Can you elaborate on specific details you noticed that led to your assessments?"

Continuing to probe, Sven sought to channel Blackfish's meticulous nature into a more productive discourse. "And Officer Blackfish, when you mention sub-optimal maintenance, could you perhaps specify the elements or instances that particularly stood out as below standard? This might help us understand the full scope of the issues at hand."

OOG: I don't really need specifics in the post. Just whether Sven assesses that the examples are more exaggeration or real, whether that would be crew related, or potentially from the last work done by a ship yard, whether he can match the details to what he has seen, and can check against the recorded model of the power plant compartment.

And sure, other's step in. That was Sven's warning not mine. An attempt to make the OLH crew aware of Sven's take on the context.

Blackfish conspicuously ignored the first question and answered the second:
"It doesn't help that some parts of your ship are of shoddy Aslan origin!"


"I don't have specific details to mention.", she smiled.


Blackfish grumbled something about shoddy Aslan tech.
Lermontova blurted out: "Truth is, Mr Expert, we only stayed 5 minutes in the Power plant room. The reactor chamber had holes, broken pipes, pieces everywhere - it was obvious it could not be repaired in space, and your ship was running on fumes, so to say. We didn't give it more attention than that. We had to address the emergency situation, provide power to the ship in distress, and that's all we observed."

Ah! It seems the issue may stem more from a bias against Aslan technology than purely from technical shortcomings … and reluctance to acknowledge any merit in the emergency repairs.

After considering Blackfish’s focus on Aslan components and Lermontova’s brief remarks, Sven realized further details might be scarce.

"Thank you both for clarifying the scope of your observations," Sven responded. "Your swift actions during the emergency were crucial, and I appreciate your efforts to stabilize the situation. It's understandable that the details might be limited under such circumstances."

Continuing, he added, "From your insights, it seems that during the brief inspection of the power plant, you did not identify specific maintenance issues that could have contributed to the incident. The primary challenges observed were the results of the explosion and the emergency measures taken thereafter. Would you say that's an accurate assessment?"

Then, turning slightly to include the wider audience, Sven shifted focus, "If any of the crew from The Old Lady's Hope has questions or additional observations they'd like to share, please feel free. Remember, the goal here is to gather all relevant information to understand what happened and ensure it doesn't happen again. Constructive input is welcome."

After some time Anzha exits her cabin wearing an evening dress and her hair down and over on her left.  She went to find Beto to report.  "Ma'am, I'm going out tonight; I hope that it will be fun, but I also think it could be beneficial to the crew.  I have a comm with me through which I could be traced if needed," she explained.  After Beto replied she departed the ship to hail a cab, going to meet her date.

---

For the curious, an image of the dress is in the Character Description.

Anzha found Beto in the control room, following a videoconference meeting with Khor'rhun, Daphne, and Sven. They all noticed how Anzha was dressed, and maybe the engineers away did see her too.

Beto was texting who knows who, maybe a local boyfriend. They went to another position on the room.
"Thanks for letting me know, dear. Baris would appreciate... We'll be more reassured however if you gave me - please - his name and contact details."

Before Anzha called a cab, Beto pointed at a screen displaying security images of the ship's surroundings. There was big black car - think present-day London cabs - humming under the passenger's doorway.

"Oh... shiny" says Khor'ruhn. As he slurps the last bit of Caff from his cup. Eyeing Anzha "Am I dressed properly?" The Varg looks himself over.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:27, Fri 26 Apr.

In reply to Beto Arark (msg # 229):

"Oh, well, her name is Ivia Hamral; seems to work at the lab," Anzha replies to Beto, cracking a smile at Khor'ruhn, then getting serious for a moment.  "He's not going with me, is he?  I mean, I don't think I need a bodyguard and I don't want a chaperone," she said trying not to sound offensive.  Truth was she liked the Vargr alright.  Just didn't want him along on a date.  "That is not my cab?  Someone else?" she said looking at the car n the screen.

Anzha’s phone rang.
It was Ivia down there; she could also be seen on the cockpit’s screen, out of the car, waving at the sensors.

