Galactic Adventures (SciFi/Char/Mechanics/Captains/IC)

[Aidannadia]

Mei knew that in numbers their prosperity was assured, and so she kept the group together as they looked through the tunnels of the temple, taking the right tunnel first; It was a common rule of thumb to follow the right wall until the tunnel turned around on itself and you could return to the left door on the way back, similar to strategies with which mazes were often overcome.

Occasionally, the group would stop to take a scan of the wall with strange lettering on it. There were currently many efforts to translate the Builder lexicon, but little headway had been made, so the text was largely gibberish to Mei. One of the acolytes made a motion towards the end of the hall, and the group turned to inspect the cause of the commotion.

[The Empire of Tau]

Merchant Man, Sam
A Lot of Questions

Sam had big plans for Ylem. This was just the start. After the LogOps Commander explained the duties and regulations of the contract, Sam accepted the job without issue. Given that Sam was with people in power, he had some questions to ask - a lot of ‘em. First question was the rate at which ammo was spent. First, small-arms. Second, artillery shells. Third, large-caliber ammo. Second question was the level of standardized gear and arms among the various militia groups. Third question was how mechanized and motorized were those groups. Fourth question was what was the primary transport vessel used to move goods from depot to the front-line. Fifth question was food quantity and quality among these militia groups, and were these foods processed into portable food-items, like an MRE. How much food were being imported into Ylem? Sixth question was the level of industrialization of Ylem. What was the energy output? Any major developments in mechanical engineering, metallurgy, mining, or energy? Or is agriculture still the biggest sector? Seventh question was mechanized is the agriculture sector. Eighth question was the daily calorie intake of the average person and what was the staple food item. Ninth question was the employment rate and what sector of the economy is that in. Tenth question was the major exports of Ylem, if any. And the “last” question was the profiles of any major pirates. Is there any safe routes in and out of Ylem space or the local space-sector? How big is this pirate fleet? What is the ship make-up of these pirate fleets? Any major pirate fleets of known title?

Sam did not ask all of this at once, but one at a time and waited for them to answer. Sam had time.

The rest of the crew meanwhile had a busy time. Carnegie lead the crew in search of any broken down, but still suitable and decently working ships. Carnegie was not pricky in his choices. The search mainly came in the form of questions. The crew asked around Discovery and then to parts elsewhere on Ylem. To ensure that the info was not shitty, the crew had to ask locals about the info that was given to them by other locals. If not that then search onto the net, if there was a connection to the wider net. Ylem news outlets were also asked, if the crew could ask without being kicked out, that is. Sam wanted to provide Ylem with a large merchant fleet. One capable of supplying the growing demand of the inflowing immigrants and to supply the militia with arms and ammo. Of course, that was the very-long-plan as the maintenance of such a fleet would need many spare parts, a large support service of engineers and technicians to make sure that the ships don’t burn and blow up, a much bigger support element of planners, clerks, crewmen, refuelers, etc, etc, etc. Don’t forget the training and education of such people too. Things get more complex as there is the issue of pirates, corruption, and the overall unstable nature of the Outer-Rim. Such a large merchant fleet would gain the attention of any pirates or likewise in the local sector and beyond. You’ll need a force of armed marines and ships to act a police/military force out in space and on the ground in ports. Just a few things to keep track of for Sam.

[Ralnis]

Kyr Mirhorn Van,
Aboard the Battered Fly

With the general understanding and learning of the Ranghorn artifacts, the Clan got to work. The scouting of the information lead to smugglers who were baited into giving them contacts and even the contact to someone who knew the entire artifact trade on the planet.

This great success was praised by Kyr, who saw the smugglers can help move loot and any other product should she wants to go into that sort of business. Many Clans have their merchant arm that was able to move goods and do commerce in their name. It would be something temporary and an agreement to be worked upon but a goal to work for nevertheless.

Going back to the job at hand. The Chieftess had decided to contact the person the smugglers gave them. She got in her best grabs and see what she can gather from the current trade. She prayed to the gods that thieves didn't sell the cargo already and fled off world. Hell, she hoped that they didn't know that the client didn't hire some guns to come after them.

Action: contact the person that the smugglers gave who knew all about the Rangehorn on Chasca. Ask about the band of thieves and try to get a location of their hideout. Keep up the act as representatives of a wealthy clan from the Thule Clusters.

[Elerian]

Old Man, Rakodan

“You can keep the datapad T’Kess, I’ll be staying here for awhile longer.”

It hadn’t taken him but a second to decide to stay on Rakodan with T’Kess and her expedition. As much as he disliked this strange decrepit Manor, he felt as though his job here was not yet finished. The Paracasual rift still spoke to him, and told him he was not yet done here. That, and he felt he owed T’Kess and her team a little more of his protection. Although they were all attuned in some way or another to the Paracasual, it was only he who could utilize it in any meaningful way. It had proved to be vital to their cause on three separate occasions. First in finding this thrice damned Mansion, and then twice to save the expedition from certain death. He had proven to them his worth, and now they were willing to pay him well to keep him around.

So yes, he would have to stay, if only for a little while longer.

The Ellirean scientist smiled widely, a mix of excitement from the adrenaline of battle to the fact they had managed to power up the lab after who knew how many millennia of abandonment. “I’m very glad to hear that, human. You’ve proven very helpful and I’m happy that you’ve decided to lend us your helping hand. I assure you that you will be adequately compensated. What do you say to 800 credits now and the rest of the sum when we are finished here? Does that sound reasonable?”

“Very well.” Leon said hoarsely.

“I must go retrieve my ship and recuperate from my earlier exertions, but I will return soon.”

After taking one last look around the Lab, he left the way he’d come, and with some loot to boot. After retracing his steps back towards the entrance to the Mansion, he once again crossed paths with the rest of the expedition and quickly updated them on the situation before departing back out into the sands.

Action: Return to the Shadow of Doubt, but do some scouting along the way if possible.

He finally emerged into the red deserts of a planet touched by the Beyond. His pinnace had been left a few hours march away, the sun was slowly setting so at least the heat of the planet’s daylight hours would not beat down from the green-tinted skies of this faraway place. His journey took him across a wide stretch of dunes which would have been featureless save for occasional jagged rocks sticking out the red sand seas. After crossing a jagged ridge, Leon saw one of the landmarks he remembered from before, cracked pillars stuck out from the sand and in the distance, a vast stone building rose, tapering toward the top. He never took any closer looks at it before, maybe it would be worth a look? Then again, his head was still hurting, rest would do him good. Maybe he would return later with some backup, might be more of those guard robots in there.

As he closed the distance to the Shadow of Doubt, a thought back to what he had experienced in the ruined manor, and his thoughts took him back across many years of his life as the wind moaned drearily down the rocky valley he walked through. He had seen much in his life, as a soldier serving the Imperium Galaxis, as an admiral watching the state dissolve into anarchy. His journeys through the Rim which finally brought him here. Called by forces from beyond this reality. Indeed, his long life had given many lessons and much history. His time at the Academy had been good an bad, his background was a great hindrance as many of his peers saw him as a “colonial rube” from Kreig. Then, well, then there was the scandal… Mad they said, bad they said, dangerous to know. But he never let it stop him, nay, Leon rose above that as well.

Level up! You gain one trait pick and 5 investable Skill-Points!

Leon thinks back to the looks he got until the scandal was surpassed by another and they lost interest in his, but which was his.

Trait - A torrid affair: She was related to an instructor at the Academy, good peerage, nearly twice your age. Yet, secret notes, warm and yearning. Furtive assignations where desires (and other things) could be unlaced. The reports were salacious. - Gain 3 Heart and 2 Guile.

Trait - A parade of debauchery: You were a lively one when they gave you leave. Drink, more drink, brawling, gambling, slander. Spacer’s Honey. Spacer’s Honey alone, Spacer’s Honey in company. You’re lucky you didn’t get expelled during those months. - Gain 3 Guile and 2 Brawn.

(Five points into Brain, and pick Torrid Affair)

He had made it back to the Shadow of Doubt just as the sun set beyond the horizon. He climbed into the cockpit of his ship and suddenly felt the exhaustion wash over him. He’d done well today. Better than he thought his poor luck would allow. His good fortune may not last into the morrow, but for now he didn’t really care. He was proud of what he’d accomplished.

