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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shadowdancer" data-source="post: 1611051" data-attributes="member: 515">EpilogueThe Bray Keaven achieves orbit smarting from her wounds, and Marcus contacts the Marquis onboard the Wall of Stone to explain the situation. The Marquis isn’t too pleased to learn that the holiday party’s return wasn’t handled quietly, but he is excited to hear that a probable vaccine has been acquired and dispatches the Civan and Seri’s Dagger to pick up half of the vaccine cans for analysis. While waiting for the two close escorts to arrive, Marcus contacts Gen. Tilshire and explains the holiday party’s actions as well as the current situation. Gen. Tilshire also isn’t too pleased that matters descended into violence, but agrees that the best thing is for the ship to avoid returning to Bromley for the moment. He does insist that half of the cans be returned if possible so that Dr. Warren can study them. Amusingly, the crew’s old friends, the Lingsdonlanders, attempt to intercept the Bray Keaven just before the two Gazelle–class close escorts arrive. As before, the Lingsdonlanders demand that the Bray Keaven hand over half of the vaccine cans for analysis. Unhappily for them, they quickly discover that Gazelles have good sensor suites and weapons with long ranges, and that the Marquis’ troops and the Imperial Navy take a very dim view of locals trying to shake down Imperial representatives. An hour later, Seri’s Dagger speeds off towards the Wall of Stone with its vaccine cans while the gig from the Civan drops to the Groves Airport to deliver four cans of soda for Dr. Warren. The gig then returns, and the Civan escorts the far trader to the Wall of Stone. About this time, the scattered remains of the Lingsdonland craft start sparkling as they reach the upper edge of the atmosphere. -----The next several weeks are a bit of a blur for the crew of the Bray Keaven. Working with the other scientists onboard the Wall of Stone, Saro is able to quickly isolate and grow the vaccine. Dr. Warren and his team are able to duplicate the feat as well with some information and help. Within a week, the vaccine is being produced in some quantity onboard the Wall of Stone and within Bromley. Bromley and the Imperials also distribute samples of the vaccine to other nations on Alief starting with those directly affected but not involved in combat. Ian and Swann end up on bed rest for three weeks with Saro threatening to get Darishun to sit on them if necessary. Given the magnitude of the threat, they decide to relax in bed, slowly going crazy and wearing out all available game software. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew is able to get the hull of the battered far trader patched and repaired with the interdiction trader’s supplies and facilities. Martha is able to determine that starboard laser No. 2 was seriously damaged but not destroyed. Unfortunately, the Wall of Stone does not have a compatible power–focussing crystal, so the major part of the repairs will have to wait. On the bright side, they are able to get the port laser and missile launcher finally calibrated. Low Berth No. 3 is still offline pending spare parts, but at least it is no longer open to space. The sensor suite is fully operational again with Martha’s tender care. -----During the holiday trip to Kingsland, Swann bought some souvenirs for those who stayed behind. He passes them out first chance he gets. For Darishun, a stuffed shierrhino. For Marcus, a T-shirt which reads "My crew went to Kingsland, and all they bought me was this lousy T-shirt." For Martha, a hot pink belly shirt with spaghetti straps which reads "Queen of Kingsland." For Emile, a Hawaiian-style shirt with a loud print of male Vargrs playing ukuleles and female Vargrs dancing while wearing skimpy native costumes. "Better watch out, or Dr. Saro will steal this from you," Swann says as he gives Vargas the shirt. -----Most of the time, Martha throws herself into repairing the ship, making sure her baby is spaceworthy. Martha finally decides that her dreams are too much for her, and with the help of Dr. Saro, she contacts and utilizes some confidential counseling services. In time, she begins to relax somewhat, and the dreams begin to drift away. The young engineer is very appreciative of the gift she received, and wears the top occasionally when "letting her hair down" at a local club. With recent developments, Martha Smythe remains determined to stay with the Bray Keavan and make sure nothing untoward happens to her. -----The time aboard the Wall of Stone goes all too quickly for Vasilii. Realizing that his error with the sensor suite could have cost the crew their lives, he works with Martha to repair the ship. When the repairs are finished, Vasilii helps Marcus to run short test flights checking out the far trader. On his off time, Vasilii wanders the blockade tender making friends and talking to the crew. He makes sure that Cpl. Obutu gets her flower soap. He also trades to the crew and