Anzha stepped down the ladder, and met her. Ivia was wearing a thin red dress showing more skin than fabric, with two vertical golden lightnings stripes going from the shoulders to the cleavage [the absence of a bra is visible] to the bottom of the dress. They waved, glistening, as did her jewels, as the redhead Tanari moved around the ship’s.  Ivia wore high heels to look taller; her breathing mask was also colored red and decorated with a golden smile (while Anzha’s was an standard, efficient mask, from another world and without decoration).

However, the seductive effect was diminished by the fact that, in the absence of a collar, Ivia's head looked disproportionately bigger compared to the rest of the frail body. Among Barnais this was fine; the bigger the head, the smarter and more seductive - since their children too would be engineers, lawyers or doctors. *

Ivia turned on herself to be admired, then stood on her toes to hug Anzha, soft warm skin making direct contact. She took Anzha’s arm to bring her under the ship - there was still sunlight - for a sort of inspection.

“So this is the Old Lady’s Hope… I heard so much about it and now I can touch it. I’m surprised… it does not seem a wreck, I can’t see any breach?”, the short woman exclaimed, eyes wide open.

Lermontova nodded happily.

Blackfish reluctantly conceded: “I don’t have any specific information to provide regarding the lack of maintenance of a ancient civilian ship. Regarding the emergency measures, it was a total mess.” One glance exchanged with his colleague later - “withdraw that… it absolutely looked like a total mess.

Now, if you would excuse us, other duties are calling.”

"Good luck for your investigation!", concluded Lermontova.

Anzha accepted the hug and gave the appropriate approving looks for both the dress and the twirl.  "Unfortunately this is the best I could do," she said indicating her own dress.  "As for the ship, the media exaggerates incredibly.  She is a fine old girl, though the previous tenants mistreated her," she said looking at the ship remarkably fondly.

"I'm on duty tomorrow," she sort of white lied.  "And so, not too late.  Where are we going?" she asked Ivia.

 As Anzha left. Khor'ruhn pondered the higher ups using a yacht to transport himself and the others to who knew where. "I definitely don't have the right wardrobe to go on a yacht. My Steward training dictates this. Do I have the time and credits to get a proper kilt shirt and jacket? "
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:43, Wed 01 May.

The former captain reacted with a straight face but arms raised in the air: "We'll submit this idea to the Consul: THE Ultimate Fatal WoMD against the Aslan colonies: a company of Vargr in kilts, kilt jackets, vests, hose, flashes, sporrans, and sgian dubhs!"

He resumed, tapping his luggage: "Now... the interview with the conceited Engineers of the Pride is over; time to move, guys."

He called the Consul's yacht; a raft (with hood!) arrived, and Baris, Oscar, Bannacor and Khor'Rhun saluted one last time and left the ship for good.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:38, Fri 03 May.

With the discussion drawing to a natural close and no further questions coming from the crew of The Old Lady's Hope, Sven acknowledged the departure of the Pride of Tanar engineers. "Thank you again, Officer Blackfish and Engineer Lermontova. Your insights have been invaluable, and we appreciate the time you’ve taken out of your schedules to assist us. I understand you have other duties to attend to, so we'll let you get back to them. Safe travels and good luck with your ongoing responsibilities," Sven concluded the call with a respectful nod, signaling the end of the video link.

As the screen blanked, Sven's attention returned to the present surroundings. He watched as Baris Dahl and his companions made their farewells, their figures retreating from the ship's control room, each step echoing a chapter closing.

Anzha caught his attention, and he watched appreciatively as she elegantly moved across the room towards Beto and then departed for her evening plans. Her graceful exit briefly softened the otherwise tense atmosphere of ongoing mechanical repairs.

With the immediate activities concluded, he approached the new Captain himself to address potential ship business. "Beto, uh Captain? There are still many details to attend to, but with the repairs progressing and some of the crew transitioning out, what are the ship’s upcoming plans? I've received an inquiry about the ship itinerary and whether we'll be taking on new passengers once we're spaceworthy again."

Kho'ruhn raises an eyebrow. "Proper dress aboard a Yacht sir. Was thinking about the bagpipes, and a program to play them for ye as well. But I have yet to hear a Vargr play the pipes well. Or anyone really. How can ye tell anyway" he finishes with a shrug.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:28, Fri 26 Apr.