He realized then that this was the first time he’d felt this way in many long years. He’d almost forgotten what it felt like to have any pride in himself and his abilities. Yet, he didn’t think he was a hero. He was merely a man who has seen, done, and endured what cannot be forgiven nor forgotten.

He pulled a thin blanket from out of his kit and wrapped himself in it. His eyes began to drop as he thought back about the trist with the sister of his instructor back at the academy. She’d been twice his age, but that hadn’t bothered either of them any. He’d always preferred women older than himself. They knew what they wanted, and he liked that. His instructor had never found out, and eventually the affair died out on its own. He wondered if she was still alive...

Action: Rest in the Shadow of Doubt and then fly to the structure from the trek

[The National Dominion of Hungary]

Mei Nakama

Strange sounds, similar to static and the grind of ancient machinery still laboring to some forgotten purpose could be heard in the distance, emitted from some place deep inside the ruins. The pale while lights of Mei's expedition fixed into the inky darkness of the hallway, illuminating only dark metallic walls before the light was completely absorbed by the dark. The only was forward was through the halls and so that is where they went, with Mei walking confidently at the head of the small column of faithful acolytes. As they moved further and further, the occasional pillar rose from the floor, projecting a deep green light above itself, they were not afraid, such "lamps" were relatively common in Builder ruins. Their footsteps, once the only source of sound except for the occasional drip-drop of water was now mixing with much more audible sounds of ancient machinery somewhere in the distance. Soon after that, their lamps struck a large gate at the end of the hallway. It took a while but with the proper incantations and prayers to awaken the machines of the ancients, they finally managed to get the gate to open with a terrible grinding sound. They walked on and almost immediately found themselves on a platform looking out over a vast chamber in a deep chasm, pyramid-like structures of dark metal laced with shimmering green patterns rose both from the floor and fell from the ceiling, illuminated by bluish lights. An eerie and haunting sight to be sure, it seemed like a large, dead reactor-chamber though Mei wasn't quite sure, she would need more information on that. But if those structures were indeed generators, whatever this place was it must have consumed immense amount of power to run. The was only one way to go, over bridges and alongside ledges. So that is where the faithful walked along their path. Then, they stopped. Something sounded like... steps, a voice? Could someone be down here...?

---

Samuel Bridge Iron

Sam and the Commander spoke for a long time, it made a good impression on both the attending representatives of the local authorities who seemed impressed by Sam's eagerness to learn and be of use. The Ylem militia didn't use much ammunition, at least not until the attack of the armada and the time after, sometimes splinters of the armada tried to conduct hit and run raids against the planet bu those could mostly be repelled with lighter weapons. Thus, handheld weapons had the most ammunition expenditure, they didn't have much artillery to speak of, except some light cannon mounted on light wheeled trucks, and mortars used by fire-support units. Only a few dozen anti-air laser cannons were present, mostly defending Discovery and some surrounding towns and important installations. Supplies were overwhelmingly transported by wheeled trucks as the militia had access to little other vehicles than that and a few wings of small, durable dropships. The food supplied was of decent quality and well-cooked when at base, when deployed they mostly had to settle for bland nutrient blocks. While on the topic of food, well, Ylem had been a net exporter with significant surplus before the attack, now many farmers had fled into the cities and returned to find their farms either dilapidated or destroyed. Thus, production of food was significantly lower and some imports had to be acquired until the farms are up and running at full capacity. It was a heavy blow to the economy which largely depended on export of either raw or processed foodstuffs. Most of the factories in the larger cities were just that, food processing plants and the service sector was still relatively limited, most people were farmers tending large estates with the help of good-quality machines and UAV's for soil-monitoring and other tasks. Now however many farmers had lost equipment such as tractors, ag-drones and the like. Mining was rather limited as were other, heavier industries but some refineries could be found in and around Discovery. Staple foods were among the various grains, vegetables and meats grown and husbanded on the planet, imports (until now) were simply unnecessary, fishing was a rather peripheral industry and while people used to be well fed but after the attack, after farms lay abandoned and refugees streamed to the planet they got about 1500 calories per day. The enemy was hard to pinpoint, they were on the move and striking new targets in other systems within the sector, periodically some returned to attack Ylem but these lesser incursions could often be beaten back with sufficient warning. The Armada had been cobbled together by an influential pirate commander Faeran Illuvian, head of the group of outcast emyaar corsairs known as the Void Specters. He had managed to get other commanders and individual pirate captains to join him to go on a great pillaging attack, plundering and laying waste to an entire sector with a combined armada of some 120 ships. They were spread out however and Illuvian control of them was always tenuous at best. If they were to face heavy resistance or if Illuvian was to be killed or lose his respect the armada would probably scatter in a dozen different directions. After the attack on Ylem, it seemed he had given his pirates leave to strike weaker targets and settlements all over the cluster, leading to chaos and destruction. However, several space-lanes remained relatively safe as the pirate had already attacked the nearby colonies and moved on. Illuvian especially had to keep the two Ulthar brothers Dharlak and Bremak Gegraros on his side, as their Six Blades armada of over thirty ships was the second largest component group by far. As the meeting went on, Carnegie and some of Samuel's crew walked the second hand ship vendor's offices and even payed a visit to the local shipbreaking yard. They did find a vendor who had two Suvura 3300 Light Freighters for sale, each costing around 10 000 credits. They also found a discount Kelerah K-100 Pike for only 9500 credits as well, however the ship had suffered significant damage during the pirate attack on the planet and was missing it's missile launch bay. In order to build up a fleet Sam would probably have to do a few delivery runs before amassing enough cash to get the ball rolling. But when it did, it could very well become a springboard to greatness for the young man from Qharlaq's underslums. The risk was great, but the founding of a successful merchant fleet for Ylem would make him a very, very important man on the planet in the future, his wealth would give him influence and secure a life far from the deprivation he experienced on his homeworld.

---

Kyr Mirhorn Van

The Dunkidor searched all throughout their ship and finally found an old discarded hand-terminal belonging to a clanmember long since gone. The local law enforcement agencies were significantly more organized here than on most Outer Rim worlds with little colonies having only a few local town sheriffs and their deputies. Best be careful if it was doubtful one had enough credits or valuables to bribe the Chascan police. The call went smoothly, a time and place for a meeting had been set up at a small restaurant downtown, the contact the smugglers gave them insisted that Kyr comes alone and unarmed, she can have two companions, but they'll have to wait outside the establishment for the duration of the meeting. Although one can never be quite sure, it didn't seem that dangerous, this underground artifact dealer didn't have much over interest in crossing Kyr and her crew. The meeting should be perfectly safe and the chief hoped this dealer would be able to point them in the right direction. Kyr dressed in as fine an outfit as she could put together, she had to look the part as a representative of a mighty Thulean war-chief. Taking two of her clan-mates she left the docks and after a quick ride by aircab they arrived at their destination. A small building completely in the shadow of great feats of architecture, the smell of the food was quite good even though this place was obviously not the most expensive. As her two crewmen waited outside, Kyr entered and the attendant immediately approached. This dealer was obviously well-connected with this little place, perhaps even ran it as a front for her more illicit dealings. Even though she was the only alien in the restaurant, the local Ellireans paid her little mind and simply continued their conversations, huddling around their own tables as waitresses emerged from the kitchen serving fresh-looking salads and spicy shellfish. The Ellirean artifact dealer was well-dressed and sat in a booth where vine plants with sweetly smelling flowers climbed the wickerwork hanging from the ceiling above the large table, obviously reservations only. Kyr put on her best act, it had never been her strongest suit but it was enough to coax out that apparently, there was one "supplier" that recently aquired exactly what Kyr's imaginary Thulean warlord was looking for, what a happy coincidence. This gang however rarely dealt with customers directly, so no matter how much Kyr tried to get the dealer to tell her how to find them, the Ellirean couldn't say, she didn't know. Or at least that's what she said. She could not point them to any hideout or base from which they operated. But she could give them information on a few of them, the one who would handle delivering their artifacts to sell at the underground auctions, and, she gave her the date and place of the next auction. If Kyr wanted to, she can go and speak to them herself, but the dealer doubted they'd get a direct deal.

