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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: 2608865" data-attributes="member: 515"><p><strong><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 15px">Chapter XXIII</span></p><p></strong></p><p><strong>Date: 213-993</strong></p><p><strong>Location: Warne Highport, Kerin's Tyr</strong></p><p></p><p>Given that the crew has come to a decision to run Jarvis’ cargo to Shanape, Vargas calls Jarvis shortly after the extended brunch. After Vargas explains that the crew would like to run the cargo to Shanape, Jarvis replies, “I expected that would be the preferred option. I will have Barkolin make the arrangements to have the cargo delivered this afternoon along with instructions.</p><p></p><p>“I expect you to safeguard my interests, Emile. After the cargo is delivered, I release you from your oath, though if the cargo is delivered safely, I would welcome you and the <em>Bray Keaven</em> back among my pack.”</p><p></p><p>“Jarvis, thank you for your confidence in this pack,” Vargas says. “I will guard your interests with my life and you now know what that means. I hope that I can now call you friend and may be able to assist you in the future. I look forward to our next meeting and sincerely hope that it will be under friendlier circumstances than our last. Good hunting, and may your pack always be swifter then its prey.”</p><p></p><p>“Good hunting, Emile.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Shortly after Jarvis’ call, Vargas receives a call from Barkolin who informs the ex–Scout that the cargo will be ready for loading around 1500 hours. Barkolin will arrive with the cargo loading crew and have the papers and instructions on him.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>In the early part of the afternoon, Martha and Swann hurry to finish the last of the repairs. Meanwhile, Vasilii arranges for the ship to be refueled and settles the ship’s accounts with the port.</p><p></p><p>Saro monitors Vargas and Ian, who are both assiduously resting.</p><p></p><p>Kevon generates a jump course to the refueling station orbiting Urlainn in the Aleif system.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>After Vasilii has made his arrangements, he gets a call from Anil Salian, on the planet’s surface. “Ah, Mr. Kugiikiishshi! I have concluded my business here, and I was wondering if the <em>Bray Keaven </em> was headed in the direction of Sentry or, better, Shanape? If so, I would very much like to purchase passage on your fine ship. Naturally, I would prefer to have a proper cabin, but if one were not available, a low berth would be fine since you have such a good doctor onboard. Do you have space for me and some luggage?”</p><p></p><p>“Certainly, Mr. Salian. I’m afraid we’re not really set up for warm passengers, but we can offer you the joys of our low berth from here to Shanape, where we will arrive in three weeks.”</p><p></p><p>“Ah, very good,” the salesman continues. “I’ll be up on the next shuttle from Harven, and I should be at your berth around 1700 hours.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Vasilii starts looking for additional low berth passengers. Luckily, he finds two passengers bound for Shanape and three bound for Liar’s Oath. He accepts the two bound for Shanape for Cr3,000 and one of the three bound for Liar’s Oath for Cr2,000. All three agree to arrive by 1700 for departure.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>At precisely 1500 hours, Barkolin comms from the berth door. Swann and Aidan go to meet him with Kevon and Martha monitoring from inside the ship. After a brief discussion between Swann, Barkolin, and the stevedores with the cargo, the stevedores begin loading the cargo in the <em>Bray Keaven</em>’s main cargo bay.</p><p></p><p>The cargo is a series of standardized cargo containers. Most of the containers are four–dTon containers, but there is an eight-dTon container and several one– and two–dTon containers. All are marked with SPA Customs Inspection seals, which usually mean that the cargo has already been inspected and is free from inspection unless the seal is broken. All the containers seem to be quite dense and heavy.</p><p></p><p>Vasilii decides to show absolutely no interest in their contents.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Ian is quite agitated that there are others rumbling around in the ship and he is not there to oversee. “Hey Doc, any chance I can just mosey around out there and watch while they load up the cargo? I promise not to touch a thing.”