Setting Off

[Will]

Maria grins evilly at that suggestion, programming a sim where everything's gone wrong, up to and including the cruiser orbiting the mining site...and the "missing" OE personnel not being as missing as some might suspect.

"Ready when you are," she says to the Minotaur.

[Terl Obar]

OOC: Sorry about the long time between posts, the University started up this week and it's been a bit crazy around here getting everything together. Also, I talked with umungus and he has been displaced (had to evacuate twice) due to the fires in California which is why he hasn't been posting so I'll be NPC'ng 'Ting for a bit.

BIC:

I concur on the rooftop swivel mount on the explorer.

"The explorer already has a swivel mount installed. We put them on all our explorers as a matter of course," Lee says.

"Would it be possible," Maria asks the fleabag in charge,"to use your UPF connections to get us a few of those aerial survey bots the Planetary Survey Administration uses for its expeditions? From what I've read about them, they would come in handy for armed recon and aerial support."

"Probably not on this short of notice," Lee answers Maria's question. "Especially since I know they just lost one recently scouting out the pirate base in the asteroid belt. You'll have to do your recon on your own."

"I don't suppose you did the same thing with the computer system? A code that causes it to restore to some known good state wiping out any changes?"

"Unfortunately not," Yala responds. "The cutout in the robots was a failsafe measure. We didn't do anything similar in the computer. We'll upload all the access codes to the Dart's computer including a couple of backdoors that the pirates may not have found you should at least be able to get access to the computer."

Listening to the equipment requests, 'Ting finally chimes in. "I'll take an AutoRifle with 10 clips and a couple of spare powerclips for my sword."

Based on your requests here is what your characters will have waiting for them when you get on the Dart. It is all stored in one of the storage lockers on the Engineering deck.

Sebastian: 2x 200 round belts of machine gun ammo, 2x 20 SEU powerclips, IR Goggles
Gren: Recoilless Rifle w/30 rounds, Spare medkit
Malcom: IR Goggles, 1 kg TD-19, 20 variable timers
B'Looone: IR Goggles, 12x Tangler grenades, 12x Doze grenades, 12x Smoke grenades, 1 kg TD-19, 20 variable timers, 6 electrostunners
'Ting: Auto rifle, 10 rifle clips, 2x 20 SEU powerclips, IR goggles
Maria: IR goggles
Leo: IR goggles
Dart: 2 parawings

The remaining time of your trip to Pale passes fairly uneventfully as you each prepare to the mission ahead. The pilots get themselves repeatedly blown up as they try to navigate Maria's suicide sims, others spend their time reviewing technical specs as well as the maps of the terrain around the mining site and just generally getting into whatever zone they feel comfortable in.

Almost as soon as your discussion is done, the engines shift and you notice the gravity on the ship lessen to about 0.7 g and you realize the crew is bringing the Morning Glory in hot to save some time on the transit and that you are going to have to break hard when you get closer. Sure enough about 20 hours later the engines go into a higher state and the gravity on-board doubles to about 1.4g as they slow the ship down into orbit around Pale. After about 12 hours of the high gravity you dock at Pale Station. The shift to zero gee during the docking is a welcome relief. All told you shaved about three hours off your travel time.

Almost as soon a docking is announced Lee and Yala show up to escort you to the Dart. As you gather your gear and head over to your new ship, Lee comments. "We'd planned to take a little more time going through the ship and getting you set before sending you off with a bit more pomp and circumstance but that's all been overtaken by events. New Pale has a 20 hour rotation. At this time of year it is summer at the mining site and they have about 12 hours of daylight. Sunrise is at about 0500 and sunset at about 1700 hours local time. It is currently about 1200 hours local time at the base. Luckily, Pale and New Pale are almost at conjunction so the transit time is only 20 hours at a standard gravity. You can save some time if you boost at a higher gravity. Our choice of acceleration coming into Pale wasn't completely arbitrary. Surface gravity on New Pale is 1.4 gees so you've already had a dozen hours acclimation. If you boost at the same rate you can shave just over three hours off your transit time. It will also help you get a feel for your reactions under the increased gravity."

Just about then you arrive at the observation gallery overlooking the docking bay where the Dart is currently residing. In the bay you see your ship, sleek and sliver with a freshly applied reflective hull and not a scratch on her. "She's a beauty," Yala comments to no one in particular as she looks out the window. Turning to you she says, "Let's get you all on board and under way. All the information has been already uploaded and your extra equipment has been stowed. In addition to the equipment you requested we added a pair of radiophones. If any of the base crew were able to make it out with any of the base's radiophones, there were three, you should be able to reach them with these ones."

With that you arrive at the airlock to the Dart. A pair of burly Yazarians sporting laser rifles are standing guard outside the open airlock and they snap to attention as they see Yala leading you their direction. "Thanks Yaris, Tnarr. We've got it from here. You can head on back."

"Yes ma'am," the two reply as they sling their rifles over their shoulders and head off down the way you came.

Standing in front of the airlock Yala faces you. "Well this is where we leave you. She's your ship, you know as much or possibly more about her than we do so there is no point in us showing you around. Last time we were on board she was still mostly hull and bulkheads. They were just installing the engine and the computer wasn't going to show up for a day or two. Any last questions? If not, good luck and we'll talk more when you get back."

If you have any questions or additional comments before you go on-board or anywhere along this bit of the story, post them here. Otherwise head on over to the new Mission 1: Search and Rescue thread.

[Will]

"I've seen pieces of creet that look better than that thing," Maria comments, before stepping through the airlock.

[Shadow Shack]

"We'd planned to take a little more time going through the ship and getting you set before sending you off with a bit more pomp and circumstance but that's all been overtaken by events."

"What, no ceremonial smashing of Dom Clarion across her bow?"

Sebastian has already sampled how well Maria can handle the craft in sim, now to see if she's just as eager as she is skilled. Turning to Maria, he grabs the vacc helm for his spacesuit and says "Last one aboard takes second seat!"

[cliff]

"As for the employees who may have escaped, how will we be able to make a possitive I.D. especially by radio phone? I don't wanna be walk'n into no sucker trap!"

[Terl Obar]

"As for the employees who may have escaped, how will we be able to make a possitive I.D. especially by radio phone? I don't wanna be walk'n into no sucker trap!"

"The authentication codes you'll need are all in the Dart's computer," Yala answers. "Plus the radios use encrypted comm so at least you'll know if you're talking to a base handset or not."

[cliff]

"Roger that."

[Terl Obar]

Okay,
I'm locking this thread but first, everyone gets some XP for great role-playing and putting up with a sometimes delinquent Ref . Go ahead and add these on to your character sheets. You can spend them on ability increases or hoard them away until you get enough to bump up some skills.

Exp Points	1 XP	2 XP	3 XP	Bonus XP
Characters	'Ting		Maria, Sebastian,Leo, Gren, Malcom, B'Loone