Skill-check: 64 - Small Success.

---

Leon Tchaikovsky

Leon crawled into his small bunk, exhaling and feeling the stiff tension in his calves and shoulders finally, gradually ease. He hadn't been back to the ship for a long time, walking the deserts and following the strange, whispering guidance of the paracasual had led him across the dunes searching for something, anything, a sign to point the way forward. Was this it? Had he been dragged back and forth across the deserts to meet with these archaeologists from one of the inner galaxy's greater powers? One that was a long-standing rival to the Imperium Galaxis that he had given so much to preserve and defend from enemies internal and external. Indeed, he had given to quarter to traitors, deserters, defeatists and other enemies of the Imperium. Anyone he caught abandoning his duty to the Emperor could count on nothing but ruination if they were unlucky enough to cross the path of Admiral Tchaikovsky, Scourge of the Outer Worlds. Well... that was in the past, now... what was even happening now? So many traitors and opportunists clawing at the carcass of the Imperium Galaxis, the Hemoh and the Ellireans getting ready for the race between them for who would claim the title of preeminent power in the Galaxy. He was torn from his thoughts by a sharp pain in his head, he needed to rest and recuperate from the physical exertion brought by casting such powerful incants earlier. He spent the next few days mostly sleeping, eating and meditating, channeling the healing powers of the Paracasual through his body, the undo the damage done from his exertions. When he finally felt ready to move out again, he was intrigued by the vast structure he had passed on his way, a landmark that had guided him many times. He powered up the ship and used his comm-link to let T'Kess know that he would be checking the place out, see if it could be entered and then come by to report his finding and speak on how his help would best suit the expedition. The Shadow of Doubt then darted above the red dunes only for a few minutes before he found himself by the vast, tapering structure. Cracked red stone rose high, columns and statues laid broken and half buried in the sand. The ancient gate was shut however and the control pad next to it completely dead, no chance getting in. Well, that was until he went back to his ship and took it for a fly-by around the structure, apparently someone had blasted a hole through one of the walls and there was enough space on the nearby platform to land a pinnace and enter the building.

Gain 800 credits.

---

[Ralnis]

Kyr Mirhorn Van
The Battered Fly

Getting back to the Fly was excerlating for now Kyr gets to do what she liked best of being a merc, actually planning and figuring out how to fight an enemy. It didn't take much brains to do it but all jobs need a strategy in order to get it done. Many Dunkidor revel in just the fight and had lost their mind in the rain of energy and bullets that poured around them. In truth, Kyr was like that before but being a chieftain to a broken clan and surviving like how she was sobered her up quite a bit.

True, she didn't mind a challenge, all Dunkidor must prove and continuously prove themselves. They were as many enemies and tests as their were stars in the galaxy and already there was a test in front of the leader. The rest of the crew gathered around in the main area of their small ship and sat down. Kyr already had gave the entire crew the rundown of what they gathered and what is the next move. The major part of this is that the Clan believes that the location of the cargo was at this building and being held by some of the thieves.

Now Kyr couldn't confirm nor deny that the one doing the auction is the leader they're looking for but Kyr believes it isn't just to be on the safe side. Still the thieves were between the ducks and the cargo, if they take out their members then that's good but the main objective is to get the valuables. Zax was the first one to suggest scouting out the building and finding any info on the building. Since that was the plan, Kyr agrees but also to truly confirm how many thieves are there and what hardware they'll be facing.

They only have so many days to do it before the auction so she wants the raid to be done the day before the auction begins. It means they only have so much to do before they can attempt this. It was the soundest plan at the moment for and one that they needed to focus on now. Then it was time to plan the action.

Action:Take the next few days to scout out the building of the auction and the thieves. Find a way to infiltrate and raid the building and do so before the actual auction begins.

[The Empire of Tau]

Merchant Man, Sam
A Boring Day

“Did you get that med-bay supply refill yet?” Mary asks Carnegie, stuffing her mouth shortly with toast. Carnegie nods, newspaper in hand. The crew were at Discovery, a local Cafe. The whole crew, besides from Sam, were resting and waiting for the main man to finish up his meeting with the Log-Commander and Ylem State Rep. Nothing of real interest has occurred in the following hours of Carnegie’s search for ships. The vendor selling the two Suvura 3300 Light Freighters was noted down as “Bob” for future reference and contact - once they had the credits to buy them. Besides from that, the crew were enjoying their free time on Ylem before having to go back to their job. Carnegie shot a message at the Francisco and asked him about his progress on those seeds.

Sam, meanwhile, was still in the meeting the Commander. After Sam’s long questioning, the new topic was now about those deliveries. Another few hours sent talking. A list of delivery options given to Sam and likewise. A day without much events or things to talk about. The boring nature of life itself.

[Aidannadia]

Mei followed the source of the noise to find a small child, no older than perhaps nine, scurrying about in the reactor room. She motioned for her party to hold their position. "Scan the reactors. We can match them with other sites' models." She then approached the child, taking off her mask and outstretching her hand. The child looked nervous, but eventually took it. "My name is Mei. What are you doing down here all alone?"

"I'm not alone. We came here to hide after the day the sky rained fire."

"We?" Mei asked. "Can you take me to the rest of your people?" The child looked nervous still, unsure about whether or not to proceed with Mei's request.

[Elerian]

Old Man, Rakodan

He landed the Shadow of Doubt on the nearby platform. He’d forgotten how bumpy of a landing the old Pinnances could have, as he bonked his head against bulkhead during touchdown. He stood and rubbed the back of his head as a grimace enveloped his face. As the door to Rakodan lowered, he double checked his kit and pulled his gloves tighter over his hands. With the door lowered, he stepped from the Pinnance ready to see what the strange old structure had to offer.

Warm desert air blew through the sunbaked Rakodan landscape, carrying a strange concoction of smells. His own potent body odor, the scent of alien cacti, but most of all, strangely enough he could smell flowers.

Rather than dwell on his sense of smell, he tapped into his sixth sense. He wanted to probe the building for any unusual amounts of paracasual energy within the structure. It was difficult to do considering all the background noise that Rakodan kicked up, but he would try nonetheless. He’d been here long enough that sometimes he could pick up the odd thrumming unlike the rest of the overwhelming paracasual winds of Rakodan

Action: Use Psionics to probe the structure, and then delve inside

[The National Dominion of Hungary]

Kyr Mirhorn Van

Kyr's crewmates filed out of the Battered Fly on went on their respective missions in the streets of they city. It only took a few hours before the team she had sent to the address sent some pictures back to Kyr which she promptly pulled up on a holoprojector aboard the ship. It looked like a relatively normal office building, eight floors, built sleek and elegant as could be expected on an Ellirean world. There was a garage as well as a number of entrances on ground level and probably a landing pad for aircars and vtols on the roof, if not that there had to be a service entrance there. Was one of these companies somehow involved in the underground trade of rare alien artifacts? Or was one simply a dealer's front organisation used to provide an unseemly location for illegal auctions after the sun sets. Regardless, the ducks stayed outside, working in shifts they observed the building from different angles and at different times. After the end of the day when the workers filed out, only some remained, casually dressed but with a way of carrying themselves that said they were more than ready for trouble. The dunkidor mercenaries could see them passing near windows, standing near the garage entrance. Obviously guards. Sometimes, aircars and small pickup trucks came in the middle of the night, under the careful eyes of a Clan Van scout keeping watch from a noisy nearby cantina catering to after-work parties. Those eyes spied the gang's delivery team exiting a vehicles on a late night, making small-talk with a black-clad guardswoman outside before the doors opened and the vehicle went in. One day after, the same vehicle returned again alongside several others. Indeed, this is the spot. In the meantime Zax had been putting his tech-savvy fingers to work on Chascas nets, compiling all the information he could dig up about the building and the companies working from there. Luckily he had managed to get a rather good holoprint of the building. It was three days before the auction was set to begin. Both the thieves who had stolen to goods they were after and other shady Ellireans had been coming and going from the building. Kyr's clan-members had counted at least eight guards in the building during the night. Armed with handguns, though there was a possibility they had something heavier in a stash somewhere inside. They did look unarmored, but could be wearing shield generators under their clothes. Well, that and they didn't know where the artifacts were stored, a Dunkidor would have been sticking out like a sore thumb in that building. It was up to Kyr to decide how to proceed, should they try to sneak in and steal the artifacts back? Would they try to capture a guard and question her for information where to auction goods were kept? Would they try to enter undercover and try to find the storage room? There were many ways to go about this after all.

