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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shadowdancer" data-source="post: 2342892" data-attributes="member: 515">Chapter VIDate: 203-993 through 210-993Location: Fonnein Orbital and Jump Space In the morning, the other three low-berth passengers arrive one by one. Tariq Abasov, a dour, stout, and heavy-set man dressed in grease-stained coveralls, arrives first carrying a tool case and a duffel. Shortly after his arrival, Nancy Gattis, a middle-aged woman in old-fashioned spectacles, walks up with a wheeled suitcase behind her. Finally, a somewhat nervous-looking man in his late teens, Guwann Dura, arrives with only a small duffel. All seem reasonably friendly, and none appear to be an obvious threat to Ian's practiced eye. Saro puts them all under with practiced ease. Martha's scans of their luggage don't reveal anything obviously dangerous other than what is probably a small canister of some solvent in Tariq Abasov's tool case, a laser cutting torch (also in the tool case), and an auto pistol (one clip only) in Guwann Dura's small duffel. After Martha's scans of the luggage, Ian and Swann open and search the luggage by hand. Ian takes the auto pistol and stows it in the ship's locker. Vasilii picks out a hold with spare space for the luggage. "Let's make sure we don't put that solvent near any chemicals it could react with if it outgases." -----A little before 1100 hours, Ian receives a chime from the berth door. When he answers the chime, the berth door vidpickup shows a rather tall, heavy-set man squinting at the pickup who intones in rather wooden tones, "I have a delivery for Mr. Ian McConnell from Mr. Merkul." Ian replies, "I am Ian. I will be right down." When Ian opens the berth door, he sees that the heavy-set man is awkwardly carrying a shiny, dark wooden box with ornate shallow abstract designs decorating most of the surface. The box is about 65 cm long, 15 cm wide and 8 cm tall. Attached to the top of the box is a paper envelope with Jarvis Nuuis written on it in flowing script. The heavy-set man slowly says, as if trying to recall the exact wording, "Mr. McConnell. This package is from Mr. Merkul. You are to deliver the package to his cousin, Jarvis Nuuis, on the Warn Highport. This note is for you." The heavy-set man hands Ian a plastic flimsy. On the flimsy is written, in the same flowing script: Mr. McConnell, Here is my gift for my cousin. You should be able to find him without any problem on the Warn Highport by consulting the comm directory. I have instructed him to provide the document that you desire shortly after the receipt of his gift. I trust that he will receive his gift intact and undamaged. Merkul After Ian reads the flimsy, the heavy-set man hands Ian the wooden box, which is surprisingly hefty. After Ian appears to be in control of the box, the heavy-set man turns and walks away. -----Returning to the lounge, Ian finds that a number of the other crew has arrived, drawn by curiosity to see the latest mystery box. The box doesn't appear to have any obvious seams upon initial inspection, but a more careful look reveals that there top should slide off (though it doesn't seem to budge easily). Martha and Saro run their diagnostics scanner over the box, and based on what they can see, the contents appear to be a stack of papers or documents on either end of the box, and a pair of what look like flintlock pistols in the center. There does appear to be some sort of complex locking mechanism involved with removing the lid. "Well, Swann. What'cha think? The scans of the contents don't show anything greatly suspicious. Should we try to open it? Any other opinions?" Ian looks questioningly at the others gathered around. "I'll bet there's an interesting story to that,” Vasilii says. “But I can live without knowing it." Ian acknowledges Vasilii's stated opinion with a nod. "Any other opinions?" “So, either he’s delivering sensitive datawork disguised to look like a dueling pistol gift, or his cousin’s supposed to fight a duel soon, and Markul wanted to be sure he had a proper set,” Kevon muses. “Maybe the datawork is a will and testament for him to sign, just in case he loses?” “As long as the pistols are not a challenge to a duel,” Aidan says. “I’d dislike being the messenger in that case.” Martha grimaces. "I hope not. Just in case, Ian, I'd make sure you have several ways out of wherever you go to deliver this. By the way, do you know the details on that yet, or is this just another of those mystery jobs?" Swann rubs a hand across his face, considering. "Could be antique dueling pistols, and the documentation to verify their authenticity. Or it could be instructions: `Use these guns to shoot the men who deliver this box to you.' Very Shakespeare." Turning to Vargas and Saro, he asks, "Do Vargrs have a fondness for Shakespeare?" "Although the Vargr do not have a Shakespeare as we know it, they do have a rich heritage in literature,” Vargas says. Turning back to the box, Swann says, "Or maybe it's another test, like the cube Holly bought. If it is a test, I believe the stakes this time are much higher -- our lives. I say we just leave the box closed for some other Pandoras to open. Let's find some place very safe for it, so it doesn't get damaged in transit." Martha nods, remembering Aiden's words about disappearing participants in several court cases. "The research into Markul indicates that we may be dealing with a much more powerful individual then we originally thought,” Vargas says. “I really do not think we had better disappoint him by trying to open this box. I agree that this is a test and we had better not fail this one. I don't want him as an enemy.” Ian takes the box, carefully wraps it in some of his clothes and places the box in one of the drawers in his room. -----Also during the morning and mid day, the three dTons of misc. cargo, the holodiscs, and the leather arrive to be stowed away. By 1300, the ship is refueled. By 1530, the Bray Keaven is ready to depart Fonnein Orbital. Vasilii closes the ship's account after paying for the fuel (the Bray Keaven had essentially empty tanks after the jump from Sentry) and the berthing fees. The Bray Keaven departs Fonnein Orbital at 1610 for the planet's surface in order to pick up the catalysts and salt. -----Amazingly, the transit down and the pickups both go very smoothly despite a fairly decent storm over the arcology where FGC Ltd is located. By 2023, the Bray Keaven is again in Fonnein orbit and ready to transit to the jump point, bound for Kerin's Tyr. -----In his captain’s chair, Kevon manages the C-squared station, ready to get the ship underway for the jump point. “Shall we get out of here before someone else decides to involve us in their affairs?”  -----Vasilii asks if he can come on the bridge to watch the departure. He picks out his home planet, Estorr, on a screen and watches it as the ship heads out. He seems subdued. He may be a paper millionaire at 24 thanks to his share in the ship, and a successful businessman, and something of a hero after Alief, but he's still disgraced in clan and corporation. -----With Ian and Swann at the turrets, Kevon, Emile, and Vasilii on the bridge, and Martha in port engineering, the Bray Keaven breaks orbit to head out to a safe jump point. Swann keeps an eye out for Merkul's escort cutters. And, he does spot a couple of civilian cutters headed out of the station about the same time that the Bray Keaven breaks orbit. But these cutters appear to be headed about 45 deg by 45 deg away from the far trader's axis of travel, and before too long, the cutters drop off out of sensor range. The transit out to jump distance is entirely -- ordinary. Normal comm traffic. Swann does track a scout courier headed inbound which passes at the limits of sensor range, but other than that ship, no traffic even comes close to them. The ship appears to be operating well after her maintenance, much to Martha's and Kevon's satisfaction. -----At 2400, Kevon dims the in-ship lights, and the Bray Keaven winks into jump space, headed for Kerin's Tyr. "Why Captain, you never seemed the sort to uphold an old Vilani tradition like that,” Vasilii says. “I must say, it is nice to see." “The Navy doesn’t leave you when you leave the Navy,” Kevon replies easily, reciting the old quote. -----The next seven days in jump space are decidedly odd in that they are, perfectly ordinary days that a typical far trader's crew would spend in jump space. Martha and Vargas perform normal ship's maintenance, and the other crew pursue individual pursuits. Saro occasionally checks in on the low-berth passengers and the frozen beasties, and all seem fine. A couple of the crew do start to feel a nagging sense of worry that it can't be good that nothing notable has happened since they left Fonnein Orbital, but they try to dismiss the worry as best as they can. -----Despite Vasilii's efforts during the last few days in jump space, the Vilani merchant can't seem to find any bombs hidden in the cargo, though he hasn't tried thawing any of the frozen beasties and checking in them. Yet. -----Not being used to this much free time on the ship, Ian looks for things to do: clean and inspect weapons (even those in the ship's locker), run through several PT routines daily, check his vacc suit and other equipment for readiness, etc. At some point he drops by for a visit to the Doc when he is sure they will be alone. "Hey Doc, you got a minute?" Saro sets aside his baliset and invites Ian to enter his improvised sickbay. He shuts the door to the sickbay. "During shore leave, I got to thinking. This laser burn I got here was a proud badge to wear while I was in the Corp. But civilians don't see it that way." He pauses. "It makes it kinda tough to meet people, specifically, people of the female gender, if ya know what I mean?" He says with a bit of a grin. "It also makes me stand out a bit in a crowd -- that's an undesirable thing here lately. Could you do some checking and figuring to see what it would cost in credits and time to get me fixed up looking half-way presentable?" "Well, let me take a look. We're not really set up for that sort of corrective procedure, but perhaps if I can get some specific supplies. Otherwise I can look around to help you find a facility and physician that will do acceptable work." Saro then gives Ian an exam and assess the situation. -----During the time in jump space, Swann enjoys the new gourmet entrees which have been added to the menu. He especially develops a fondness for ganisha steaks with cranberry and walnut chutney. He also spends time cleaning all of his weapons, checking his vacc suit and other equipment, and just relaxing in his berth listening to the soothing sounds of Straylight Run and The Subdudes. He also informs everyone else what he learned about Kerin's Tyr while back on Fonnein. "To sum up, if you're stopped by security, just pay the fine and move on," he says. "Think of it as part of the cost of doing business." -----On the sixth day, Martha suddenly realizes the strangeness of a perfectly normal jump without problems, and contemplates briefly whether the ship has misjumped. Then she realizes the folly of such thoughts, and puts them aside. -----On the afternoon of the last day in jump, Vasilii pays each partner a Cr1,500 stipend as agreed at the last business meeting. -----Just before 2400 on the last day in jump space, the crew prepares for normal space reinsertion. -----“Well, should we drop in shooting, just in case?” Kevon quips. "Just a thought, Captain,” Vargas says. “I wonder if we will receive an escort to the planet compliments of our friend Merkul. We might want to do some careful scans of any ships prior to vaporizing a great part of them." -----"Aidan, if you would like to man the port turret going in, that would be fine. I don't need to hog all the fun." Ian says with a sincere half grin. -----"Well, back to the real world," Swann says to himself as he climbs into the starboard turret. "The place where people are always shooting and otherwise trying to kill us." -----When the ship is ready to transit back into real space, Saro suits up as a precaution and stays suited up until someone gives the all-clear. Inside his suit and to himself, he begins to quietly sing an ancient sea shanty about the travails of an accursed ship. “The Minnow would be lost. Oh yes, the Minnow would be lost.”</blockquote>

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