Ivia and Anzha went inside the cab, which immediately ran towards its destination. There was a glass separating the Feskal driver from the passengers, but Ivia nevertheless lowered her voice: “The previous tenants?”
…
A few minutes went by on bad roads, including a stop at a toll station - the government hadn’t a budget to maintain all roads and bridges, so users were payers.

The cab left them in a zone with industries scattered over, the vacant lots being quickly eaten away by the jungle. A half-buried hangar displayed a portal figuring the gates of hell, guarded by two hulking Feskals, armed to the teeth.


Anzha’s translator app read the sign as “Fau Underground”

Ivia, though impressed, stated to the Feskals they came to dine: the guards sniggered and let them in.

They went downstairs to a checkroom. An armed Aslan told them to leave their weapons there. Then he scanned the ladies for hidden weapons [OOC if Anzha wants to keep her stunner hidden, roll INT+Deception 10+]

They entered a darkened room with red projectors and semi-visible decoration evoking flames and caves. There was a continuous “hum-hum” buzz with subtle variations, probably ambient music for Aslan ears…

As Anzha scanned the place for escape doors and fire protection measures, it seemed obvious that, in the absence of government pressure, it had been the least of the owner’s concerns.

An Aslan pointed at a table in the center of the area, but Ivia protested. As the bouncer did not seem to move, she took a bank note from her purse [they were still using bank notes!] and obtained a private booth.

Once seated, The Aslan brought the menus and groaned: “House has its own prostitutes, so you just eat and drink, do no business. Understood?”. Ivia’s face reddened, she coughed and nodded. When the Aslan left, she bent towards Anzha and whispered “It’s my first time here. I had heard about this place but did not dare. Thankfully, I feel secure with you!”
…
Ivia read the menu and explained the drinks were of two kinds: strong rotgut for Feskals, or a variety of low-alcoholic equivalent of beers, that could be drunk by the dozen, tasting the different brands all night long. Food was mostly meat - raw for Aslan or overcooked.
…
The room filled with mostly working-class Feskals and dubious Aslan. Groups of what could be called “rural-punks” musicians went on the scene. People danced, drank, sang and spoke loud.
With a bill here and there, the bouncers kept skirt-chasers away from the two women .
...
Anzha, trained as a spy, noticed that Ivia tried to make her drink more than herself. Anzha being on her guards, the situation became a little awkward, as both tried not to get inebriated; the table went cluttered with full, opened bottles [OOC Anzha doesn’t know which beverage is more a stunner than it tastes, so roll END+Carouse 10+ to drink her under the table. However, it’s obvious Ivia is an amateur at this, so you have a boon]

Ivia’s conversation alternated between flirt talk and questions about the ship:

• Tell me about you... (hands joined under the chin)
• Was there ever a risk of the ship exploding over Natura ? At the airport?
• So you’re a traveler? Bouncing from planet to planet, a man in each starport - or a woman?
• What about the firefight onboard? Who shot who? How did the captain handle it all?
• Were you in danger? Would you need some kind of comfort? (hand on arm)
• Who does the ship belong to?
• Thankfully, it seems you weren't wounded. Were wounded people well treated in the infirmary?
• What is the extent of the damage to the power plant? Was it a maintenance issue or sabotage? A rejected suitor, maybe? (nudge nudge, wink wink)

This message was last edited by the GM at 13:45, Wed 01 May.

"My rank is Commander. The repairs are progressing? That's news! Did you find a second-hand power plant?" - she raised an eyebrow.
"The plans, as far as I know, are to interview and recruit a new pilot. Yes, we'll be taking passengers, but we have to give them a time for departure, and we won't know it for sure until the repairs are completed."

Beto turned to the ship's doctor: "By the way, Nicodemus, Baris told me something about you having to do an medical errand at the other side of the planet? The sooner you do it, the sooner you'll be back"

Back to Sven: "Regarding the itinerary, I'm open to suggestions, given that we have to be on Trush on week 13 for our quarterly payment, and this breakdown delays my route plan".

Almost absently, Nicodemus responds, "I was about to mention that, in reference to passengers. There's some sort of epidemical vector beginning to engage this planet. Any passengers we take will need to be cleared before we take them off-planet. Technically, we should all be screened."
"I'll be heading to someplace called Blossom in Mysteriosa, or something like that, anyway. If I find reason to believe the sickness could spread off planet we'll end in quarantine. Making the payment might become problematic were that to occur."