Skill check: 84 - Large Success

---

Samuel Bridge Iron

Life on Ylem proceeded slowly, Carnegie payed for the meds to re-stock their little medical bay, after all, one never knew what kind of accidents one might run into out there in the vast void. After sending a message to Brudos on his hand-terminal. It took some time for the man to respond, he was probably hard at work with the task Samuel had given him. It was only in the evening that Carnegie got a reply, it was good but truth be told he had hoped for more progress. It seemed that Brudos´ initial work had gone better than expected, the xenobiologist was relatively certain that he was looking at seeds of Gilderwood, a species of tree originating on the Outer-Rim garden world of Ohosan. These vast trees have since spread to many worlds both across the Inner and Outer Rims of the Galaxy as Gilderwood is much prized for both it's durability and for the gleaming, golden-like strands that shoot through the wood. Some of the heaviest, most durable machinery in the timber industry is needed to fell those behemoths. Meanwhile, as Sam's meeting was nearing it's end he was given a number of possible delivery missions to attend to, the state would first and foremost like to use his ship to transport either a cargo of nutripaste which would be distributed to the most needy in the refugee camps where there is a notable undercurrent of discontent at how the embattled authorities are handling the refugee crisis. The paste is to be picked up on the planet of Zophon, not that far away and in addition to the 800 credits which would be payed to Sam, another 200 could be given as a possible bonus for a timely delivery. The other is a long trip to Noctis Station where a cargo of combat drones purchased for the militia was waiting. They would help the local forces cover ground and patrol areas where occasional pirate ground made landfall in order to respond quickly and efficiently. The long distance and greater danger of second mission also made it more rewarding 1650 credits would be payed to Sam's accound if he were to get the drones back to Ylem in one piece. Sam could choose either one of these or perhaps ask for another delivery mission, soon it would be time for takeoff once again however, and as the captain returned to his ship, Carnegie informed him of the progress made by Brudos on the analysis of the seeds they had brought. Then, he also asked if they crew could receive a small bonus payment of 50 credits, they figured they would be leaving soon and were eager to enjoy a good night out in a local spacer's cantina near the port before leaving.

- 65 Credits: Med-bay recharged.

---

Mei Nakama

The group of cultists was surprised at what they saw, a lone Hemoh child caught in the bright shine of their flashlights. Some of the colonists must have managed to actually open the ancient doors with their blasphemous, careless ways, paying no regard to the proper rites and prayers giving heed to the spirits of the holy place. While the child was clearly not a threat to Mei and her well-equipped shore-party but it was unlikely for him to be here by himself. There had to be more of them around here somewhere, perhaps well equipped enough to actually pose a threat if they mistake them for pirate raiders. The child immediately froze like an animal caught in the light of a vehicle, waiting for the impact. Mei kept her composure however and knelt, stretching a hand out to the small being before them. One of Mei's devoted acolytes took a few slow, cautious steps to the side, connecting a scanner to his datapad and sweeping it in a slow motion back and forth gathering readings on one of the vast, dormant pyramidal structures that rose around them. While Mei tried speaking to the child, her acolyte forwarded the results from his scans to her hand-terminal for her to review later. After the initial scan, the reading seemed to confirm the constructs as the same type of anti-matter reactors that could be found in most Builder ruins. Many theorized that only a handful of these mighty constructs would be enough to supply a heavily urbanized Inner Rim world with twice the power it needed, being far superior to the Plasma Fusion that had powered most of the galaxy for millennia.

"I don't know... the minders will be so angry if they find out that I was exploring..." The little Hemoh said. "And the elders will be scared, you've got so many guns. What if they think you're with the bad people?" It said, looking up at Mei anxiously. "You're not with them right? Maybe I could tell our minder that you're here, and they can come and talk to you?" The young Hemoh said, still frightened but seemingly willing to help in some capacity at least.

Skill-check: 67 - Small Success.

---

Leon Tchaikovsky

Leon stood tall on the platform as the powerful winds tugged at his form. Regardless, he relaxed and focused deep within himself, feeling the familiar sensation as he was enveloped by the strange winds of the Paracasual which soon flowed around him, colorful and lively, invisible to anyone who did not possess the psionic gift, the ability to tap in to this hyperdimensional plane of existence. His inner eye opened as his physical ones rolled back, a dull glow emanating from behind his eyelids, as he coasted through strange dark places in the Beyond, his body rose from the platform, levitating slightly above, his arms outstretched. He looked back, he looked forward and he looked below. He saw them, the ancient Rakodans walking in the halls with some strange container, heavy and bolted shut, hovering forward above the floor thanks to it's contragravitic generator. What was inside Leon could neither see nor feel, at least not yet. Then, he saw the Rakodans gathered around some sort of stasis tank, what was inside was hidden from view, but one of the onlookers placed his hand, long fingers grazing the plexite in a clear gesture of reverence. Then, then Leon saw ancient thoughts, ancient memories of battles long forgotten, glories long faded, of knives in the dark and warm blood washing over hand and vibroblade. Then, his view fixed on the stasis tank for one last time before the room shifted, it became dark, dilapidated. But he felt no danger, saw no ancient guardians. Perhaps any machines like the combat robots he and the Ellireans had run into in the ruined mansion had all been lost to time and decay in this place. And who, or what was in the tank. The being whose memories he had glimpsed, was it still there... was it still alive and what was it?

Skill-check: 93 - Great Success!

---

[The Empire of Tau]

Merchant Man, Sam
Beware of Bad Grammar and English

50 credits? You can’t have fun with that amount. Sam opted to give 50 more credits to that base amount, increased to 100 credits for the crew to use. Before the crew left to have their fun, Sam remembered them that they had a job to do soon. Try not to get hammered or get into trouble. For Sam, he had to fix the storage containers shelves on the Suvura 3300 Light Freighter, and generally clean up the Freighter. Both parties parted.

Sam planned to head to Zophon for those nutripaste, and if he had time, those drones too. But first, he had to feed the people. A lot of refugees on the planet. A lot of mouths to feed. Not a lot else to speak of. Sam was busy at work in the Freighter, while the crew was at the cantina. The planet of Zaophon. Sam never heard of it, but that goes for all the non-major hub planets. An ocean world with 95% of its surface covered by salt water. The amount of life in those oceans is massive, small and big. What land is there is fought by various powers, independent nation-states and greedy corporations, all funded by its exports of food, iridium, and uranium. Another planet to mark down. Sam also made sure to contact Francisco. “Do you need more time to conduct the research, or is your work done? If the latter then we’ll pay you right away.” Once everyone was done with their business, the Suvura 3300 would be readied to go.

[Elerian]

Old Man, Rakodan

He descended back onto the platform after using his third eye to probe the structure. His mind harked back to the mutants inside their own pods at the other Rakodan structure. The idea that something like one of those mutants could be inside this stasis tank crossed his mind, as did a slight shiver despite the heat of the day. And then he smelled it again. The scent. Such a sickly sweet scent. He thought maybe he’d smelled it before. And then he remembered. Remembered something he had tried so very hard to bury deep.

---

The "battle" for Krieg had lasted approximately 10 standard minutes. One of the Farassaq Kingdoms, who had previously been an uneasy ally of the Imperial Remnant, used the world’s own security codes to disable Krieg's predictive defense system. The colony, along with its millions of inhabitants, didn't stand a chance against the attack that followed. The Farassaq quietly wiped the colony with neutron bombs, and took control of the system. They quickly informed the powers that be of the battle, their plans to maintain control of the system, and gave the Remnant some advice, like we were some children to be lectured, to be careful who you trust.