</p><p></p><p>Saro turns incredulously at Ian’s request. His long dark glare conveys an unspoken message: “Are you kidding me? I’ll beat down your already beaten ass if you even try.”</p><p></p><p>Ian’s eyebrows slowly rise higher as he reads Saro’s look. “Well, Doc, your bedside manner hasn’t improved much, but I guess that’s what it takes to get through the thick head of an old Marine, huh?” he says with a slight smile.</p><p></p><p>Satisfied that his patient understands him, Saro snorts to himself as he settles back into a treasured hard copy of the Yltanyc Analects, constantly observing Ian’s medical monitors with his peripheral vision.</p><p></p><p>“Thanks again, for patching up my beaten ass,” Ian adds with a chuckle.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Once the cargo is loaded, Barkolin asks to be escorted to the improvised sickbay to see Vargas. Under Aidan’s and Saro’s watchful eyes, Barkolin greets Vargas. “Good afternoon, Emile. I have the Inspection Warrants for the cargo as well as Jarvis’ delivery instructions.”</p><p></p><p>Barkolin hands a document and a light mauve colored envelope to Vargas. The document is an Imperial SPA Customs Service Inspection Warrant, which attests that the cargo has been inspected and found to be legal for transport as long as the seals are intact. The cargo containers are listed, and all are marked as having “starship mechanical and electrical equipment or systems.”</p><p></p><p>Vargas opens the envelope, which reads:</p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Emile,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Please deliver the cargo to Urriav Gharrtikk. It is probably best to contact him via Shanape Bulk Freighting at the Shanape Downport. He will, no doubt, probably want the cargo delivered to a location other than the downport itself, so I would suggest contacting him before you land.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Good hunting,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Fixedsys'">Jarvis Nuuis</span></p><p></p><p>“Thank you, Barkolin. Please inform Mr. Nuuis that I will ensure that all will be delivered as promised. Are there any special precautions that I need to be aware of in the delivery or handling of this cargo, and are there any last–minute instructions to be delivered to me verbally?”</p><p></p><p>“No,” Barkolin replies, “there are no special handling requirements for the cargo, but I do suggest avoiding extremely rough handling. The cargo is fairly well packed, but significantly sudden drops or extreme handling could cause some of the parts to slip out of alignment.</p><p></p><p>“And no, I do not have any verbal instructions for you.</p><p></p><p>“I will arrange for an escort to the jump point for you in the form of two ShieldWolf pinnaces. Please give me a call an hour before you leave, and I’ll arrange to have the pinnaces ready to escort you.”</p><p></p><p>Vargas takes the envelope and places it in a safe location.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>After the cargo is loaded, Martha preps the ship for departure.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Once Barkolin leaves the ship and Vargas relays the delivery instructions to the rest of the crew, Aidan heads to the computer to check out Urriav and Shanape Bulk Freighting. He doesn’t have any luck finding anything on a Urriav Gharrtikk in the public information databases.</p><p></p><p>Information on Shanape Bulk Freighting is easier to find. SBF was founded some 120 years ago by a merchant who bought a surplus Imperial Navy supply collier and started transporting cargo between the worlds of the Shanape Cluster. Now, SBF has some 30 vessels in the 1,000–dTon to 30,000-dTon range, with most in the 2,000– to 10,000–dTon range.</p><p></p><p>SBF still serves mostly in/around the worlds of the Shanape Cluster, but the concern's vessels also carry cargo into/out of the cluster along the jump routes. A year ago, SBF became a wholly controlled subsidiary of Tukera Lines.</p><p></p><p>Recently, SBF has been in the news for trying to set up an import/export contract with the Khuur League, a trade federation dominated by Sydites, some 20 parsecs away. The move is generally regarded as daring if a bit risky given the distances involved and since the league lies beyond Imperial borders.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Swann asks Vasilii, “Do we have room for some fresh fruit for our friends at the refueling station? Since we’re going to be transiting the Aleif system on a regular basis, it wouldn’t hurt to stay on their good side.”