Interstellar Exports Game 6

Game Master: Andrew
Game Edition: Traveller (Mongoose Publishing)
Players: Jeff, Dave, Elijah
Ages: 37Dys, 30Yrs, 380Yrs


Quote of the Evening:
"How does this station not have a strip club!?" -Dry.

Introduction

Left to right: Caesar (Jeff), Dry (Dave), Krunt (Elijah)

Both the S.S. Hornby -captained by Dry (Dave) and the S.S. Exodus -captained by Caesar (Jeff) and piloted by Krunt (Elijah) were travelling through hyperspace towards System 0505 and the planet Mycra.

On board the Hornby, Dry and his crew mates Henri Duvalle and Zeila Dakdon and were escorting a group of space pilgrims headed towards a festival in the system. It had been a fairly dull trip, and Dry passed the time swapping stories with Henri and Zeila and playing chess.

Is this even chess?

The Exodus was two days behind the Hornby, and heading towards system 0505 and Krunt and Caesar had passed the time chatting with one another, in between long periods of comfortable silence.

Neither ship had any idea they were both heading towards the same system, but it was just the type of coincidence they needed.

Scene 1 Mycra Station. A Bird Named Skraw.

The Hornby dropped out of Hyperspace on the edge of System 0505: The Mycra System. Mycra had single planet, and a quick scan of the area revealed hundreds of different star ships coming and going. Dry even recognised the signatures of several Interstellar Exports Cargo Haulers leaving the system, as several more arrived. For being a backwater system, Mycra was quite the bustling space port.

Dry ordered Zeila to set a course towards the planet, and within an hour it fell into view. In orbit around the planet was a vast space station that seemed to circle the globe. Hundreds of ships were coming and going, and Dry and his crew wondered at its size and sophistication. 

Something Like that.

Before hailing the station, and arranging to dock, Dry decided to speak to the pilgrims in his cargo to hold to find out what the planet Mycra was all about. System 0505 was on one of the local trade lines; these systems often had strange system ordnances, and he didn't want to be caught off guard.

The pilgrims explained that Mycra was a religious oligarchy. Their faith was about separating themselves from the physical realm, and thus become more at one with the true spiritual nature of the universe. However, they understood that physicality was a necessity, so rather than simply wasting away, throughout the year each member of their faith gave away one valuable or meaningful item. The festival they were attending was one of those occasions.

Dry expressed his interested in joining, all the while planning to steal the acquired "valuable goods" that these pilgrims were off loading. The pilgrims' leader seemed delighted at the prospect of Dry joining their faith, and offered to help him find an object to give up. Dry declined the request, and returned to the bridge, ordering Henri to open a channel with the station. Dry arranged to dock, but at the steep cost of 1000cr. per day.

After docking, Dry set about exploring the station. He first goal was to seek out a Strip Club, and when he was unable to find one, he uttered our quote of the evening.

"How does this station not have a strip club!?"

Deciding a strange alien club he had found would be the next best thing, he entered the place and hoped for the best.

The music was strange but somewhat enticing, and he stayed for a while enjoying a beer in James Hornby's name. Around him strange aliens danced and enjoyed unusual looking concoctions ranging from glowing blue drinks, some sort of inhaler, and perhaps the strangest of all, a group of bugs that swarmed around a small light, that the patrons seemed to be catching and eating.

Alien Rave!

After a time in the pounding music, Dry figured he wouldn't be able to find any new crewmen here, and decided to search elsewhere and went to a pub he just outside where his ship was docked. There he ate some nachos, and encountered a strange looking Droyne. The Droyne was wearing battle gear, and introduced himself as Skraw. After learning that Skraw was both a competent soldier and gunner, Dry offered him a position on the Hornby. Without a moment’s hesitation the bird accepted.

One Badass Bird,

To seal the deal, Dry gave Skraw 1000cr. and told him to meet him at his ship the following morning. Skraw thanked Dry and the left the bar, while Dry wiled away the afternoon drinking his favourite brew.