Unfortunately for them, Leon wouldn’t reciprocate their "helpful advice". They didn’t mention that, unlike them, humans had been waging war for as long as they had existed. Of course humanity’s history was no secret, hardly anything can be a secret with the vastness of the former Imperium Galaxis, but only the few Farassaq that had worked closely with humans in the past would truly understand the mistake they had made. That humanity had suffered and survived countless empires, multiple world wars, and even a solar civil war before the Imperium Galaxis was even conceptualized. Only they know the extreme lengths some humans will go to to get even, and avenge the ones we’ve lost.

Should another species ask a human what best weapon we could possibly bare against a stellar empire, he might answer "spite". It is a thing bred into us, the hatred of a thousand generations refined to a single moment. Should you spare a single human their spite could forge a tool to topple an Empire. You should not fear humanity, it is a forgiving thing. Fear the individual human, for if it hates you, it will never stop.

In the end, the loss of Krieg was sad. The subsequent devastation that Admiral Tchaikovsky exacted against the Farassaq was nothing short of tragic.

---

The flowers brought him back to his home, a place he hadn’t visited in almost forty years. A place that no longer existed as he remembered. But he remembered the scent of Krieg’s flowers of all things.

He winced.

For the first time in his life he wanted to go home. He wanted to forget what he’d done. He wanted to go back to Krieg and forget any of this nightmare had ever happened. But he could never forget what happened, and going home would never be an option.

He might have been able to save Krieg, had he thought a bit clearer, fought a bit harder. His eyes began to water at the thought.

He couldn't stay here any longer, he needed to go inside. The smell. The memories. The guilt. He couldn't take it anymore.

Action: Delve into the structure, find the stasis tank, and anything else that might be useful

[Ralnis]

Kyr Mirhorn Van

With the current information they have gathered from the building, Kyr was ready. The crew sat around the commons area in order to see the plan unfold and what Kyr planned to do. They had already ruled out trying to go undercover since they were Dunkidor and their kind was not prevalent on this planet. The second thing that was weary was the capturing of a guard to figure out where the artifacts are. Not all the guards were truly counted for, true, but they would expect something is wrong very soon after such a thing.

No, it was better to sneak in and find it themselves. The building wasn't that entirely big, eight floors up and some down. They would have some sort of defensive security outside their light guards but this wasn't a heavily armed stronghold. They aren't expecting a band of mercs to try and sneak and raid their building. But still, one must never be too careful as the Wicked Grin had taught them. Though this job had more stealth and guile than fighting a bunch of pirates, it was still good to try and be on the side of caution with the rest of the crew still fresh in the skills of fighting and gaining honor in their new clan.

The good thing about sneaking into the building is that it had multiple entrances that weren't secure but that was to be expected as the best defense it had was hiding in plain sight. Knowing how sophisticated the Eilians were, it was better than overt illegal crime of Noctus so that was already in Kyr's favor but it was also her malus. For those who were sophisticated in their crime, also had sophisticated allies who had more resources than some pirates to hunt them down.

Zax showed the many companies who have a vested interest in these auctions. Many of them are part of the more shadier side of the planet's underworld and would have brought their own items or goods in the auction as well then their attended target. Such a thing could be sold back by the smugglers they've met to get a higher price than trying to kill the thieves. Kyr liked the idea as they wouldn't be able to wipe out the thieves but they would be able to see about stealing other loot from the criminal underworld but Zax and Kyr were concerned with upsetting the many patrons before they went back to the Port because of their connections to the Port itself.

Still, if they found the artifacts than it would be better to take them for the use of getting more from this job. With that decided their mission was set. They all gathered to pray to the gods for their salvation and strength to get the job done as they try to bring back the honor of their clan in eyes of their peers and of their ancestors.

Action: Try to sneak in the building and find a way to find where the storage room is and the artefacts are.

[The National Dominion of Hungary]

Samuel Bridge Iron

Carnegie and the rest of Sam's crew lit up with pleased smiles. "Three cheers for the captain!" Carnegie shouted and the crew answered with three hurrahs before leaving the ship and disappearing into the spaceport making their way toward the cantinas for a night of revelry and carousing. Sam knew that they would likely be slow in the morning, another day of rest would be more than welcome, but they had an important delivery to make on time in order to feed them mouths that streamed to the planet from nearby systems in the cluster. Huddling together in makeshift camps of tents and prefabs, they were spread across Ylem, listless, restless and many were desperate for work, news and basic resources needed for survival. Food and medicine was running low in the camps as few traders would risk going to the cluster with the threat of the Pirate Armada in the region. While his crew were out living it up and enjoying themselves, Sam stayed behind in the silent hallways and rooms of his freighter quickly reading up on his destination to get a better idea of what kind of place he was going to, as long as they could keep away from the cutthroat politics that seemed to swirl on the planet just like the waves of it's vast oceans, well... they should be fine Sam hoped. They would need to land at the spaceport in Point Bravery, one of the many small city-states that vied for control over the planet's habitable land. There they would need to make contact with the local representatives to hand over the payment he would be carrying on behalf of Ylem's government and load the food aboard the ship. Some kind of mix of fish and kelp, nutritious sure, but Sam had his doubts if it was at all palatable. He had enough of processed nutriblocks back on Qharlaq to last him a lifetime.

- 100 credits.
Morale rises! The crew is pleased with your command.

---

Leon Tchaikovsky

Lost in though, phasing in and out between past and present Leon felt the tears welling up inside, he felt his chest constrict, piles of human bodies on Krieg, piles of Farrasqui bodies on Szzenche. The flowers of his homeworld were feeding on the blood of millions, growing in crimson fields where crumbling ruins, once a testament to the enterprising spirit of humanity and to alien covetousness alike were now slowly being consumed by nature. As far as he knew, the planet had never been resettled since the twin exterminations... The very though of it made him sick, made him ragingly angry and broke his spine all at once. He couldn't bear it any more, he fled, fled his pain, his anger, he fled into the darkness of the vast building, he ran down the hallway tears welling while his throat ached, demanding he cry, just cry it all out. The long hallway eventually ended and there, the former Admiral sat down on the floor and sobbed, surrounded by dusty pillars, broken stone benches and faded murals illuminated by the ruddy glow of a few still functioning lights. It took him a while to notice that, but when he did he realized that there was still something powering the building through a decaying network. That meant, perhaps, that whatever had been in the stasis-tank was still... still here. He descended further down the steps of an ancient staircase leading down into the depths of the structure. He passed through broken hallways and corridors, thank all things holy it wasn't built as a maze. Leon could easily find his way back up again. Nor did he run into any kind of automated security system along the way, no drones, no droids barred his way with laser guns ready to fry his innards to a crisp. No, it was actually calm in there, peaceful even if one could forget the sound of wind moaning drearily down the hallways from tears and holes in the crumbling structure. He could admire the lost beauty of this place in full. But then, then he finally reached his destination. A room, high walls painted over with faded murals, a stone walkway leading up to a pedestal rising from the floor. Upon it stood a stasis tank, the liquid gray and murky. He would need to get closer and as he did, he saw a light flash... it still had power.

---

Kyr Mirhorn Van

A once battered clan now made their way out of their ship with determination in their eyes, the youths who joined back on Port Noctis walked with the feathers puffed out in confidence. The elder ducks had told them of their attack on the pirate corvette and the youths were now eager to add their own glories to the tale of Clan Van. Kyr noted to herself that she would need to keep and extra look on the younglings to make sure they don't do anything too impulsive or stupid in the heat of the moment. When the bullets start flying even the most experienced fighter could let the adrenaline rush go to their head. It was her duty as the chief to make sure they all went out there and brought back glory, not martyrs and bodies. Kyr hoped the gods smiled on them today as they exited the vehicle they hired to get there, parking two blocks away before they slowly made their way toward the building. It was night, business had stopped and the vast office complexes had largely emptied out, only those who wished to drown their workday in drink remained at the small bars and cantinas in the area, music and laughter spilling out on the well lit streets where holoboards and vast screens projected commercials and advertisements at all hours of day and night alike. Finally, they arrived at their destination, the small office block rising in the distance, eclipsed and overshadowed by much larger, grander constructions. They stood and looked over the building, checking the corners and the windows to get a look at where they guards happened to be. A few ducks took a walk around, checking the building from various angles. The only place where they could see any guards was at the loading dock where deliveries would come in. Three in total, the rest of the building looked clear. Now Kyr had to choose which of the entrances to use and it fell on one of the side entries. The main door was too conspicuous and if the garage was where the deliveries came in, they could expect heavy security on the other side. They quickly made their way across the street and down a side-alley, lining up by the door as Zax took out his hand-terminal and connected it to the panel near the door. Kyr did the same and checked over the schematics another time. Soon, they heard a beep and the panel flashed with green light. Zax had gotten into the system in no-time. He slowly opened the door and the ducks made their way into a austere hallway before arriving at two glass door which slowly slid open to greet them. They found themselves in a lobby, a stair leading upward to more offices the likes of which surrounded them. Now, Kyr looked at her hand-terminal and pulled up the schematics Zax had managed to download, there were no guards in sight, where did they keep their goods?