</p><p></p><p>“It won’t be that fresh after a week in jump, even in refrigerated containers,” Vasilii says. “I’ll see if I can sort something out before we launch.”</p><p></p><p>Vasilii finds several boxes of recently released/new entertainment vid disks and holosims for Cr200. He also arranges for a dTon of luxury food supplies for the <em>Bray Keaven</em>'s crew.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Ian comms Swann and asks him to drop by his room. “Swann, I was wondering if before we left, maybe you could run out for a little shopping trip. I suddenly find myself with a document allowing me to possess a heavy ACR. Would be down right shameful if I didn’t have one now then, wouldn’t it?” Ian flashes a big grin. “I just thought it might be easier to get one here than some other places we’ve been or are going to visit.”</p><p></p><p>Listening to Ian pressing Swann to purchase him a newer, bigger, boom–ier, flashier, bang–ier weapon, Saro grumbles to himself under his breath and gives the pair another one of his increasingly trademark glares over the top of his book.</p><p></p><p>Swann notices Saro glancing at him and Ian, and starts laughing. “You haven’t even played with this new toy, and now you want another?’ Swann shakes his head and smiles. “You’re worse than a child.</p><p></p><p>“Besides, I have a feeling that to get that sort of toy around here, one of us would have to make another play date with Jarvis. And it ain’t gonna be me.”</p><p></p><p>“Yeah, we don’t need to tangle with him again. Alright. But hey, since I’m gonna be, uh, ‘tied up’ here for a while,” Ian glances at Saro, “think I could borrow some of your vid disks, music, whatever you got? I think I’ve about worn mine out, or at least viewed and played them a hundred times each.</p><p></p><p>“If you happen to make a trip out, pick some new ones up for me, would ya? Doesn’t matter if you don’t know what I usually enjoy. It’ll give me a chance to ‘broaden my horizons,’ so to speak. Thanks.”</p><p></p><p>“That I can do,” Swann says. “I probably need to pick up some new stuff anyway since we’re going to be spending a lot of time in jump for the next month.”</p><p></p><p>Ian shifts around and settles back in the bed under the steely gaze of Saro.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Saro listens to Emile plead his case to Swann for more new material to occupy his time while confined to his sickbed. A while later the doctor disappears into his cabin for a few minutes before reappearing in the med station.</p><p></p><p>He places a small stack of vid and book discs that cover the basics of religious and philosophic studies. Included in the pile he has placed a few audio discs filled with religious music spanning many centuries and worlds.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Swann does briefly run out to pick up some Cr50 worth of vid disks, holo–novels, and music for Ian as well as Cr150 for himself. The selection he delivers to Ian is rather varied and interesting, though the ex–Marine decides that “Lost Pups: A Vargr Teenage Romance” has got to be a joke.</p><p></p><p>“Thanks, Swann!” Ian says.</p><p></p><p>Then as Swann is leaving, Ian’s eyes fall on “Lost Pups”; his eyebrows scrunch together and a weird expression crosses his face as he looks up at the door where Swann just exited. “Hmm. Sometimes I wonder about that guy.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Around 1700, the low berth passengers start showing up, and Swann and Vasilii receive them and show them to the low berths where Saro puts them under. Anil Salian shows up first. As usual, the salesman is sort of oozing charm and compliments about how glad he is to be back on the <em>Bray Keaven</em> while complaining about his customers on the planet, the planetary conditions, and the shuttle ride up.</p><p></p><p>The other low berth passengers are Marcel Pham, a student bound for Shanape; Tilman Hue, an elderly gentleman also bound for Shanape; and Mossben Edwe, a miner bound for Liar’s Oath. All seem to be fairly friendly and comfortable except for Marcel, who is a bit standoffish and seems rather nervous about travelling in the low berth. Saro has to spend a few extra minutes explaining the procedures and how frequently he has taken care of people in low berths before Marcel calms down enough to be prepped and frozen.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Swann and Martha then scan any luggage the passengers have. Swann stores any weapons found in the ship’s locker.