Damn That Shit's Dry!

As the evening approached, and the station switched from day to night lighting, Dry decided to return to the Hornby and get some shut eye. Zeila and Henri had left the ship earlier, and Dry decided to put the peace and quite to good use.

Scene 2 Those Weren't Pilgrims

When Dry awoke the following morning, he remembered that the pilgrims in his cargo hold still owed him 240,000cr. He figured they had simply skipped out on their tab, but hoping for the best, he walked down the corridor to the cargo bay. It turned out that the pilgrims had not left, which Dry found a little strange. Gripping the strap on his gauss riffle he approached them and asked what they were still doing there.

Before saying anything, two of the pilgrims pulled laser pistols from under their robes, and the group's Aslan leader spoke.

"Where is the case captain?"

The pilgrims, weren't pilgrims at all, but thieves looking to steal the mysterious case from Interstellar Exports!

Yeah big surprise.

Thinking it over, Dry put his hands up and lead them towards his stateroom. He had hid the case under the bed and didn't seem to have any other choice but to give it to them. Dry unlocked the door and three of the thugs went inside while one stayed in the hall; his laser pistol aimed at Dry and a smile on his face.

See an opportunity, and thinking quickly, Dry kicked out of the way, as the thug fired at him. The shot missed and returned fire with his gauss rifle, he scored only a grazing blow, as he dived for cover around the corner by the airlock. It was however not a clean break. Just before Dry got around, the thug zapped his arm with a laser blast. Crying out in pain, and firing some covering fire around the corner, Dry dashed out of the airlock and onto the station. As he fled, he bumped into Skraw, who had been waiting for him for almost an hour.

Skraw began a slow and casual greeting, but Dry hurried to the point.

"I promised you action Skraw, and you are going to get some. Four men have attacked my ship. They are still inside and I need your help to deal with them."

Skraw's eyes lit up and he unshouldered his laser rifle. Dry followed him as he charged into the fray.

Sweet battles!

Skraw proved true to his word, as he skilfully downed two of the pirates without taking a scratch. Dry on the other hand was not so lucky. He was pelted by laser fire, and everything went dark...

Scene 3 Caesar and Krunt Arrive.

Many hours later, on the edge of the system, the S.S. Exodus emerged from hyperspace. Without any more fuel, the ship's stabilizers were offline, and the transition from hyper to real -space was bumpy one, leaving the vessel drifting in space.

Caesar and Krunt went up to the bridge and activated the emergency comm. Luckily with all the traffic heading to and from Mycra, their call was quickly answered by a pig-like alien. The pig graciously gave them 1 ton a fuel, and offered to tow them into the station. With power back up and running, Caesar rejected the offer, and Krunt set a course towards the only planet.

As Mycra stationed loomed into view, Krunt signalled them and using his credit card, paid for them to dock. Caesar also took the opportunity to learn about the festival on the planet by discussing it with the eager comm officer from the station. Like Dry, Caesar thought it was a "great opportunity."

Krunt docked with the station, and Caesar took the moment to use the scanner the pirates had used to find the case earlier. Caesar was expecting Dry to be many light years away, and was shocked to learn that he and Dry were in the same station!

What are the odds!?

Caesar told Krunt that his friend was near by, and the two hurried towards the beacon. They arrived at the docked S.S. Hornby within a few minutes, and Caesar activated the exterior comm.

A woman's voice came over the speaker.

"Hello?"

Caesar introduced himself, and asked to see Dry. The woman responded that Dry had been attacked and could be found in the stations hospital. Caesar tried to press about waht had happened, but the voice was not forth coming. So, Caesar and Krunt thanked the voice, and continued their search.

Scene 4 The Hospital.

The foyer of the hospital was tended by a robotic staff, that both Krunt and Caesar found frustrating to deal with. Their limited responses, made it difficult to find Dry and it didn't help that neither of them knew his full name. They knew his last name was Williams, but other than that they only knew his nickname "Dry" which wasn't on file.

