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Traveller T20: Tales of the Bray Keaven [Updated 12-20-05]
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<blockquote data-quote="Shadowdancer" data-source="post: 1410472" data-attributes="member: 515"><p style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Chapter XXI</span></strong></p><p><strong>Date: 119-993</strong></p><p><strong>Place: Alief System.</strong></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">As the inner airlock door slides open, the Lingdonsland officers’ cold, calculating eyes dart from Ian’s armored form at an aggressive parade rest to Swann’s shotgun held only slightly away from being trained on them. When they realize the thing behind Ian is some sort of armed and armored creature, and not some huge, ugly statue, they completely freeze except for their mouths, which seem to just hang open in mid breath.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Into that breach, Swann genially addresses the officers. "Welcome aboard, gentlemen," he says to the new guests. "Please keep your hands where they can be seen at all times, and please do not make any sudden moves. We’re all a little nervous here, so let’s just complete the exchange as smoothly as possible, without any unfortunate occurrences."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">At this point, Darishun’s normally quiet and gently soft voice booms deeply and resonantly from his suit speakers. "Of course, we would like to conclude this transaction as smoothly as possible, but, if things go slowly, perhaps you can stay for dinner and we can serve you as well."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Darishun then smiles, showing as many of his teeth as possible, and regards the officers as if trying to decide which sauce would best compliment sautéed officer.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Without looking over his shoulder or missing a beat at the change in Darishun’s voice and manner, Ian remarks, "Now Darishun. I’m sure that these officers want things to go smoothly and quickly so that they can return to their ship and their leader. So, towards that end, would you please open each case so that I may inspect it?"</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Their eyes never wavering from watching Darishun nervously, the officers open each case in turn for inspection. Ian quickly checks the stacked bills in each case as best as he can as well as checking for anything odd in the cases. The bills do seem to have anti-forgery watermarks consistent with TL-7 anti-counterfeiting techniques. The cases do not appear to contain anything odd.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">To Swann’s more practiced eye, the bills also seem to be legitimate for lower tech currency, and also ridiculously easy for some of his old associates to duplicate. "Jeez, the Girelli’s would take, maybe 15 minutes during dinner to duplicate that amount," he thinks.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">After completing his inspection, Ian nods to Saro, who hands him the foam box containing the data cube and antiviral courses. Ian then hands the case to the officers for inspection. The officers hesitantly open the box to check its contents and tentatively ask, with none of the arrogance exhibited by the slow boat’s captain, "So, the data and the antiviral courses are all in here?"</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Saro replies quickly, "Yes, good sirs. Four courses of antivirals — with instructions and all information that I could obtain from my records on how to produce them. I don’t have exact instructions, but the information contained should help your scientists get started. I wish that I could give you more information."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Thank you, gentlemen. I think that, we, uh, have to go now. Would you please cycle the airlock so that we can leave?" was the reply.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">With that, the officers step fully back into the <em>Bray Keaven’s</em> airlock, wait for the lock to cycle completely, and return to the Lingdonsland slow boat. A few seconds after the officers return, the slow boat undocks and starts to move off.</span></span></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">-----</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">On the bridge, Vasilii, Argent, and Vargas all breath a collective sigh of relief quickly followed by Argent’s muttered, "Wait a second. That was a little too easy and smooth.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: silver">"Ian, scan that cash top to bottom," he adds. "Explosives, poisons, bugs, anything. And don’t limit yourself to low-tech stuff; scan for modern techniques as well. Once you’re satisfied it’s safe, lock it down. We’ll scan it again once we land."</span></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><span style="color: silver">Switching the internal comms off, Argent turns to Vargas. "Get us back on course, best possible descent."</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Swann quickly returns his weapons to the ship’s locker, then exits. He looks at the rest of the greeting party. "I think we should send their Ignorant Leader a thank you note complimenting his men on their professionalism. Now, if you all will excuse me, I have a turret to man."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">He quickly returns to the starboard turret to watch the cutter and slow boat as they depart. Once settled in, he asks the bridge to return targeting control for the starboard turret to him.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">As the turret’s crosshairs again caress the image of the departing cutter, he begins to think, "I wonder what you could buy with that much money on Alief?"