Skill-check: 82 - Large Success!

---

[Ralnis]

Kyr Mirhorn Van

It seemed fairly easy to infiltrate the building. It seemed the security was indeed light as they were only meant to dissuade the common civilian from trying to be nosy. However there must always be caution when dealing with this but so far, so good. The chieftain herself noticed how clean and sterile it was. She was impressed by the professionalism that bled through the walls and wondered what it were in the morning and how many workers come in on a normal day. In some way, Kyr wished for a time of peace like this but that was not a time for such thoughts.

The ducks had started to spread out and scouted out the floor as Kyr start looking through the schematics to try and find a security office or somewhere where they can access the necessary information to find the goods.

Action: Scout the lobby for any information pertaining to the goods or any room where they can get eyes on the room that stores them.

[Zjaum]

"Wow. There really is nothing out here on this planet, isn't there?"
"Hey, it's better than the permafrost planet."
"I think it's pretty!"
"And good for you, Roai."
"Well, where do you want me to land her?"
"Keyu, any thoughts?"
"I mean, I was here to do sunbathing. I was hoping that we'd get some atmosphere to protect us from the radiation around the nebula, but I guess we should expect to get that anyways."
T'kra thought to herself. "I mean, that camp over there is probably made of metal. If we walk inside of it, it will feel like an oven. You can sunbathe there; you just won't get a view."
"I have a view right now, and I'm already bored. Let's try that."
"All right, Roai, land the ship."
"With pleasure! Where?"
"Over by that camp in the distance."
"Okay!"
The Pinnance took a wide berth to lessen the strain of a acute-angle turn, and the ship lowered towards the sand. Roai fidgeted with the controls. "Wait, no, that's not the button for landing gear! Oh, shoot, wait a minute- Ah, it's too late! Brace for impact!"
Roai had fortunately timed the engines well enough. Dropping the ship downwards for the foot that would otherwise have been covered by stubby props didn't do any long-term damage for the ship or her crew. T'kra put her hand to her face. "Roai, please read the buttons the next time you try doing something like this."
"Well, if it's so easy, then you do it!"
"All right, but then you have to do all the negotiating with the humans."
"...Fair point."
"Or would you like to handle the weaponry and switch with Keyu?"
"I get it! I'll... I dunno, go outside and try to shovel enough sand out of the engines."
"First, though, I'd like you to scout around the campsite."
"For what?"
"Anything of interest or value. If it's lasted this long in here, it could probably last enough on Ire-Airow."
"...Fine. I'll go do that."
"Think of it as an adventure. It's more fun that way."
"All right, I will!"
Keyu was already out of her seat, and her space suit. She slammed the button to open the doors and ran across the hot sand to the abandoned station. Windows, doors, anything would work. Roai, eager to be done with her chores, bumped her head twice on her way out. T'kra was the last out. She stretched her arms out in admiration of the nebulous gases above her. She personally would take the route down into the basalt formations. The patterns the miners left behind would surely make for beautiful little walks.


Action: T'kra explores the basalt formations.
Action: Keyu and Roai attempt to enter the camp.
If entry into the campsite, or the buildings therein, is possible: {
Action: Keyu enters and tries to relax.
Action: Roai attempts to find something salvageable. }

[The Empire of Tau]

Merchant Man, Sam
A Travel to Zophon

Placeholder for now. Sam is going to travel to Zophon, the ocean world. Thankfully, I have a Sensor-System and Jammer on my ship. Avoiding pirates should be easier, I hope. Get those foodstuffs, bring it back to Ylem, and get paid. I'll get out a bigger lore post out soon, if I am not busy with doing paperwork.

[Elerian]

Old Man, Rakodan

How strange. He wondered how long this stasis tank had sat here. The whole Rakodan civilization had reached its zenith and then crumbled into nothingness all while this tank had sat here, as if a silent observer.

It made him nervous in a way. If he refused to open this tank and left, it would likely remain here just as it always had, until long after he was dead and buried. That was, if the source of power that kept this thing alive was managed to hold out for that long. Obviously it is in human nature to be curious and to stick their noses into that which they had no business with. This moment would be no different. Curiosity got the better of him, as he cleared his eyes of any remaining moisture and set about opening this strange stasis tank. It occurred to him that whatever was inside may not be friendly, and so he made sure his pistol was within reach and his mind was ready to tap into the paracasual before he took the final step.

As ready as he could be, he stepped up to the cold metal of the tank and looked for a way to open it.

Action: Open the tank

[The National Dominion of Hungary]

Kyr Mirhorn Van

The ducks fanned out, stepping across the sterile, well-polished floor after checking the walls for any security cameras. Moving in precise patterns they got around to get a better view of the area, the security chief had to have their office around here somewhere. The mercenaries were careful in their movements to avoid any possible patrols and automated security systems, it was probably not too far fetched that competitors would have been interested in stealing corporate secrets, however, that is not why they were here, they had come to steal something completely different. Kyr was carefully looking through Zax´s schematics and there it was, the security chief's office about five floors up and slightly suspended out over the lobby, allowing the chief a good view of the area had she been there. Luckily, the office seemed dark, only the ruddy orange glow of holographic displays left on could be seen through the window. If they were on it could only mean one of two things, either the chief was here tonight or she had self the system on but locked down. Checking there was a good bet on where to find what they were looking for. It was unlikely, no, borderline impossible for the whole auction operation to go on without the involvement of the guards. The ducks slowly made their way up the stairs, passing sterile hallways and glass-walled offices until they finally arrived at their destination. The door was code-locked but Zax was seemingly riding high today and he cracked the code shortly after hooking up his hand-terminal. They entered slowly but the room was empty, only the holoscreens cast a dim orange glow across the neatly organized office, and they were locked down forcing Zax to get back to it. But after he did, and succeeded, Kyr had to stifle a small cheer from her clan-mates. The storage room was in the basement, near one of the main parking garages. After looking at the security cameras they counted three guards outside, all armored with light armor and carrying what looked like SMG's but there were likely more of them around. They knew where to go, but now they had to go there, and deal with the security. Either by creating a distraction or by going head-on... it was all up to the chieftain.

Search Luck: 71 - Large Success

---

T'kra Tyawerai

The vast dunes that spread out all around them were hot, dry and windy. T'kra doubted anyone would ever have set any kind of permanent footprint on this planet if not for the valuable resources that could readily by harvested with cheap gear after the eruption of a sciligeyser. The three Werai women looked up into the skies above, enjoying the sight of the looming gas-giant that the world orbited and the nebula beyond, visible even now, the wondrous nature of space could always amaze even the most rugged voidfarer from time to time. After all, it was infinite in it's scope. As the winds whirled around above them under a nearly cloudless sky, the women got to work. Keyu and Roai made their way up to the abandoned campsite, a number of prefab housing units stacked on top of each other, surrounded by an equally prefabricated wall which had evidently taken a beating from the planet's occasional fierce sandstorms. Inside there was little, no movement, no signs of life. The place looked like it had been abandoned for months. Everything was covered in yellow dust. Under a pitched cover a large rover stood parked. Strange, people usually didn't leave expensive vehicles like this behind. The two Werai women entered the prefabs and saw old furniture strewn about, there were a number of large dents in the floor but no old dried bloodstains and no bodies. There were things to find though, they managed to find a few crates of spare parts in good condition and rip some valuable wiring from the walls. In a locker they also found three Foehammer laser pistols. The place was strange and they didn't quite like the feel of it. T'kra on the other hand had made a strange discovery indeed, the basalt rocks were no rocks, they were in fact strange black metal structures, long dead lines once lit shot through the metal, possible once lights. T'kra had no idea what she was looking at, had she stumbled upon the ruins of some ancient civilization?

