Coup D'etat 02: Downtime Exposition

The following takes place between Battery City Run (Session 03) and Burnt at Both Ends (Session 04).

                Bryn'Danal pulled a panel off of a wall, checking the wiring underneath, "After payment, we should still have sufficient stores left on board for our needs."

                Sitting at the helm, Albin Orryx casually flipped some deactivated buttons. He looked out of Community's control room, watching the shipyard workers lower the new FTL into the stern deck's newest hole. "Tragic though; choosing between an operational ship and the kind of party all those hors d'oeuvres and alcohol could've gotten us."

                Ever the professional, Bryn radioed down to the team on the Drive Deck to check her connections before replying, "My impression is that parties are often places where friends gather," she jammed the panel back into place, "and I don't think we have that many friends between the six of us."

* * *

                Raxx attenuated the medical scanner and started it again. Almost immediately, the Massert let out a pained gasp. Before it could become another groan of restrained pain, the necromancer shut it off.

                "What is it?!"

                Jonah D'Lante somewhat impatient when he didn't have a strange device locked onto his skeleton. Since beginning the diagnostic, Raxx's understanding of the device had expanded from "unknown" to "not designed to improve wearer's patience."

                "I still don't know; it's gripping your skeleton, but it's not emitting any kind of signal. It's only active when I try to scan you."

                D'Lante slipped through the retracting 'ribs' of the upright scanner, "Yeah, I know; I'm the one whose ass gets shocked every time you do it."

                The shutdown on the scanner was still acting funny. Raxx put it on the list of minor things to fix around the medical level, "I don't think it's a danger and I've done all the analysis I can. Our best hope is to find that Monolith."

                "Yeah, then all we have to do is schedule an appointment for a weird bone grabber-ectomy and I'll be off." He picked up his datapad and started thumbing through technical schematics for the docking bay they were making out of the #1 Equipment Pod.

                Before he could make it out of the door, the medical bay's intercom crackled to life, "Raxx. Jonah. It's Al. The 'boat is coming back. Be a good time for a talk." He was referring to the gunboat that Tr'Hati and Jaha had taken to the surface.

                Raxx jogged over to the nearest comm panel and keyed it, "No problem, Al. Be up in five. Jonah, you in?"

                The Massert sighed and threw his hands up, "Sure? Why not another meeting?"

* * *

                The ballroom had been cleared out. The fine dishes and utensils were hawked pretty quickly, but getting rid of the extra tables and chairs was a matter of both funding and function. The Gendari Buffet table was a perfectly sized conference area.

                Jaha stood at his place to Albin's right side, "Sirs, before we get started, Tr'Hati asked that I convey his concerns over the urgent need to deal with the pungent odor in the gunboat--"

                "That's not what I said," the hulking RACE? rumbled, "I said the lizard smell could only be removed with fire."

                "We'll see what we can do," Al gave a questioning glance to Raxx, as if ask if there was something they could do. For his part, the RACE? shrugged.

                "Right. The archaeologists that found Memory Alpha appear to be a group of three Bleaux. They found Memory Alpha, and contacted Blue Eyes to help excavate it."
                "It would seem," Tr'Hati's voice filled the former ballroom, "they were unaware that Blue Eyes was a predator, not a herdling like them. He took their research and abandoned them here."

                "Bit of a coincidence, isn't it?" Albin distractedly played with his Amp Tool, no doubt patching one of his impressive hacking tools.

                "Maybe not," Raxx shrugged, "Way is the closest civilized system to Battery City. The Bleaux felt safe and Blue Eyes felt it was convenient."

                "Convenient? I don't think that criminal masterminds are typified by their lazi--"

                "Complacent criminal masterminds are. Everything about Blue Eyes' operation indicated that he was either wholly complacent or unreasonably desperate."

                "Fair enough. So where are they?"

                "Well sir," Jaha's clean, even tones resumed, "they...bartered...for passage to Badainie—"

                "Perfect. In the exact opposite direction we need to go," Jonah interjected.

                "Indeed. They're probably heading back to their homeworld, but they definitely found Memory Alpha. They were there."

                Raxx nodded with a wave of his hand that was akin to a wry, unconvinced smile, "I still don't think it's worth the delay to go after them."

                "We can talk about it later," Bryn interjected before it could become another argument, "Anything else, Jaha?"

                "The relevant data on the archaeologists have been uploaded to your personal clouds on Community. We managed to make some headway contacting finding a vendor that can convert the fireworks bays into self-defense platforms."

                "We need weapons. I don't want to be outgunned by a Pris junk cruiser again."

                "'Self-defense platform' is how Jaha says 'weapons' Jonah," Al paused for a moment, shrugged, and then added, "How is the FTL installation coming?"

                "Ugh. Slowly. The dockhands are getting paid by the hour and they know it. The latest telemetry has them doubling their installation time. I should probably be down there right now instead of up here with you...guys."

                "How's that going to affect the docking bay installation?"

