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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shadowdancer" data-source="post: 2235242" data-attributes="member: 515"> PrologueDate: 175-993 to 202-993Location: Aboard the Bray Keaven, inside the Stork & Sons repair yards, and on Fonnein OrbitalOver the course of the month it takes to complete the repair, refit, and upgrade of the Bray Keaven, the crew of the far trader and Aidan generally split up to pursue individual interests, though most end up helping with the repair in one way or another at some point. The month passes remarkably smoothly, though by the end of the month some of the crew feels rather discomforted that things are so quiet, based on the events since they arrived at Sentry from Alief. -----Martha spends most of her waking moments assisting Stork & Sons Shipyards with the repairs to the Bray Keaven. Her spirits increase with every success, every repair, and by the time the repairs are complete, Martha is quite happy and at peace. During the evenings, she splits her time two ways: five nights a week, she meditates for a bit, then continue her studies on EM techniques, learning more about communications and sensors in a self-study course preparing to apply for certification as an EM Specialist within the next half year. Two nights a week, though, she treats herself to nights out, dancing and clubbing, or just enjoying the local TAS Hostel and the benefits of her TAS membership. -----During the time that Vargas is in port, he goes down to a free clinic run by a Vargr named Oengue where he learns some additional medical skills doing volunteer work. Since this clinic deals with the poor, many Vargr come for treatment. His knowledge of Vargr language and customs, and his easy–going nature, are of great help. He seems to be especially good with the children. He often brings Rusti, his Beaker monkey, along and the clients are entertained by the antics of the small primate. He discusses the techniques learned with Saro to get the professional opinion of his budding skills and ways to further improve them. During his time at the clinic, he develops a friendship with Oengue's husband, a very large Vargr named Turrgaes, who is a former law enforcement officer. He also spends time assisting in the repairs of shipboard equipment since he seems to have a knack for equipment repair and maintenance. In addition, he spends time teaching Rusti some new tricks. Learning from the last episode, Vargas looks to purchase some less-conspicuous armor -- a flak jacket tailored to look like street wear but able to conceal his auto pistol. He also purchases some replacement clothing for that which is worn out. During this rest, he also purchases additional ammunition for both his auto pistol and shotgun. -----Swann rents a luxury hotel room for the time the Bray Keaven is in port. He also buys an inertial locator. During the day he helps with repairs to the ship. During the evening Swann visits the starport’s "gentlemen's clubs" and stripper bars. He is looking to start a personal, intimate relationship away from work with one of the human women who work there, but only if he can find an attractive redhead. At a club called The Landing Strip, he does meet a redheaded dancer named Maureen who is a bit of a firebrand, but who is certainly amenable to some attention from Swann. He spends an additional Cr1,400 during the month, taking Maureen out to dinner and buying her clothing, flowers, and small gifts. Swann also spends some time while in port trying to establish some underworld contacts. He makes a couple of contacts with some of the shadier fellows in port — someone that amounts to a fence and a fairly shady far trader captain. While the ship is being repaired, Swann also will search for any isolated nooks and crannies that could be used to hide small packages from routine searches. He finds several — about five, mostly in engineering — which may work. -----Ian rents a decent hotel room/apartment for the duration of the repairs to the Bray Keaven. He spends some time at the ship helping in any way he can with repairs while overseeing security, dropping by daily. He hits the bars in the evenings for the first week or so "looking for love in all the wrong places," as the old songs go. After a week of trying, Ian is drinking one night when he cushions the landing of someone thrown out of a fight that just erupted. After disentangling herself from Ian — and his former bar stool — the body turns out to be a rather plain, elfin woman with striking blue eyes and short–cropped hair who thanks Ian and then charges back into the fray. Ian feels compelled to go to her aid when the odds shift from four to three to three to one after her compatriots fall. After a rather enjoyable melee (for an ex–Marine), Ian and the elfin woman end up nursing bruises and beers together. The woman’s name is Darby, and she is an astrogator on the Shareel’s Venture. One thing leads to another, and Ian and Darby see a fair amount of each other over the next couple of weeks before the Shareel’s Venture finishes its annual maintenance and pulls out for Liar’s Oath. Darby is a bit of a wild and fun one who can actually come close to drinking Ian under the table. Ian also tries to make some decent connections in this area for future possibilities. He does make connections with some ex–Marines in the SPA security detachment as well as a couple of suppliers, one of which helps him find a "lightly" used heavy body pistol to purchase along with 100 rounds of