</span></span></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">-----</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Saro is very relieved the exchange went on without difficulties. He doesn’t even look at the cases with the money. "Well, unless one of you needs something from me, even if it’s just conversation, I think I will go back to my station and catch up on my Theological Digest. That was a very professional job. Kudos.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Do not hesitate to contact me if any of you are not feeling well. I for one, can’t wait until we are planetside actually doing what we came here to do."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The surgeon then starts heading back to the elevator.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Nice job everyone," Ian says. Leaving the cases with Darishun, he heads off after Saro. "Say Doc, I do have one question. If we are about to drop into a plague zone, shouldn’t we be starting on a course of drugs now? I mean, if there is a riot I’m sure we’d all be a little happier knowing we were as immune as we can be from the get go? Right?"</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Saro turns around to speak to Ian, then decides to turn on his suit comm to speak to the entire crew. "Mr. McConnell has asked me about taking the antivirals prophylactically. That is not standard procedure, because it really isn’t a vaccine. We would need to keep a particular concentration of drug in our bloodstream for that to work. We would be taking incredible amounts of the antivirals, and they do have side effects. Plus it is wasteful and we could run out before we actually need them.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Standard procedure would be for us to keep our vacc suits on all the time and only take them off in a clean zone after decontamination with at least two measures. If there is any suspicion at all that someone was exposed then immediately that person would get a prophylactic course.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"This mission is definitely going to be tough, so I hope you are all prepared. The moment any of you feels even a bit sluggish or feverish, or God forbid you cough, come to me. I hope to come up with a quick detection assay, but in the meantime we'll just get a course of antivirals at the slightest suspicion of exposure. I will also work on a vaccine.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Martha, and the other technically minded people in the crew: What are the chances of coming up with a contraption to aerolize 5 percent hypochlorite, and another to create a vacuum, and a bank of full–spectrum light? It would be perfect if we could use all three known measures to kill the virus in the decontamination zone. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Any thoughts?"</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shadowdancer, post: 1410472, member: 515"] [center][b][size=4]Chapter XXI[/size][/b][/center] [b]Date: 119-993[/b] [b]Place: Alief System.[/b] [font=Verdana][size=2]As the inner airlock door slides open, the Lingdonsland officers’ cold, calculating eyes dart from Ian’s armored form at an aggressive parade rest to Swann’s shotgun held only slightly away from being trained on them. When they realize the thing behind Ian is some sort of armed and armored creature, and not some huge, ugly statue, they completely freeze except for their mouths, which seem to just hang open in mid breath.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Into that breach, Swann genially addresses the officers. "Welcome aboard, gentlemen," he says to the new guests. "Please keep your hands where they can be seen at all times, and please do not make any sudden moves. We’re all a little nervous here, so let’s just complete the exchange as smoothly as possible, without any unfortunate occurrences."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]At this point, Darishun’s normally quiet and gently soft voice booms deeply and resonantly from his suit speakers. "Of course, we would like to conclude this transaction as smoothly as possible, but, if things go slowly, perhaps you can stay for dinner and we can serve you as well."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Darishun then smiles, showing as many of his teeth as possible, and regards the officers as if trying to decide which sauce would best compliment sautéed officer.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Without looking over his shoulder or missing a beat at the change in Darishun’s voice and manner, Ian remarks, "Now Darishun. I’m sure that these officers want things to go smoothly and quickly so that they can return to their ship and their leader. So, towards that end, would you please open each case so that I may inspect it?"[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Their eyes never wavering from watching Darishun nervously, the officers open each case in turn for inspection. Ian quickly checks the stacked bills in each case as best as he can as well as checking for anything odd in the cases. The bills do seem to have anti-forgery watermarks consistent with TL-7 anti-counterfeiting techniques. The cases do not appear to contain anything odd.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]To Swann’s more practiced eye, the bills also seem to be legitimate for lower tech currency, and also ridiculously easy for some of his old associates to duplicate. "Jeez, the Girelli’s would take, maybe 15 minutes during dinner to duplicate that amount," he thinks.