Robots! Sheesh!

Fairly certain they were looking for Travis Williams in room 709, and not Shklork Williams in room 1358. The two decided to head towards room 709. But along the way, curiosity got the better of Caesar and he said he would meet Krunt there.

Caesar went off to room 1358, just to see what Shklork Williams looked like. He arrived to find the room occupied with a circular bed, upon which sat the strangest life form Caesar had ever seen. It looked like a cauliflower or a brain with with large purple veins.

I Imagine something like that.

The thing did not speak, or acknowledge Caesar's presence in any way, but Caesar was curious none the less. Using one of his manipulators, he broke a piece off of what he assumed was Shklork Williams. As a part broke off of the cauliflower like creature, sensors and warning alarms started blaring. Quickly Caesar stashed the piece inside his chest compartment, and darted out of the room.

Warning alarms never mean something good happened.

Meanwhile Krunt had Found room 709, but was met with a very hostile Droyne who was guarding the room. With his simple charm, Krunt convinced the Droyne that he was not a threat, and introduced himself.

The Droyne replied that his name was Skraw, and that thieves had tried to kill his captain almost a day ago. He had been guarding the room ever since. Krunt of course had never seen Dry and passed the time until Caesar arrived, by trying to get to know Skraw. It only took Skraw a minute to realise he did not like the slugulon, and an awkward silence ensued.

Moments later, Caesar arrived and introduced himself to Skraw, who was sceptical of the robot at first, but came to accept him. Caesar checked over Dry's charts and found that it would be another three days until he was awake. He turned to Krunt and Skraw and recommended they return to the Hornby, and figure out a plan from there. Krunt eagerly agreed, interested in seeing another vessel, but Skraw declined, insisting that he stay behind to watch over their captain; in case he was attacked again.

Both Caesar and Krunt thought the Droyne a little paranoid, but shrugged it off and returned to Dry's ship.

Scene 5 Listed as M.I.A.

Back at the Hornby. Both Henri and Zeila had returned upon learning of the captains fight, and were also on high guard. When Caesar in his new robot body and a large yellow slug approached the ship, they were one to sure what to make of it. It took some time, but some how Caesar was miraculously was to convince Henri to let him and Krunt on board the ship.

With the addition of Caesar and Krunt to the crew, Henri and Zeila relaxed a little and chatted with Krunt as Caesar formed a plan. He was interested in finding the store valuable items being given away at the festival, but also needed to be near Dry in case their were any further developments. After due consideration, he suggested that Henri and Zeila go to the surface and search for anything of value.

Excellent.

Henri knew what to do, but Zeila was a little confused at the comment. As it had turned out, Henri and Dry had never told her that they were pirates, and that they had plans to pillage the Galactic Sub-Sector. So Henri laughed it off, explaining that they were looking for goods to trade, while giving a covert look to Caesar.

Thanks Big Bird.

Zeila and Henri took the station's shuttles down to the surface, and Caesar showed Krunt around the S.S. Hornby. It was only the second IU ship that Krunt had ever been on, and he was anxious to look around.

The Engine room fascinated Krunt more than any other part of the ship, and it spent more than an hour inspecting the engines and their components. When Caesar finally got Krunt to the bridge to look at the engineering station, they were interrupted by the blinking comm light.

Caesar answered the comm and an audio call came across the speakers. It was garbled and difficult to make out, but the sound of laser and snub gun fire was clearly audible, accompanied by a panicked French voice. It was Henri, and he was begging for help!

He said something about being pinned down, but before he could relay his coordinates the comm went silent.

Caesar tried to raise the frequency again, but it he couldn't get it back. The two spent the next couple hours trying to get them back, but to no avail: Zeila and Henri didn't respond. Krunt and Caesar had no idea what to do next.

They needed Dry.

Scene 6 Dry's Awake. Working in Sales.