ammunition. Also during this time he attempts to gain a useful ship’s skill — gunnery — so he will spend less time setting in the ship’s lounge feeling useless. He finds a training facility that has a simulator that will help with this endeavor. Ian also picks up a pair of binoculars. -----Considering he hasn’t been paid yet — he’s been part of the crew less than a month — Kevon is forced to cash in his high passage ticket to cover expenses until his paychecks catch up. During the month in port, he is paid Cr6, 000 for his first month as the Bray Keaven’s pilot. He helps out as much as he can around the ship, focusing mainly on repairing the communications and sensors, and his cabin. Kevon’s extra-curricular activities include looking into the purchase of a computer with Nav–CAD software, then advertising his services as a starship designer. Finding a computer with Nav–CAD software on it isn't too hard, but it is a little expensive on Fonnein Orbital. On the bright side, once Kevon has his system, he is able to fairly easily find some contract/minor design work (mostly refits, upgrades, and modifications for existing ships), particularly with help from the Storks and the Tukera Lines manager. The work nets him Cr3,000 for the month. -----During the month of downtime Saro purchases 19 TL–12 first–aid kits. Each contains one dose each of Medical Slow Drug and broad–spectrum anti–toxin. He also replenishes his field medical kit and buys some supplies to keep it stocked, and restocks the supplies for the ship’s make–shift medical station. Saro hands out a first–aid kit to each crew member and gives a quick lesson in how to use it if they don't already know how; puts six of them in the ship’s locker for emergency use; and the rest he’ll keep in the med station. -----069–526 (Fonnein) is Vasilii’s home system, although he's from the Sternmetal mining operation on the Estorr rockball rather than the water world they’re orbiting. He has bad memories of the place, and has tried to avoid it. So he mostly stays on ship during the month, conducting business by comm and email. He isn’t silly about it, but he won’t wander or go planetside without a reason. So for once, Saro gets his way and Vasilii stays put to recover from injures. Whilst aboard, he helps out with repairs as best he can — mostly answering the comm. He does his best to lower any prices which are negotiable, and make them negotiable when they aren’t. He keeps an eye on the ship’s finances. After a few chats around the galley table, and with plenty of time to think, he ditches the whole conspiracy theory about the cubes. Perceptive crewmembers note some embarrassment on his part during the discussions. Vasilii also spends some time studying his merchant skills. Later, he starts looking at the freight/passenger situation and assessing the possibilities for speculative trade. He occasionally lingers a while when his net explorations touch on Estorr, or comm directories that would lead to old friends, but he doesn’t follow up on them. At some point, Vasilii talks to whichever combat-oriented crewmembers are handy and asks their advice about gear. After the last few weeks, he’s coming to appreciate the importance of armor — both wearing it and penetrating it. He’s not a weapons expert, not competent with heavier armor like ballistic cloth, and not licensed for military arms. But he may as well do what he can. After a while, he does some researching into getting the following:  <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A semi–automatic rifle with mags, scope and normal ammo</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A pump–action shotgun with mags, buckshot and tranq fletchettes, and an ammo bandoleer</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">"Diplo" armor (light ballistic cloth worn under clothes)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A "presentable" flak vest disguised as clothing in the Vilani style</li> </ul>Vasilii ends up buying:  <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An Inkuulikan Duslaashish LIC "Woodsman" 7mm semi-automatic rifle (includes robust scope), two spare 15–shot magazines, and two boxes of 50 rounds ammo.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A flak vest which looks like the Vilani equivalent of a Barbour waxed canvas field jacket.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A set of diplo armor.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A belt clip ammo pouch.</li> </ul>With a couple of weeks behind them, and no revenue stream, he’ll start wondering what the Bray Keaven is going to do next. -----As the repairs on the Bray Keaven begin to wrap themselves up, Martha notifies anyone that she's not in regular contact with, so that everyone can start wrapping up their vacation plans or whatnot. Martha also asks Vasilii if he’s managed to locate any speculative cargo worth taking along, or any cargo deals that the Bray Keaven can handle. She will remind him that she has some training in these regards, and offers her skills to assist him in locating cargo as needed. "Why thank you, Miss Smythe. That’s very good of you, after working so hard for the last month. I’d be delighted to have your help. I thought the most promising speculative exports might be mid-tech marine equipment, or chemicals. Fish just aren’t worth enough to make more by selling them than hauling them, unless there’s space in the hold. "Now, what I was thinking was . . . If you . . . Do you think you could look into low–berth passengers while I check out