High Law and Low Justice, Part 4

[Maerdwyn]

"Oh, um, let's see...I guess he didn't really say where he knew him from, just 'back in the old days.' See, Gergh was mercenary before he-"

"Kvereash Gergh was not a mere mercenary, Hector," Rerg'Shael interrupts sharply, shutting him down. "Kvereash hunted corsairs for Malikot back when it had teeth. He captured this ship and its crew [there is a slight note of self consciousness in her voice at this], and a half dozen others. Without his efforts at capturing the corsairs intact, the company would have had nothing left when bastard judges tried to neuter it." She looks as if she is about to go on, but seems to remember that a question had been asked, and composes herself. "But, yes, Kvereash was very pleased when Mr Blair contacted him about passage on the Dvonn. He must have known him from long ago, because I have been with Kvereash for twelve years, and I had never met Blair before this journey. He would not tell me much about Blair, other than to say he was an old friend. This did not seem unusual to me - he did not speak to me much about his life before we met." She seems uncertain about whether to add something more but apparently decides she should. "It might...it might be a good idea to check Kveresh's log. He may have been more...forthcoming if he felt he was the only one with access to his notes. "

 

[Seonaid]

Ktarle flashes some teeth at Saanath's blush, but then she smiles at him genuinely, hoping to put him at ease. These past few days have lasted too long for this posturing, she reminds herself.

She listens intently to Trelene and the exchange between Hector and Rerg'Shael. There is much tension in that one. I wonder what else she knows. She waits to see if others probe, knowing she is not skilled at such things.

 

[Wilphe]

<tap, tap, tap>
Dorothy Fingal absent-mindedly raps a pen against the table as she sits, obviously deep in thought.
"So, in addition to having to deal with the Nells, the Navy and the Scouts we now have the Secret Service crawling all over us. I still don't believe that we will be able to dock without a fight, how badly damaged are the hull ans systems?"

 

[Maerdwyn]

Quinn responds to Dorothy. "The ISS often cooperates quite closely with the Scouts - I am actually hopeful that someone at Dukh's Scout base will know something of Blair's mission. That could help us to convince them to doubt Nells-Corzin's version of the events at Tamandere.

Tomas, Trelene, and Ruzz'koff:
[sblock] The hull of the ship is extremely damaged. Any substantial hit to the bottom of the ship oculd easily rupture the hull. The power regulator is bodged together right now, using a mainboard from an autogalley. There is damage to the fuel storage system, but it is still serviceable. [/sblock]

 

[Guest 11456]

Trelene Scrautigue : Luriani Navy 2/Prof 7/Trav 1: Retired Makhidkarum Vice President

Trelene speaks up on the hull and systems issue. "The hull integrity is pretty bad. We also have some makeshift work in engineering and there is damage to the fuel storage system. We are definately not battle ready. We best hope from help where we are going."

 

[DrZombie]

Ruzz'koff.

"Look, dodging one merc was doable, going up against the navy is not, even when we are in top-notch condition. It would make us outlaws in the entire empire, and we'd be vaporised within minutes. We'll power down the weapons and go in-system screaming mayday. Does anyone know if broadcasting a loop of our evidence would make it invalid in court somehow, or, if we stand a chance in court with everything we've gatherd. Let me correct myself. Broadcasting everything but the ISS involvement. These are not the people you want to piss off."

 

[Seonaid]

Ktarle smothers a sigh. All I wanted was to find employment. Now we have this whole mess.

 

[Maerdwyn]

Quinn looks to Ruzz'koff with a grim smile. "Agreed. So at this point we have Mr. Blair on Kansas, saying he bought antivenom form the local authorities, except it evidently wasn't either antivenom he bought or the local authorities he bought it from. When he brings this substance on board, he was careful with it and locked it up as soon as he could. Which brings us to the next point. Trel, could you describe what you found regarding the safe he stored it in?"

 

[doghead]

Saanath, human male merchant

"Hold up a minute. Sorry Trel, do you mind if I jump in first."

"I don't agree with Ruzz'koff on this. If we put everything we have into the public domain, then we give Nels-whatsits no option but to go on the counter-attack. And as much as he is deserving of a good kicking, he is also a very powerful man. Getting into an open brawl with him would be ... ugly. And potentially a very one sided fight.

"First of all, he has access to the crew of the Kerchan. He would get to them, and we could expect very little support for our story from there. Even those who helped us would be unlikely to more than refuse to get involved. Not if they ever wanted to keep their jobs, or work again in this sector. Then there would be the hatchet job on all of our lives. He has access to the media. He controls significant chunks of it. We can expect to see our lives picked over and distorted into the most horrifying tale. Your mother would not even like you after he has finished. And if any sort of inquiry did eventuate, he would make sure that we got a very unsympathetic hearing.

"At least, that is what I would if I had the misfortune to be him.

"I suggest that we broadcast a mayday and include a status report - survivours, casualties, damage to the ship and biocontamination. But nothing that implicates anyone at this stage.

"And we wait and see how Nels wants to play it. I would like to see him take him down a peg or two as much as anyone. But I'd settle for one peg and walking away in one piece.

"Meanwhile we find ourselves someone who is willing to take this fight to Nels. Someone who punches in his weight catagory. Gateway might be the of the Imperium, but it is still an Imperial arse. I would suggest our best bet would be the Imperial Navy. They don't take kindly to people raiding merchants by all accounts."

 

[Seonaid]

Ktarlewaweikye Os Tehlayew Olui, Female Aslan Medic (Academic 5 / Traveller 2)

Ktarle growls, the sound as low and ominous as a terrible thunderstorm racing across the land. She is glaring at the tabletop in front of her seat. Her voice is throaty enough to be almost unintelligible. "I would like to see justice done. I have had just about enough of humans and their political maneuvering. These people"--she stands and her gesture and gaze encompass the whole of the ship; she doesn't appear to even see the room or the people with her--"deserve something. I am not religious, but I am sure that their spirits will not rest until the treachery is discovered and revealed fully.

"I boarded this ship with hopes of employment at the journey's end. I thought I was too old to be swept up into something that causes me to play the hero. I thought that common decency and the law would prevent things like this. I should have known better, I suppose.

"I am tired and disgusted and I have longed for nothing more than to go home to Hryo. But now, now I am willing to see this to the end. I do not know if the Imperial Marines would help us, but I am willing to defer to your judgment"--she turns slowly and looks at Saanath, the first acknowledgement that she is not alone--"for now."

As she sits, a weariness almost as substantial as a Tech Level 8 space suit settles on her. She slumps slightly and her eyes brighten with fatigue or mania, but her gaze is steady as she looks first at Saanath, then at Trel, and then back at Saanath again. It is almost as if she hasn't the energy to acknowledge anyone else.