Scavenger's Luck: 97 - Great Success! 3 Foehammer laser pistols acquired / 300 credits worth of Salvage acquired.

---

Samuel Bridge Iron

The trip was relatively uneventful, Sam's little freighter passed dead systems with no habitable worlds and with access to similar resources in much more hospitable places. Airless rocks with little in the way of ores, frozen gasses or water ice to warrant building any kind of permanent colonies. Every now and then they passed the burned out hulks of freighters left to drift in the darkness of the void, ships who had fallen victim to the tendrils of the pirate armada. There was little to find as the wrecks had probably already been stripped of anything even remotely valuable by the pirates that had waylayed them. Sam knew better than to linger here, it was best to use the fact that he had invested in heat-sinks for the ship to leave places like this as soon as possible. After a few FTL cruises and Warp-Gate jumps they finally arrived in orbit above Zophon, the vast blue water-ball was located in a largely unremarkable system, near the star there was a hothouse world with a crushing atmosphere and little of note and further out there was a methane-ammonia gas giant, making the system largely dependent on fuel import for ship as Zophon's infrastructure was largely powered by tidal-wave generators. Samuel hailed the flight control of Point Bravery, stating his name, his ship's registry number and his mission, providing the credentials he had been given by Ylem's authorities as a representative of the planet's merchant fleet. With such credentials how could they refuse him. Sam was quickly directed to a starport and after being allocated a berth number and coordinates Samuel's freighter darted through the heavy cloud cover and descended toward the planet. A fierce storm had descended on the area but Sam's freighter had little trouble making it to it's destination. The city of Point Bravery was constructed out a number of sturdy circular towers upon which they could spot heavy laser guns. The tower rose out of a large complex built to withstand the storms, high winds and attacks from rivaling city-states that scrambled for usable land and underwater ore deposits with equal ferocity. As the small freighter closed in, a large hermetic gate opened on the roof, allowing the ship access to the docking berth. As Sam's ship set down and the gate above closed, they had barely finished the landing procedure before two Salunri men in well-cut suits with small pins fastened above the outer chest pocket, each resembling the crest of Point Bravery. These had to be the representatives Sam was here to meet regarding the good, something sure made them eager to meet with him quickly...

---

Leon Tchaikovsky

The tank hissed as ancient hydraulics spun into action, the life-supporting liquid within was slowly and steadily being pumped out as the lights flickered, ancient wiring and connection devices finally giving out after this one last surge of power through them. As the tank drained more and more of it's liquid Leon could finally see the being that was trapped withing it, a large humanoid figure slumped forward, restrained from falling against the see-through composite by a number of strong straps tied over it's arms, legs, chest and stomach. He could see scar tissue covering the being, much of it was far too uniform and intricate in appearance to have been marks from battle, whoever this creature was, it must have practiced some kind of ritual scarification. It did not look like one of the ancient Rakodans Leon had seen when looking back into the distant past in his third eye, this being was tall and hulking, strongly muscled with crude-looking cybernetic implants clearly visible on it's powerful frame. It was almost reptilian in a way with dark grayish skin, sharp-looking claws and a lamprey-like mouth. With a strange blare from a long-ruined sound device the liquid had finally been drained from the tank and with another hissing noise, the composite slid away to the side of the tank while the straps retracted, the creature opened it's eyes groggily before taking a shaky step forward, falling out of the tank and landing on the dusty stone floor with a loud thud, it certainly was heavy. It roared, or shouted? Clearly distressed about the situation, it covered it's eyes and looked around trying to get up and eventually managing to get upright. It looked around, right to left and back, before it's eyes fell on Leon. It fixed it gaze and emitted to ululating noise, it then roared loudly and tensed up, powerful muscles bulging, looking as if it would leap at the old man any second now...

---

[Ralnis]

Kyr Mirhorn Van

Action Cause a distraction on the guards for the Clan to slip through.

[Zjaum]

T''kra's interest was piqued. This... this was something new altogether. Something that she hadn't experienced since... since she left home. A place where people lived and worked in some of the most extreme places in the galaxy. Or perhaps they were here before this planet went to hell in a hand-basket, and her nostalgia was for naught. T'kra nodded her head. Whatever the matter was, it was certainly something joyous to report.
She reached the part of her path most visible to the encampment. Keyu was already outside the structure, already looking down towards T'kra in anticipation. They were out of range for hearing, at least without exerted effort, but not quite out of range for sight. T'kra waved her hands at Keyu. She needed to see this.
Keyu cut the air with her flat palm, indicating a negative. She then flailed her arms in the same fashion.
T'kra lifted her arms over her back, indicating that Keyu needed to come over.
Keyu made a wrenching motion. They had found something that could fix the ship, perhaps?
Now, how could T'kra convey an ancient civilization across to Keyu? She tried gesturing buildings, more like the ones they built at home to better convey the picture. It was hardly a convincing gesture, but hopefully Keyu understood?
Keyu showed neither understanding nor confusion, gesturing instead her hands, outstretched to her left, grabbing a holster and firing a gun.
Well, whatever T'kra was going to face down there, a gun was a universally good thing to have. She threw up her hands in surrender and began walking over. It was a good few minutes in the sand before T'kra could reach her comrades, but they left the door open and unlocked for her. To the side was a land rover. It was a little dusty, but certainly usable. T'kra nodded at her two subordinates, then at the pile of salvage they had gathered on the floor. They'd dusted it off, as best as could reasonably be expected of them. "Good work," stated T'kra.
"We thought so as well!" replied Roai. Keyu returned. "Now, what were you talking about with regards to mounds?"
She didn't get the message. Not to worry. "Those basalt rocks aren't natural. Someone built them."
"Like the people who made these?"
"I think the basalt structures were for a different purpose. There seemed to be some sort of electricity, but I can't be sure."
Keyu looked at Roai and shrugged. "All right. Let's each take a Foehammer, and we should all be able to ride the dune buggy. From there, we should have a more leisurely stroll through the area."
Roai piped up. "But I need to fix the ship, though!"
T'kra was merciful. "You can take a small break from that, so long as there's no urgent danger to the ship."
Keyu pounded her fist against the wall of the house. "And all I wanted to do was sunbathe."

TO BE CONTINUED IN A LATER POST, HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE NEXT UPDATE

[The Empire of Tau]

Merchant Man, Sam
A Meeting

I swear. I'll get out a lore post soon. If not, umhm, I go commit meetup with those good-looking Salunri(s).

[Aidannadia]

In collaboration with the National Dominion of Hungary

Mei looked back at her crew with their intimidating suits and firearms. The child was scared; not only for himself but for his people. Mei understood the weight on the shoulders of the youngling; it was not unlike her own attitude towards the Faith when she was young. She felt the weight of her people’s discrimination on her own shoulders, and it was only in recent years that they could operate openly once more.

“I would love to speak with your minder. Go. Bring him to me.” She smiled as the child ran off, but as soon as the boy’s shoes began to stop clicking, she turned to her crew. “I don’t want this to go South, and we need to continue our search of the facility. If the two of you,” She pointed them out and they stood to attention, “ Could travel down the other path and see if we can find anything else to bring home, I’d be grateful.” The pair nodded and went off together while Mei and her acolyte waited for the minder.

That was an interesting term. Minder. It no doubt referred to someone blessed with psionic abilities, no doubt strongly channeling the spirits of those that came before in themselves. Mei had always been fascinated with psions.

It was then that footsteps began to resound in the hallways nearby once more. As the minder turned the corner, Mei gave a slight bow. “Hello. I am Mei Nakama of the Reclaimers, High Inheritor of the Reclaimant. I am here to study these great halls, and would appreciate your guidance while we are conducting our survey.”