Marines the items that Sgt. Burnett acquired for him in Bromley, trading items to the troops at cost. The pottery and vases that he bought in KGL go on the walls of his cabin, trying to add a little life to his room. -----Tensions between Bromley and King George’s Land become very tense for about a week with accusations flying back and forth between the previously neutral to friendly neighbors. King George’s Land insists that the Bromlians admit that the crew was part of a Bromlian special ops group and operating under Bromlian orders. Bromley notifies the media and other nations of the evidence the crew found that a soda giveaway contained a vaccine for AHV. A coalition of nations against KGL is quickly formed, and a much wider war looks imminent. Eight days after the Bray Keaven retrieved the holiday party, the 2395th Imperial Navy Reaction Squadron arrives insystem carrying the 4836th Imperial Marine Regimental Combat Team. The Marquis presents his findings and the crew’s evidence to Commodore Hasigarii. The King George’s Land government initially resists the Imperial Marine fact–finding teams, but meekly give in once the Imperial squadron starts conducting spinal mount target practice using KGL bases and military units. The fact–finding teams discover enough evidence to conclusively show that AHV was artificially created with non-local help as part of a KGL military operation to conquer neighbors. The KGL government declines to supply all of those involved and its senior leaders for trial, so the Commodore drops the entire regimental combat team on KGL. The fighting is over within three days. The surviving KGL leaders are put on trial, found guilty, and executed. Heavy reparation demands are placed on KGL by the coalition of nations, but outright war is averted by the presence of the Imperial Navy squadron. -----About this time, a Damian Bray of Bray Shipping Pty. Ltd. eventually shows up insystem to discover the whereabouts of the company’s missing far trader. A quick round of negotiations ensue between Damian Bray, the crew, the Marquis, and the Bromlian government. The Bromlians and the Marquis are intent on rewarding the crew for their actions. Damian Bray wants the company’s aging far trader back, but isn’t too pleased when informed of the former captain’s actions and how he broke the quarantine and endangered another system. In the end, a deal is struck. The Bromlians purchase the far trader from Bray Shipping Pty. Ltd., partly with a loan from the Marquis. The Bromlians then create Bray Keaven Interests Ltd. and transfer the title to the company. The Bromlian government is the majority shareholder for the time being with each crew member being a minority shareholder, but the agreement is that the government’s stake will be transferred to the minority shareholders (the crew) in 10 years provided that the Bray Keaven transport two non-military cargoes from offworld to Bromley each year (assuming that Bromley can arrange cargoes). Otherwise, the crew will be free to do with the ship as they please (and be responsible for maintenance and salaries of any hired new crew). Vasilii (with the crew’s permission) represents the crew during the negotiations with Bromley and Bray Shipping Pty. Ltd. He tries for the best terms possible. He requests from the Marquis’ staff an exemption from the Red Zone quarantine, in order to fulfill the Bromlian contract. -----The crew eventually returns to Bromley to pick up its air raft and return the battered Amadel. Luckily, the rental car company waives the fines given that the Amadel now has some notoriety as the car that helped find the vaccine. The crew loads the two dTons of silver, converts their various accounts to Imperial credits, and prepares to depart the system. -----Five weeks after the pickup of the holiday party, the Bray Keaven returns to Sentry. Seven weeks ago, they had departed as a grab–bag of individuals thrown together in an emergency. They return as a seasoned crew, comfortable working with each other. Now, each needs to decide if they want to stay together or go on their separate ways. They met in the crew lounge on the morning of their arrival in Sentry Downport to decide. -----Funds: The crew now has a total of 444 KCr in credit chits: 133 KCr was in the safe, 111 KCr is from the Lingdonsallers converted to Bromlian Pounds, and 200 KCr is from the Marquis' reward for find the vaccine. The crew also was each paid 25 KCr by the Marquis as their salary for the near two months of work (a rate well above the going rate even for pilots) and thanks for their efforts. The crew also has two dTons of refined silver in the cargo hold. Potential trouble: The star flower plants still remain in the converted/hollowed out fuel purification areas. There are now five metal tubes of star flower pollen. The Bray Keaven is still due for jump drive overhaul, but the drives are still within spec. It is still a mystery as to why the bomb was placed onboard the ship. -----So ends the first Tale of the Bray Keaven.</blockquote>

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