Seriously? Didn't someone call Wade? Was the meeting with the Imperial Consul a distraction from critical tasks? Locating a replacement power plant should be a priority.

"Commander Beto", Sven began, offering a respectful nod. "Traditionally, the title 'Captain' is used in reference to the leader of a ship’s operations, irrespective of formal rank. It helps maintain clarity for the crew and external parties."

Perhaps she's still adjusting to her new role.

"For the power plant, my efforts until now have been directed towards complying with the High Judge's mandate to investigate the cause of the failure. That also allowed me to map out the needed supporting system repairs. Typically, the procurement of such critical hardware would be managed by the ship’s logistics officer or purser. I've provided contact information for a local resource to assist in expediting the search for a replacement plant. Should I shift my focus from the technical repair work to directly handling the procurement?"

"Other than incorporating the lab results, and writing the report for High Judge Sandstrom, the hands on portion of the investigation should be about complete. The scene has been recorded, samples have been collected and delivered for analysis, outside witnesses questioned. The lab results should sufficiently clarify the cause of the explosion and guide our cleaning procedures to prevent future issues. Debris removal is set to begin, and additional hands would certainly expedite this process."

"The initial plan was for the ship's crew to manage repairs under my guidance. Given recent departures, reassessing our capacity is crucial. We might need to consider contracting shipyard personnel to meet ship deadlines."

"Regarding the fuel, has there been progress with the offloading and storage? It’s crucial we inspect and possibly clean all tanks, especially to ensure the purity of fuel for the jump drives."
OOG: msg #141 shows Beto requesting the fuel offload and storage, but I have not seen anything about when that is or was to be done. Darn details.

Sven concluded with pertinent questions about the ship’s itinerary, his tone inquiring yet cautious, reflecting his newness to the crew.
"Regarding Week 13’s schedule, from when are you counting? What are the routing considerations aside from the mandatory stop at Trush? Are operations limited to League systems, or are Aslan territories on the table too? Is the focus solely on passengers and standard freight, or are trade opportunities being explored?"

Passengers and freight, with jump-on-jump, maximize fixed income. Taking time to research available cargo can increase profit. However, too tight of a schedule could mean missed deadlines from even minor delays. The details are important.
OOG: Player has access to the planned route, Sven does not. Though he might be able to locate it, if it was published on the datanet.

As Beto and Dr. Trask discussed Mysteriosa, Sven's attention was drawn when the province was mentioned, quickly connecting it to the incident he had witnessed the previous night.

Mysteriosa mentioned again? Hlem’s disease, and now potential epidemic threats? My gambling instincts tell me the odds are this isn’t just a coincidence.

Seeing an opportunity to discuss his concerns discreetly, Sven approached Dr. Trask with a casual demeanour, effectively masking the urgency of his inquiry to avoid drawing Beto’s attention. "Dr. Trask, might I have a moment? There’s a medical matter I’d like to consult with you privately, at your convenience." He subtly indicated a step away from Beto, ensuring their conversation would remain confidential.

Once they were sufficiently apart, Sven spoke in a measured tone, maintaining a low volume. "Doctor, considering the endemic nature of Hlem’s disease, propagated by insects in Mysteriosa, what do you think about the potential for an epidemic? Suppose local changes have expanded the vector range or interaction. It’s a concern, given the situation I encountered last night."

"I attended a woman who suddenly collapsed in a gambling house. Her medkit indicated a 90% probability of Hlem's disease. Symptoms were terminal, and she reportedly last visited Mysteriosa about six months ago. This suggests a lengthy dormant period, which complicates any standard quarantine approach. The emergency response team was led by Dr. Bin Larne from VIP Health Services, and I can provide you with a detailed account if you wish to review it."
OOG: The available records will show events from msg #53 until the ambulance drives away.