                "I'm confident that we can install it now. The cargo lift was all-but destroyed by Far Tree Poison,  and it's on the aft end; we can just slap the pod in there whenever."

                "But it's dangerous to do while running the FTL leads to the power core," Bryn was relatively certain this was the third time she'd mentioned this since they'd drawn up the plans.

                "And we'd be liable for the cost overrruns if we cause a fault with a double-cut the structure." Raxx added.

                "I could do it with no problems, but...fine. Another three days."

                "Raxx? How are those batteries looking?"

                "I've seen PROTECT power cells before, but never ones with this kind of charge. Most of them were designed to run massive dreadnoughts for years, but that was Eras ago. Most have lost their charge or just been used up. Blue Eyes' man Culas—"

                "—the blob-dude?" Bryn asked, imitating 'blob' with her metallic hands.

                "Kras No-Cryt. Yeah. Says they recharge as you move across a region of space around Memory Alpha. They're sympathetically tied to a larger power source there."

                "So they're like a key?"

                "Or a map?"

                "Or a magic, treasure-finding compass?"

                "Or a guide who's the only who knows the way through a dangerous cave?"

                "...yeah. Like those things, but once Community is up and running, we should be able to follow the battery to Memory Alpha, then hook up the MacGuffin Core and see what's inside."

                "I do not think it's going to be that easy." Albin replied, still fiddling with his software.

                "What's the status on the AIs?"

                "Unlocked and programmed. They're all the same model right now, but you guys can customize a few of them, if you think it's necessary."

AI base stats:
Dex 1, Int 1, Perception 2 (+2), Ranged Combat [Starships] 2 (+3), Technology 4 (+5), Treatment 4 (+5), Vehicles [Starships] 4 (+5), Communication [Radio, Subtle, Limited(Community only)] 100 ft

               

* * *

                "I think it's reasonable. More reasonable than what any of you are doing."

                "Well, naturally you think that because it's your idea. I'm getting 3.1% return."

                On the engineering deck, Jonah adjusted the fusion aperture, "Check it now. And it's obvious that you don't think it's reasonable."

                "Well," Albin toggled the switch off and back on again, waiting for the meter to read the results of the latest feedback loop from the drive, "I'm glad we worked out what we both think of your plan. I don't think I'm alone on that. 3.4%"

                Jonah let out a groan that was mostly effort from trying to dislodge a sticky aperture ring which was probably the reason they got the drive so cheaply, "I'll go to Bad-Nine or whatever with you—"

                "—Badainie—"

                "Whatever. If these archaeologists can't convince me that Memory Alpha is worth sticking around for, I'm just going to take the gunboat and leave. Try it now."

                "Look, all the information I have says that Memory Alpha is worth the effort. We're at 2.1%, so undo whatever that was."

                Jonah paused for a second as he reached out to reshape the ring into one with better clearances, "Not if these guys get me killed. Try it again, and then remind me why the Massert No Sve fleet isn't helping us out here?"

                "It's because the Jet Star battle fleet was reassigned and we've got Storm Weevil, who are only slightly more trustworthy than the good Captain Tsemos. 6.5%"

                "Alright," Jonah got up and wiped his hands on his jumpsuit, "I've got to make sure the yard workers aren't screwing up the power feeds. You should be able to finish the alignment remotely now. You want it at 4.7%"

                "Roger that. Look, Jonah, Jaha and I'll go with you. If we can't find the archaeologists and convince you to stick with us, we'll let you have the gunboat and find some other way to rendezvous with Community."

                "You sure that Bryn and Raxx can handle Community on a shakedown cruise?"

                "They'll be following the battery around in the middle of nowhere. What could possibly go wrong? Worst case scenario, Raxx finds Memory Alpha, opens it before we get back, and I have to deal with him being insufferably smug. Besides, don't underestimate Tr'Hati's technical skills."

                "I heard he was trying to hack the Pris armada with those giant feet of his."

                "Yeah, he was, I think I saw an Armada Computer button stuck in between his toes earlier today."

                Jonah laughed in spite of the mess the yard workers were making of his power conduits, "I'll have to remember to check if I run across him today."

Cliff Notes:

*Community is being repaired and upgraded so that it will more closely match the specifications you guys paid points for.

*The party is splitting up. You probably got an email about this. One half is going learn more about Memory Alpha by finding the archaeologists who initially found it and the other half is going to take Community on an uneventful shake down cruise to try and find Memory Alpha.

*Blue Eyes was kind of a criminal dick, so don't cry over it.

*The blob guy that worked for Blue Eyes escaped from Battery City, found you guys, and gave you an old PROTECT battery. He then slipped on soap in the shower and broke his boneless neck.

*The PROTECT battery can lead you to Memory Alpha...probably.

*I'm not really sure about the name of Raxx and Tr'Hati's races. Might've lost my notes on that.

*You're getting a new, reliable FTL drive.

*The still-unnamed gunboat is getting your old, unreliable FTL drive.

*You cannot call in the Massert NoSve cavalry.