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]After completing his inspection, Ian nods to Saro, who hands him the foam box containing the data cube and antiviral courses. Ian then hands the case to the officers for inspection. The officers hesitantly open the box to check its contents and tentatively ask, with none of the arrogance exhibited by the slow boat’s captain, "So, the data and the antiviral courses are all in here?"[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Saro replies quickly, "Yes, good sirs. Four courses of antivirals — with instructions and all information that I could obtain from my records on how to produce them. I don’t have exact instructions, but the information contained should help your scientists get started. I wish that I could give you more information."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Thank you, gentlemen. I think that, we, uh, have to go now. Would you please cycle the airlock so that we can leave?" was the reply.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]With that, the officers step fully back into the [i]Bray Keaven’s[/i] airlock, wait for the lock to cycle completely, and return to the Lingdonsland slow boat. A few seconds after the officers return, the slow boat undocks and starts to move off.[/size][/font] [center][font=Verdana][size=2]-----[/size][/font][/center] [font=Verdana][size=2]On the bridge, Vasilii, Argent, and Vargas all breath a collective sigh of relief quickly followed by Argent’s muttered, "Wait a second. That was a little too easy and smooth.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][color=silver]"Ian, scan that cash top to bottom," he adds. "Explosives, poisons, bugs, anything. And don’t limit yourself to low-tech stuff; scan for modern techniques as well. Once you’re satisfied it’s safe, lock it down. We’ll scan it again once we land."[/color][/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2][color=silver]Switching the internal comms off, Argent turns to Vargas. "Get us back on course, best possible descent."[/color][/size][/font] [center]-----[/center] [font=Verdana][size=2]Swann quickly returns his weapons to the ship’s locker, then exits. He looks at the rest of the greeting party. "I think we should send their Ignorant Leader a thank you note complimenting his men on their professionalism. Now, if you all will excuse me, I have a turret to man."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]He quickly returns to the starboard turret to watch the cutter and slow boat as they depart. Once settled in, he asks the bridge to return targeting control for the starboard turret to him.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]As the turret’s crosshairs again caress the image of the departing cutter, he begins to think, "I wonder what you could buy with that much money on Alief?"[/size][/font] [center][font=Verdana][size=2]-----[/size][/font][/center] [font=Verdana][size=2]Saro is very relieved the exchange went on without difficulties. He doesn’t even look at the cases with the money. "Well, unless one of you needs something from me, even if it’s just conversation, I think I will go back to my station and catch up on my Theological Digest. That was a very professional job. Kudos.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Do not hesitate to contact me if any of you are not feeling well. I for one, can’t wait until we are planetside actually doing what we came here to do."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]The surgeon then starts heading back to the elevator.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Nice job everyone," Ian says. Leaving the cases with Darishun, he heads off after Saro. "Say Doc, I do have one question. If we are about to drop into a plague zone, shouldn’t we be starting on a course of drugs now? I mean, if there is a riot I’m sure we’d all be a little happier knowing we were as immune as we can be from the get go? Right?"[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Saro turns around to speak to Ian, then decides to turn on his suit comm to speak to the entire crew. "Mr. McConnell has asked me about taking the antivirals prophylactically. That is not standard procedure, because it really isn’t a vaccine. We would need to keep a particular concentration of drug in our bloodstream for that to work. We would be taking incredible amounts of the antivirals, and they do have side effects. Plus it is wasteful and we could run out before we actually need them.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Standard procedure would be for us to keep our vacc suits on all the time and only take them off in a clean zone after decontamination with at least two measures. If there is any suspicion at all that someone was exposed then immediately that person would get a prophylactic course.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"This mission is definitely going to be tough, so I hope you are all prepared. The moment any of you feels even a bit sluggish or feverish, or God forbid you cough, come to me. I hope to come up with a quick detection assay, but in the meantime we'll just get a course of antivirals at the slightest suspicion of exposure. I will also work on a vaccine.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Martha, and the other technically minded people in the crew: What are the chances of coming up with a contraption to aerolize 5 percent hypochlorite, and another to create a vacuum, and a bank of full–spectrum light? It would be perfect if we could use all three known measures to kill the virus in the decontamination zone. [/size][/font][font=Verdana][size=2]Any thoughts?"[/size][/font] [/QUOTE]
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Traveller T20: Tales of the Bray Keaven [Updated 12-20-05]
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