Nicodemus nods. Then he peers at Sven a moment before responding, "there was an incident, about a decade past now, on Bornonu in Yggsdrasil. The highest ranking officials were dieing of some unknown condition. Perfectly healthy men, and yes, the gender specificity was the first real clue. It caused brain lesions that turned the victims into psychopathological madmen before it killed them."
"Dr.Van Nuys and I managed to isolate the toxins, but couldn't convince anyone as to the source of the poisons. Once we tracked down the protein chains that led to the deaths, it became clear. Bornonuans had been using some of the native plants as foodstuffs. As a result,they had developed sensitivities to certain rare medications that were now killing the elite. No one was ever able to prove it, but it appeared there was an epidemic of illegal anagathics that proved to be what eventually killed them all. Dr. Van Nuys and I published our papers. The Bornonuans eventually either ran out or just stopped taking the anagathics when they decided we were right."
"Van Nuys is here. He was a little cagey when he called so I'll bet he's already found something he needs me to verify. If it's just like old times, as he said it would be, he's already irritated the locals and I'll have to do some of the digging myself. I'll look up Hlem's disease and add it to the medical database in case we run into it again."
"The important thing will be to leave as soon as we've finished. Whatever the condition is, it attacks vital systems and leaves them irrevocably damaged. We should attempt as little contact as possible before we get off planet."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:02, Thu 02 May.

Sven absorbed Dr. Trask's historical account, recognizing both similarities and distinct differences with the incident he had witnessed.

Bornonu and now Mysteriosa—brain lesions then, cerebral hemorrhage now—food and anagathics then, varied mysterious 'supplements' now. In Trask’s context, anagathics are illegal; here, it’s more about whether their use is ethical...perhaps hidden to appease Imperium interests?

After a brief pause, Sven continued, "The patient last night exhibited severe symptoms: high temperature, pulse, and blood pressure, with a scan showing a cerebral hemorrhage. Her medkit listed no anagathics, but her belongings contained various unregistered substances—powders, vials, plant products. These might be local pharmacopeia or less formally recognized items. The visual records include detailed labels and images of these substances."

Sven noticeably hesitated again before delving into less factual areas, "Aside from the medical perspective, my observations of Tanarian practices suggest a complex approach to health products. The line between legitimate medicinal goods and 'pharmafraud' is blurred, seemingly skewed towards profitability rather than efficacy. Such promotional materials might also cleverly disguise genuine products, targeting those 'in the know.' This local marketing strategy, veering towards entertainment, could obscure the true nature of products offered and complicate any medical or investigative approach here. If these products are involved, those you might irritate are the biggest businesses on the planet. Given Tanar's exports, off planet might not be enough. Knowledge is needed."

The domina's bodyguard could have been right—she was poisoned. Not by the other players, but by herself.

Dr. Trask again peers at Sven, as if examining the man, before he says, "a gambling house, and local flora prepared as if some sort of herbal medicine. Parallel to a previous incident, with differing details. A society building its culture around commerce, so that the most successful gain power. I wonder if the locals have discovered some native species with properties similar to Laranal. That could be most handy at the roulette wheel."
"And what factor would have the biggest impact on the specific symptoms? The nature of the foreign material. I'll put my medical computer to task with identifying the substances in the images, and ask Ewan about it when I get there. I should probably rent a vehicle. Last time van Nuys and I had to take samples on the remote estate of the "forest czar", I have no idea what that means, and after dropping us there the locals ran off, stranding us."
"Wouldn't want that to happen again."

OOG: I don't recognize Laranal, and search did not find anything useful. From context sounds like providing psi telekinesis. Or more exotic precognition.

Sven acknowledged the speculations but chose to focus on practical advice.
"As an added precaution, you might want to ensure the planetary datanet covers the region you're visiting, or consider taking a dedicated transceiver with adequate range. Having a reliable contact on the other end could be crucial."

"I'm less sure now if what I observed was genuinely Hlem's disease or something from the medkit's unknown classification. The protein chains from your hypothesis might mimic viral structures closely enough to confuse the diagnostics. Cooperation from Dr. Larne or VIP Health Services could provide more definitive answers."

Realizing his advice might be obvious to a seasoned professional like Dr. Trask, Sven decided to wrap up the conversation. "You have all the data I can provide at the moment. I need to return to ensuring our ship is technically prepared to depart when the time comes. However, I would appreciate any updates on your findings."

Sven glanced at his watch, a subtle reminder of the time pressures.
"Interviewing The Pride of Tanar crew took longer than expected. Tomorrow, I’ll continue with the repairs, though I must first verify my priorities and the resources available with the new Captain." He glanced back to see what Beto was doing, signaling his intent to move on.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:31, Fri 03 May.