Having no idea how to proceed next, Krunt and Caesar decided to wait until their captain awoke. But that we be another 4 days. To pass the time Krunt and Caesar returned to the S.S Exodus and prepared a pouch of Algae for Krunt to carry around. The pouch could hold about a weeks worth of algae, and give them one less thing to worry about. They also started setting up an algae bed on the Hornby. With that out of the way, Krunt spent the time getting intimate with the ship's engines while Caesar decided to save some battery and shut himself off.

Three days later, Krunt and Caesar returned to the hospital and found Dry sitting up in his bed, talking with Skraw. Dry didn't recognise Caesar in his new engineering droid body, but Caesar told him what had happened him. He spoke of the Slugulon refuelling station, and about Krunt. He also told him how Henri and Zeila had gone missing.

Dry would still be bed ridden for another week, but he was at least conscious and could direct his crew members what to do next. He agreed that they needed to find Henri and Zeila, and that fixing the drill back on the Slugulon Station was a good idea. However he also to make some quick cash by selling the Exodus. He figured they could make at least 14,000,000cr. off of the scout ship, which he could then use to expand his crew and improve their equipment.

With those objectives in mind, Dry ordered Krunt, Caesar and Skraw down to the surface to begin their investigations.

Squad Up!

Before Caesar had lost Henri and Zeila's signal, he had been able to calculate three possible locations that the transmission could have come from. The first place the crew investigated were the government offices. They found nothing of use, and decided to try the next location; business district.

by cat-meff on DeviantArt

There was no sign of Henri or Zeila in the business district, but Krunt, Caesar and Skraw were able to make some arrangements. Knowing they would need food, Skraw purchased 2000 low flavour ration packs, and had them sent to the Hornby. Meanwhile Krunt and Caesar were dealing with larger matters.

After searching through a few dealers, Krunt and Caesar came to learn that replacing the mining drill on the Slugulon station would cost them 6,000,000cr. The total was a fair cry from their current savings, but they hoped the profits from selling the Exodus would pay for it.

These things don't come cheap.

In order to sell the the Exodus, they would first need to find a starship broker. They could try to sell the starship themselves, but Caesar was pretty sure that a broker would do a better job, then himself and Krunt. In the business district, There were many brokers around  to choose from, but in the end Krunt and Caesar settled on Hulunka & Barnes, who agreed to sell it on their behalf. Hulunka figured they could get between 14 to 17 million credits for the ship within a few days, and He would get an 5% commission fee.

Thinking this a fine offer, Krunt and Caesar agreed, and went to fetch Skraw. They still had to investigate the third possible location of Henri and Zeila: the Temple.

Scene 7 Investigating the Temple.

Being in the middle of the religious festival, meant that it was easy for Krunt, Skraw and Caesar to blend into the crowd. There were peoples from all over the galaxy assembled to give away something valuable or meaningful to them. Neither Caesar nor Krunt  had any idea the religion was so popular, but Skraw had been working out this way for some time and was used to the sight.

A strange place indeed!

Krunt and Caesar went to look inside the temple while Skraw waited around the entrance. The interior of the temple was a large chamber with a vast pit in the centre. Swirling brilliant blue lights, as fantastic as the stars themselves danced and whirled around in the pit, obscuring the view below.  It was here that the patrons of the festival were throwing their valued goods into.

It was beautiful!

Caesar made a quick scan of the pit, and discovered that the majestic blue energy was merely a hologram, and expressed a desire to Krunt to see what was beneath the hologram. Krunt thought this was a good idea, and lifted Caesar over the edge, and dropped him down.

Krunt watched as the robot disappeared into the swirling blue energy and to the mystery that lied below. Not knowing what else to do, Krunt left the pit and found Skraw waiting for it outside.  Krunt told Skraw that it had dropped Caesar over edge and Skraw looked at him in utter disbelief.

"You know you can't get that back right!?" Skraw cried out.

Krunt just looked at him with a big dumb smile and shrugged.

Shaking his head Skraw told Krunt that they had better go back to Dry and tell him the news. Krunt agreed and they left for the shuttles and the station's hospital.