The Hemoh walked slowly, there was an air of authority about them even though their clothes were dirty and their appearance marred with dirt after being stuck down here only the Sacred Ancients could know how long. Alongside it were a number of muscular Hemoh carrying second-hand laser rifles and clad in greasy clothes. They regarded the cultists warily but their leader seemed to less afraid. He had figured out that they were not part of the pirate flotilla that laid waste to their colony.

“Hello.” The minder said. “I am the arkon of this humble band, though that is little more than a formality.” The being said with something resembling a sad smile. “You have to study what the Builders left behind here, you say.” The being said with a hint of interest. “You are welcome to do so as long as you do not bother me and my people. We have had enough misfortune lately. I warn you, don’t try and steal what little we have left, we need it to survive until the surface is safe. Tell me, have the pirates left? Is it safe to return? If you tell me the truth I’ll tell you of something that might be worth your time and trust me, I’ll know if you lie.”

Mei nodded. “I’ve not seen any sign of pirates, though there were wreckages nearby that have yet to be explored. We were planning on inspecting those for parts next, both in space and along the terrain.”

“Wreckages…” The arkon’s eyes betrayed a pang of sorrow as he thought back to those these Hemoh outcasts had lost in the attack. “The Second Chance is gone I suppose, yes? The colony ship we came with, is it’s wreck drifting in orbit?” The Hemoh exchanged solemn looks, there was nothing left, or at least so they thought. However many of them were down here may be the last that remained of the group that had come here, the rest dead or hauled of to be sold at the slave markets of Noctis Station.

Mei looked solemnly at the floor, but continued to speak. “Our ship can return with news of the status of the other colonists, but in the case that you need it, the Faith does provide humanitarian aid. If you were to need anything in this difficult time, I’m sure that we could be of assistance.”

“Perhaps.” The Arkon said solemnly. “For now we must see if there is anything left salvaging here.” He then waved his hand dismissively. “But for now, follow my people, these two shall show you where to go to find the old machine. Perhaps you can make more of it that we can.” The Hemoh said and gestured to two of his followers who nodded in reply and bade the cultists follow them further into the ruins.

The pair followed the Hemoh’s followers deeper in the ruins, occasionally stopping to take a scan of the various symbols that appeared from time to time on the walls of the Builder’s hallways.

They finally arrived in a large chamber, it was unremarkable, actually, it was probably something most people would avoid. They would have avoided is because it seemed to be some kind of scrap heap, dark metal parts lay scattered about the room in several piles rising up toward the walls. Discarded machinery, left here by Builders and their automated maintenance robots who in some ancient installations still continued their duties to this day, running through their protocols with relentlessness. One of the Hemoh refugees warily climbed one of the scrap piles and gestured to a faintly glowing object, Mei slowly approached and then she saw what it was, it was a Scarabot, seemingly still somewhat intact! There scarab-like robots were still relatively poorly understood, but they seemed to “direct” the maintenance efforts of other robots in some particularly well-preserved holy temples. If they manage to probe it’s databanks, she did not doubt that they would learn much sacred knowledge, knowledge unbelievers would probably pay an arm and a leg for.

“Oh, this is lovely.” Her voice took on a sing-song quality as she grabbed a cryo-tube from her compatriot and entered the Scarabot into the device. “Thank you, fair colonists, for your assistance. We will return soon with information from the wreckages.” She bowed slightly and the two cultists began the long trek back to their ship with the cargo in toe.

[The National Dominion of Hungary]

Kyr Mirhorn Van

The Ducks move out and Kyr formulates a plan to draw the guards away. With Zax in the system, he could remain behind and track the guards as they, at least in Kyr's hopes, take the bait and go on a wild goose chase across the building. As Kyr laid out the details of her plan, the mercenaries huddled up with one of the ducks keeping watch outside the office and Zax probing through the cameras and security systems. Clan Van would try lead the guards away from the store room, but for that they needed a volunteer to act as bait, leading the Ellirean guards by the nose and as soon as the chieftain said so, each and every one of her eager young clan members raised their feathers and puffed themselves out but Kyr needed to make sure the job is done right so she sent one of her new recruits as well as one of her seasoned clan-members from the raid on the Wicked Grin to make sure everything is done right. The mercenaries file out of the office and sneak down the hallways with Zax connecting his and Kyr's hand-terminals to the security system so they could keep an eye on the guards. When they arrived near the store-room, the two volunteers slowly set about putting the plan into action, moving over to a nearby security camera which quickly captured the movement and sent out an alert to all guards. Soon, Kyr could see three guards from outside the storeroom running in the direction of the distraction. The Dunkidor tried to move in quickly, but Kyr then spotted more guards arriving, two of them from a side corridor to reinforce the storeroom and... shit. More were coming from a side corridor and would soon be upon them, as they heard their footsteps they could hear a shout. "You there, don't fucking move!" The guards rounded a corner, a gunshot rang out and a flash of light lit up as the shield of the rearmost Dunkidor mercenary deflected the shot which struck a glass wall of a conference room which now fell apart in chiming rain of shards.

Skill-check: 28 - Failure

---

Samuel Bridge Iron

Samuel quickly finished his business meeting with the two local representatives, both seemed to want to be done with the whole thing as soon as possible but it would take some time for the funds to clear and the food still needed to be transported from the storage building where it was being kept up to the spaceport where workers in exoskeletons would take the heavy containers aboard and stow them in the cargo hold. The amount of money it would cost was rather substantial, of course it was the Ylemi government's money that was paying for it but still, Sam had to admit that he felt a sense of satisfaction and confidence at the thought of watching his little ship's cargo hold being filled to the brim with supplies for the first time, looking exactly how it was supposed to look. As steady work went on, he would be able to use his funds and the trust and respect of Ylem's authorities to make himself a man of great importance on the planet if he were to put his sharp wit, silver tongue and the strength of his back into it, aye, now that would be something. As the talk of business faded, small-talk filled the void as the two Salunri reps left the ship, one stopped for a while, offering the human an opportunity to get to know the local nightlife in order to "foster a better trade relationship between two worlds". He told Sam that he could get him, and his crew into a good lounge near the central parts of the colony. Just bring a suit.

---

Mei Nakama

The survivors thanked them, eager for news, any news really about their compatriots. Even if they found that they were all gone, then they could at least start grieving properly. The galaxy was a fickle thing, it took away as easily as it gave and sometimes, just as it could give you all, it could also take everything you held dear. As the cultists slowly made their way back through the dark ruins to their ship which awaited them above, Mei thanked the Ancients with a prayer. One couldn't forget to pay the proper respects to the lost spirits of this ancient holy place for the great bounty they had bestowed upon the faithful. They finally reached the surface and emerged from the ruins under the starry night sky. While the days were terribly warm, the nights were equally cold and Mei led her little expedition back aboard. There, she led a prayer-service as the cultists rejoiced at the finding and praised the exalted name of the ancients. Now, there was much to do, after the service was complete she informed them of what had transpired in the ruins, they had found survivors from the colony and Mei agreed to help them look for signs of other survivors and what had become of the colony. Now there were two things that they could do, first was to go to the location of the main settlement, graciously sent to Mei's hand-terminal by the arkon, or they could first go up into the black void once more and investigate the wrecked colony-ship that drifted in the vast darkness above. They could of course split up and try to do both at once, but that would mean greater risk if anything dangerous was still around. But, by this time the pirates would have left, right?

---

[Aidannadia]

Firstly, Mei briefed her fellow dungeon dwellers after peeling off the suit that protected her in the caverns. They had not found much on their trip through the cave, but she had received a fully intact machine of great repute. However, her promise to the Hemoh remained charged to her honor as a Reclaimer, and so her first orders were to head out towards the wreckage across the dune, along the planet's surface. Flying low, just below the cloud cover to avoid sensors in space, her followers managed to bring them around the wreckage, though this time many more of her acolytes followed her into the ruins, totally 10 all together with the armed individuals at cardinal directions around the group. As soon as the party reached the ship, they scattered in formation, the armed ones setting up a perimeter while the scavengers poked around for anything useful, or anyone that may be still alive in this hollowed out vessel.