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Kevon finishes his astrogation plot to Aleif and files his flight plan with ObTrafCon. Once he has a departure time scheduled, he notifies Vargas who calls Barkolin with the information.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>At 1907 hours, the <em>Bray Keaven</em> leaves its berth and heads out towards the 100 planetary diameter mark. Before the far trader can get more than a few kilometers from the highport, Martha picks up two ShieldWolf pinnaces who take up trailing close escort positions a kilometer away from the <em>Bray Keaven</em>. The Vargr piloting the pinnaces are cordial and professional, and their close escort seems to be quite adequate by Kevon’s Imperial Navy standards.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>“I suspect this cargo is more then meets the eye given that we are to be escorted by two of the ShieldWolf ships,” Vargas says over the ship’s comm.</p><p></p><p>“Not necessarily,” Swann replies from the starboard turret. “With the problems they’ve apparently been having in this system with piracy and theft, Jarvis is proba-bly just being cautious that no one intercepts this cargo before we jump. But the fact there are two escorts probably does indicate the relative value and importance of the cargo.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>Amusingly, a scout/courier leaves the highport about the same time as the <em>Bray Keaven </em> and seems to pace the far trader for a bit, then suddenly decelerates and returns to the highport.</p><p></p><p>Martha attempts to identify the scout/courier through its transponder information. The scout/courier is listed as the <em>Ongoug</em>, registered out of Kerin’s Tyr to a Surztsoen Arre. She makes a note of it in her log.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>The trip out to the safe jump distance is remarkably — and somewhat worryingly — uneventful. From what Martha and Kevon can see, all other traffic seems to be staying quite clear of the <em>Bray Keaven</em>’s flight path. After thanking the two ShieldWolf pinnaces, Kevon dims the interior lights, and the <em>Bray Keaven </em> slips into jump space.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">-----</p><p></p><p>The week in jump passes relatively uneventfully. Under Saro’s care and the occasional application of his trademarked glare, Vargas and Ian seem to be healing quite well. Ian recovers slightly more than Vargas does (must be those vid disks).</p><p></p><p>Vargas stays pretty much confined to his bunk, not wishing to anger Saro. He had noticed the look Saro gave Ian when the ex–Marine even suggested getting up.</p><p></p><p>As Saro allows, Swann spends some time in the sick bay with Ian and Vargas playing computer games.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shadowdancer, post: 2608865, member: 515"] [B][CENTER][SIZE=4]Chapter XXIII[/SIZE][/CENTER][/B] [B]Date: 213-993 Location: Warne Highport, Kerin's Tyr[/B] Given that the crew has come to a decision to run Jarvis’ cargo to Shanape, Vargas calls Jarvis shortly after the extended brunch. After Vargas explains that the crew would like to run the cargo to Shanape, Jarvis replies, “I expected that would be the preferred option. I will have Barkolin make the arrangements to have the cargo delivered this afternoon along with instructions. “I expect you to safeguard my interests, Emile. After the cargo is delivered, I release you from your oath, though if the cargo is delivered safely, I would welcome you and the [I]Bray Keaven[/I] back among my pack.” “Jarvis, thank you for your confidence in this pack,” Vargas says. “I will guard your interests with my life and you now know what that means. I hope that I can now call you friend and may be able to assist you in the future. I look forward to our next meeting and sincerely hope that it will be under friendlier circumstances than our last. Good hunting, and may your pack always be swifter then its prey.” “Good hunting, Emile.” [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Shortly after Jarvis’ call, Vargas receives a call from Barkolin who informs the ex–Scout that the cargo will be ready for loading around 1500 hours. Barkolin will arrive with the cargo loading crew and have the papers and instructions on him. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] In the early part of the afternoon, Martha and Swann hurry to finish the last of the repairs. Meanwhile, Vasilii arranges for the ship to be refueled and settles the ship’s accounts with the port. Saro monitors Vargas and Ian, who are both assiduously resting. Kevon generates a jump course to the refueling station orbiting Urlainn in the Aleif system. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] After Vasilii has made his arrangements, he gets a call from Anil Salian, on the planet’s surface. “Ah, Mr. Kugiikiishshi! I have concluded my business here, and I was wondering if the [I]Bray Keaven [/I] was headed in the direction of Sentry or, better, Shanape? If so, I would very much like to purchase passage on your fine ship. Naturally, I would prefer to have a proper cabin, but if one were not available, a low berth would be fine since you have such a good doctor onboard. Do you have space for me and some luggage?” “Certainly, Mr. Salian. I’m afraid we’re not really set up for warm passengers, but we can offer you the joys of our low berth from here to Shanape, where we will arrive in three weeks.” “Ah, very good,” the salesman continues. “I’ll be up on the next shuttle from Harven, and I should be at your berth around 1700 hours.” [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Vasilii starts looking for additional low berth passengers. Luckily, he finds two passengers bound for Shanape and three bound for Liar’s Oath. He accepts the two bound for Shanape for Cr3,000 and one of the three bound for Liar’s Oath for Cr2,000. All three agree to arrive by 1700 for departure. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] At precisely 1500 hours, Barkolin comms from the berth door. Swann and Aidan go to meet him with Kevon and Martha monitoring from inside the ship. After a brief discussion between Swann, Barkolin, and the stevedores with the cargo, the stevedores begin loading the cargo in the [I]Bray Keaven[/I]’s main cargo bay. The cargo is a series of standardized cargo containers. Most of the containers are four–dTon containers, but there is an eight-dTon container and several one– and two–dTon containers. All are marked with SPA Customs Inspection seals, which usually mean that the cargo has already been inspected and is free from inspection unless the seal is broken. All the containers seem to be quite dense and heavy. Vasilii decides to show absolutely no interest in their contents. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Ian is quite agitated that there are others rumbling around in the ship and he is not there to oversee. “Hey Doc, any chance I can just mosey around out there and watch while they load up the cargo? I promise not to touch a thing.” Saro turns incredulously at Ian’s request. His long dark glare conveys an unspoken message: “Are you kidding me? I’ll beat down your already beaten ass if you even try.” Ian’s eyebrows slowly rise higher as he reads Saro’s look. “Well, Doc, your bedside manner hasn’t improved much, but I guess that’s what it takes to get through the thick head of an old Marine, huh?” he says with a slight smile. Satisfied that his patient understands him, Saro snorts to himself as he settles back into a treasured hard copy of the Yltanyc Analects, constantly observing Ian’s medical monitors with his peripheral vision. “Thanks again, for patching up my beaten ass,” Ian adds with a chuckle. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Once the cargo is loaded, Barkolin asks to be escorted to the improvised sickbay to see Vargas. Under Aidan’s and Saro’s watchful eyes, Barkolin greets Vargas. “Good afternoon, Emile. I have the Inspection Warrants for the cargo as well as Jarvis’ delivery instructions.” Barkolin hands a document and a light mauve colored envelope to Vargas. The document is an Imperial SPA Customs Service Inspection Warrant, which attests that the cargo has been inspected and found to be legal for transport as long as the seals are intact. The cargo containers are listed, and all are marked as having “starship mechanical and electrical equipment or systems.” Vargas opens the envelope, which reads: [FONT=Fixedsys]Emile, Please deliver the cargo to Urriav Gharrtikk. It is probably best to contact him via Shanape Bulk Freighting at the Shanape Downport. He will, no doubt, probably want the cargo delivered to a location other than the downport itself, so I would suggest contacting him before you land. Good hunting, Jarvis Nuuis[/FONT] “Thank you, Barkolin. Please inform Mr. Nuuis that I will ensure that all will be delivered as promised. Are there any special precautions that I need to be aware of in the delivery or handling of this cargo, and are there any last–minute instructions to be delivered to me verbally?” “No,” Barkolin replies, “there are no special handling requirements for the cargo, but I do suggest avoiding extremely rough handling. The cargo is fairly well packed, but significantly sudden drops or extreme handling could cause some of the parts to slip out of alignment. “And no, I do not have any verbal instructions for you. “I will arrange for an escort to the jump point for you in the form of two ShieldWolf pinnaces. Please give me a call an hour before you leave, and I’ll arrange to have the pinnaces ready to escort you.” Vargas takes the envelope and places it in a safe location. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] After the cargo is loaded, Martha preps the ship for departure. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Once Barkolin leaves the ship and Vargas relays the delivery instructions to the rest of the crew, Aidan heads to the computer to check out Urriav and Shanape Bulk Freighting. He doesn’t have any luck finding anything on a Urriav Gharrtikk in the public information databases. Information on Shanape Bulk Freighting is easier to find. SBF was founded some 120 years ago by a merchant who bought a surplus Imperial Navy supply collier and started transporting cargo between the worlds of the Shanape Cluster. Now, SBF has some 30 vessels in the 1,000–dTon to 30,000-dTon range, with most in the 2,000– to 10,000–dTon range. SBF still serves mostly in/around the worlds of the Shanape Cluster, but the concern's vessels also carry cargo into/out of the cluster along the jump routes. A year ago, SBF became a wholly controlled subsidiary of Tukera Lines. Recently, SBF has been in the news for trying to set up an import/export contract with the Khuur League, a trade federation dominated by Sydites, some 20 parsecs away. The move is generally regarded as daring if a bit risky given the distances involved and since the league lies beyond Imperial borders. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Swann asks Vasilii, “Do we have room for some fresh fruit for our friends at the refueling station? Since we’re going to be transiting the Aleif system on a regular basis, it wouldn’t hurt to stay on their good side.” “It won’t be that fresh after a week in jump, even in refrigerated containers,” Vasilii says. “I’ll see if I can sort something out before we launch.” Vasilii finds several boxes of recently released/new entertainment vid disks and holosims for Cr200. He also arranges for a dTon of luxury food supplies for the [I]Bray Keaven[/I]'s crew. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Ian comms Swann and asks him to drop by his room. “Swann, I was wondering if before we left, maybe you could run out for a little shopping trip. I suddenly find myself with a document allowing me to possess a heavy ACR. Would be down right shameful if I didn’t have one now then, wouldn’t it?” Ian flashes a big grin. “I just thought it might be easier to get one here than some other places we’ve been or are going to visit.” Listening to Ian pressing Swann to purchase him a newer, bigger, boom–ier, flashier, bang–ier weapon, Saro grumbles to himself under his breath and gives the pair another one of his increasingly trademark glares over the top of his book. Swann notices Saro glancing at him and Ian, and starts laughing. “You haven’t even played with this new toy, and now you want another?’ Swann shakes his head and smiles. “You’re worse than a child. “Besides, I have a feeling that to get that sort of toy around here, one of us would have to make another play date with Jarvis. And it ain’t gonna be me.” “Yeah, we don’t need to tangle with him again. Alright. But hey, since I’m gonna be, uh, ‘tied up’ here for a while,” Ian glances at Saro, “think I could borrow some of your vid disks, music, whatever you got? I think I’ve about worn mine out, or at least viewed and played them a hundred times each. “If you happen to make a trip out, pick some new ones up for me, would ya? Doesn’t matter if you don’t know what I usually enjoy. It’ll give me a chance to ‘broaden my horizons,’ so to speak. Thanks.” “That I can do,” Swann says. “I probably need to pick up some new stuff anyway since we’re going to be spending a lot of time in jump for the next month.” Ian shifts around and settles back in the bed under the steely gaze of Saro. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Saro listens to Emile plead his case to Swann for more new material to occupy his time while confined to his sickbed. A while later the doctor disappears into his cabin for a few minutes before reappearing in the med station. He places a small stack of vid and book discs that cover the basics of religious and philosophic studies. Included in the pile he has placed a few audio discs filled with religious music spanning many centuries and worlds. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Swann does briefly run out to pick up some Cr50 worth of vid disks, holo–novels, and music for Ian as well as Cr150 for himself. The selection he delivers to Ian is rather varied and interesting, though the ex–Marine decides that “Lost Pups: A Vargr Teenage Romance” has got to be a joke. “Thanks, Swann!” Ian says. Then as Swann is leaving, Ian’s eyes fall on “Lost Pups”; his eyebrows scrunch together and a weird expression crosses his face as he looks up at the door where Swann just exited. “Hmm. Sometimes I wonder about that guy.” [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Around 1700, the low berth passengers start showing up, and Swann and Vasilii receive them and show them to the low berths where Saro puts them under. Anil Salian shows up first. As usual, the salesman is sort of oozing charm and compliments about how glad he is to be back on the [I]Bray Keaven[/I] while complaining about his customers on the planet, the planetary conditions, and the shuttle ride up. The other low berth passengers are Marcel Pham, a student bound for Shanape; Tilman Hue, an elderly gentleman also bound for Shanape; and Mossben Edwe, a miner bound for Liar’s Oath. All seem to be fairly friendly and comfortable except for Marcel, who is a bit standoffish and seems rather nervous about travelling in the low berth. Saro has to spend a few extra minutes explaining the procedures and how frequently he has taken care of people in low berths before Marcel calms down enough to be prepped and frozen. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Swann and Martha then scan any luggage the passengers have. Swann stores any weapons found in the ship’s locker. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Kevon finishes his astrogation plot to Aleif and files his flight plan with ObTrafCon. Once he has a departure time scheduled, he notifies Vargas who calls Barkolin with the information. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] At 1907 hours, the [I]Bray Keaven[/I] leaves its berth and heads out towards the 100 planetary diameter mark. Before the far trader can get more than a few kilometers from the highport, Martha picks up two ShieldWolf pinnaces who take up trailing close escort positions a kilometer away from the [I]Bray Keaven[/I]. The Vargr piloting the pinnaces are cordial and professional, and their close escort seems to be quite adequate by Kevon’s Imperial Navy standards. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] “I suspect this cargo is more then meets the eye given that we are to be escorted by two of the ShieldWolf ships,” Vargas says over the ship’s comm. “Not necessarily,” Swann replies from the starboard turret. “With the problems they’ve apparently been having in this system with piracy and theft, Jarvis is proba-bly just being cautious that no one intercepts this cargo before we jump. But the fact there are two escorts probably does indicate the relative value and importance of the cargo.” [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] Amusingly, a scout/courier leaves the highport about the same time as the [I]Bray Keaven [/I] and seems to pace the far trader for a bit, then suddenly decelerates and returns to the highport. Martha attempts to identify the scout/courier through its transponder information. The scout/courier is listed as the [I]Ongoug[/I], registered out of Kerin’s Tyr to a Surztsoen Arre. She makes a note of it in her log. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] The trip out to the safe jump distance is remarkably — and somewhat worryingly — uneventful. From what Martha and Kevon can see, all other traffic seems to be staying quite clear of the [I]Bray Keaven[/I]’s flight path. After thanking the two ShieldWolf pinnaces, Kevon dims the interior lights, and the [I]Bray Keaven [/I] slips into jump space. [CENTER]-----[/CENTER] The week in jump passes relatively uneventfully. Under Saro’s care and the occasional application of his trademarked glare, Vargas and Ian seem to be healing quite well. Ian recovers slightly more than Vargas does (must be those vid disks). Vargas stays pretty much confined to his bunk, not wishing to anger Saro. He had noticed the look Saro gave Ian when the ex–Marine even suggested getting up. As Saro allows, Swann spends some time in the sick bay with Ian and Vargas playing computer games. [/QUOTE]
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Traveller T20: Tales of the Bray Keaven [Updated 12-20-05]
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