Scene 8 The Complex Beneath the Temple.

Caesar quickly fell into the pit and through the hologram, until he was caught in a net. Spinning his visual sensor around, he was able to get a clear picture of what was happening below. The insignia of the Draco Syndicate, the largest criminal organisation in the galaxy adorned the walls, and Interstellar Exports ships sat waiting.

What is it with villains and secret underground bases?

Each of the items that the pilgrims dropped into the pit, to supposedly free themselves from the material universe, being caught, catalogued and shipped out. It would seem that the entire religious festival was nothing but a scam to rob the poor fools of their possessions, and Interstellar Exports and the Draco Syndicate were behind it!

Hearing voices, Caesar spun his visual sensor and saw two men approaching him. Using long poles with manipulating appendages on the end, they freed Caesar from the net and began inspecting him. Wanting to learn more, Caesar kept silent and listened to his captors.

"Hey look an engineering droid!" one of the men said.

"Nice! Haven't had one of these in a while!" Said another " We will take him to the shuttle bay. I am sure they can find some use for him there."

"Robot, follow us." the first said. Still keeping silent, Caesar obeyed and followed the men through the tunnels.

Cargo containers on grav-platforms moved cargo to and from the central chamber. Caesar examined a couple as they passed. They contained all manner of goods, some of which Caesar couldn't identify.

Finally, the Tunnels opened up into a large shuttle bay where Interstellar Exports shuttles were being loaded by Draco Syndiacte thugs.  His escort brought Caesar over to a strange reptilian alien who was busy repairing one of the shuttle's engines.

"We got you a new droid Mac!" One of Caesar escorts called out. The reptilian creature looked up from its work and spoke with a hiss.

"Good. I have been in need of one for some time. Droid, clear the coolant from this engine."

Caesar obeyed and the men left back down the tunnel they came while the reptile went back to work. After a few minutes, Caesar felt that it was safe to depart and start exploring the complex. But just as he was not 20ft. from the shuttle, the reptilian called out to Caesar asking for assistance; poking his head out only to see the droid departing.

"Droid, Stop!" The reptilian called. "Where are you going?"

Caesar tried to bluff the creature claiming that he needed a specific tool to clean out the coolant line, but the reptilian wouldn't have any of it.

"You have every tool you need right here." He said tapping a wrench he was holding against one of Caesar's panels.

The reptilian was quite right, cleaning out the coolant system would have been an easy task for the droid, but Caesar had no time for maintenance. Out of options, the droid charged up his electrical discharger, and gave the reptilian two powerful shocks.

something like that...

It used up half of Caesar's remaining power, but in the end the reptilian lay unconscious on the floor, and no one seemed to notice.

It was time to explore.

Scene 9 Henri and Zeila. The Temple's Computer.

After what seemed like ages roaming the tunnels, Caesar found his way into the barracks, and preceded towards a door on the other side. He hoped that it would lead him to where Henri and Zeila were being held: If they were still alive.

Being a droid, no one paid much mind to Caesar as he wheeled his way across the barracks floor and down the passage.. The tunnel he entered sloped steeply downward, until it opened into a long chamber. Along the walls force fields divided dozens of prison cells from the rest of the facility. All of them were empty except for the last cell. Inside, illuminated by the energy of the force field, sat a very bored Zeila and Henri.

Almost as bored as Riker.

Anxious to escape their cell, Henri and Zeila begged Caesar to get them out. Thankfully while he was wandering around Caesar had come up with a plan. He noticed that the entrance to each chamber could be sealed with blast doors. It would be a great way to keep some one out... Or in. Finding an access port, Caesar began hacking into the complex's computer systems.

As reality slipped away from Caesar, he found himself in a dark digital forest. He spun around in place, and found a beam of light, just making its way through the trees. He followed it, but the light's source was elusive; fading back into the shadows, only to reappear in a different place. There was also something else out there. It was like the steady thud of a beating heart; watching and waiting in the darkness. Caesar some how knew that it was ready to pounce if he lost that beam of light for too long.