available cargoes? Is that alright with you?" -----Vasilii carefully investigates the local market for the 17 dTons of aluminum, and the Vilani merchant discovers several interested submarine and parts manufacturers on Fonnein. After a series of negotiations, Vasilii and Quijon Ltd. come to an agreement of Cr1,600 per dTon including cargo shuttle delivery to the Quijon plant. Vasilii’s sale of the four dTons of hand tools to the captain of the Flavin doesn’t go quite as well, but the Vilani merchant manages to turn a handsome profit anyway with a sale price of Cr14,000 per dTon. Vasilii inquires with the crew if they would like to keep the 3.5 dTons of Marine field rations or free up the space in the cargo bay. "Hell no! Sell as much as you can. I’m tired of eating that crap," Ian says. "See if you can get us some real food for a change!" Ian’s colorful response pretty much summarizes the entire crew’s feelings on the subject. So Vasilii looks into the local market for Marine field rations. There does appear to be some market among the far traders who call upon Fonnein Orbital for emergency ration food, and Vasilii finds buyers among the local shops and some far traders who will purchase up to three dTons of the rations for Cr14,000 per dTon. -----Aidan approaches Vasilii at some time during the stay. "Vasilii, I wonder if I might commission you for a small challenge? It seems I have acquired some old computer parts of questionable worth. They don’t seem worth keeping. Could you perhaps test the market for me? Naturally, I’d insist that you take a 20 percent commission on the proceeds of the sale." "Why certainly, Mr. Silver. It would be my pleasure." While the parts would be junk if sold on Sentry, on Fonnein they actually fetch a decent (to Vasilii’s eyes) price of Cr15,000 a dTon for all three dTons. -----Aidan spends his down time catching up on Galactic Law fluctuations — there’s just never enough time to read everything. In the evenings he will explore the local Noble social scene, making social and other contacts, as well as polishing his dancing. For the edification of the Nobles, he attempts to bring Swann along at times. For occasional amusement, Aidan does some "computer work" purely for the fun of the information gathering, and working strenuously to not get caught. In addition, he writes to his dear friend Lady Catherine to inform her of the recent events: My dearest Lady Catherine, I trust you and your son, Master Nathan, are quite well. It has been an interesting fortnight. Ending with a small brawl in which I was able to use my sword a bit. Quite ripping to be sword fighting side by side with the pilot, a young navy man named Kevon. Indeed, there’s a rather fascinating set of characters that I have fallen in with. There’s Swann, quite the rough–and–ready type, quite handy in a fight. I’m also looking forward to sitting down with him and talking computers. It has been a while since I was able to discuss technical matters with someone who could understand them. Vasilii, the merchant, is rather full of theories. I think I must appear to him as quite the man of mystery from the suspicious looks he sends my way. On the other hand, he did manage to turn handsome profit on some old parts I had purchased. Vargas is a former scout. It’s always fascinating getting to know those fellows, and I’m sure the story behind the "V" that looks carved on his cheek is quite poetic in a savage sort of way. The security officer, Ian, seems quite competent, and of course had the sense to fight with a gun in that brawl. Ah well, some of us just lose our common sense in the odd notion of the heroic. Dr. Saro Talbek is also good to have aboard. He patched me up (nothing to worry about my dear, merely a flesh wound) after the fight. He’s rather strict with his patients in a sort of old school way that is quietly humorous. Oh yes, and the engineer is a dear shy young lady you’d quite like, a Miss Martha Smythe. She certainly knows her machinery, but seems troubled by something with humans. Wouldn’t hurt to have some of my sister Jessica’s more flamboyant attitude rub off on her. Speaking of Jessica, is she still seeing that smuggler? I’ve told her it would get her into trouble with her position in the Navy. Ah well. I shall write to you again soon my dear.Aidan Argentii Over the course of the month, Aidan proves to be a fairly useful hanger–on. He works diligently to file all appropriate papers to get the crew legal entitlements for the rescue and repair works. With the permission of the crew, he polishes up the legal status of the crew and ship, setting up a limited liability corporation that pays salaries to the crew and maintains the profits of the corporation in a trust to appreciate when not needed. In addition Aidan — again with the permission of the crew — works on the software of the ship (with Swann at his side) to upgrade the internal security and install software to make it easier to monitor and defend the ship remotely. Aidan offers to pay the LLC Cr1,000 per month for lodging and food while he’s aboard ship. "Naturally, I would prefer to be treated as a member of the crew and am happy to help in any way. In addition to my computer and legal skills, I can also handle ship gunnery in an acceptable fashion." -----Vasilii rolls his eyes when he hears about this. People just don’t even begin to appreciate what operating a starship costs. Aidan will cost them about Cr750 in life support for every week in space. </blockquote>

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