Probably Slender Man.

Dashing through the dark as the pounding grew behind him, Caesar scrambled for the light. After loosing it four times, he was finally able to follow it to its source and the complex's computer system opened up to him.

First, Caesar accessed the security protocols and sounded a station wide alert to all guards to report to the collection chamber beneath the blue hologram. As the alarms rang through the facility, Caesar monitored the guards using the complex's sensors until most of them where in the chamber. Once they were in place, Caesar then sealed every blast door in the station, only leaving an open path from the cell block to the shuttle bay. He then dropped the force field on Henri and Zeila's cage.

It was time to leave.

Scene 10 A Failed Escape.

Henri suggested that they head from the shuttle bay and Hijack one of the shuttles. They could use it to fly back to the surface, and then hopefully escape into the city from there. Zeila and Caesar followed Henri's lead as he lead them into the barracks, and both grabbed laser pistols from an open weapons locker left ajar when the alarm was sounded.

So armed, Zeila and Henri lead the way up the passage towards the shuttle bay. As they rounded the corner, they were taken surprise by a lone guard left behind to watch the tunnel. Without hesitation Henri and Zeila opened fire, but the guard dove to cover, escaping the blasts. From his new vantage, the lone sentinel returned fire with a laser rifle, striking Zeila in the chest with one of the bolts.

She was dead before hit the ground.

Pew! Pew! Pew!

Using the opportunity of the guard’s revealed position, Henri finished him with a well placed shot from his laser pistol. Both Henri and Caesar felt sorry for the poor pilot. She didn't deserver such a cruel fate, but they had neither the means nor the time to retrieve her body. So Henri grabbed Zeila's pistol , and he and Caesar dashed up the corridor leaving Zeila Dakdon behind them.

Henri and Caesar stormed into the shuttle bay, killing a guard that stood between them and shuttle. The shot's alerted a group of three men at the other side of the shuttle bay, who were hurriedly trying to open the blast doors at the other end. Upon seeing Henri and Caesar commandeer a shuttle and take off for the yawning hangar doors 100ft above, they opened fire. The laser fire ricochet off the shuttle hull, until disaster struck.

A lucky shot from one of the guards struck the coolant manifold on the ships engines causing them explode! The shuttle's Cockpit survived the blast, but severely damaged and lacking a means of propulsion, it plummeting towards the shuttle bay floor brining Caesar and Henri down with it.

"No, I'm al—Aargh!"

The shuttle smashed into the ground. Caesar's frame was torn to pieces, his hard drive crushed beneath twisted metal: ending his short existence. Henri however, managed to survive the crash. Almost every bone in his body was broken, but with a vicious strength of will, he pulled himself from the wreckage, only to be shot in the head Draco Syndicate guards.

The escape had failed, killing Caesar, Henri and Zeila in the attempt.

Scene 11 Dry's Hospital Bed.

While Caesar was adventuring below, Krunt and Skraw had returned to Dry's bedside. He was slowly on the mend, and would be on his feet within a day and a half.

That looks uncomfortable.

Krunt had told Dry what he Caesar and Skraw had accomplished during their trip. He mentioned the ration packs, the 6,000,000cr. price tag for the mining drill, the broker they had found for the S.S. Exodus, and how he had given Caesar over to the temple.

Dry was quite angry with Krunt for just dropping Caesar into the pit without any plan of retrieving, or contacting him. But what was done was done. He hoped that Caesar was ok, and that he could find Zeila and Henri.

And that was where we left off for the evening.

Conclusion.

Another bloody game of Interstellar Exports. We had 1 player character severely injured, 1 killed and 2/3's of our "B-cast" were also killed in action.

It will take them some time to recover, but I am sure next game they will at least be able to get back on their feet. We will also introduce Jeff's new character to replace Caesar... And if you thought a robot was weird, wait until you see this thing.

The adventure will soon continue in Interstellar Exports Game 7!

Written by: Andrew Gregory