Chapter 13: To Asteroid B0510-5428

[BackworldTraveller]

Raven find Harmanpreet relatively quickly - it's not far from the dock and appears to be an office by an airlock.

Reven Stiilpahth "Hello. I'm told i can buy ice from you."

You can - Cr 200/dTon, straight off the pocket.

[BackworldTraveller]

Nālani walks with Pranit through the station, a quiet shadow. She takes in the details of her surroundings without staring like a tourist. If she sees a stall selling electronics she enquires about reconditioned comms.



He points up to the Heavenites and to the dozen and a half children.

"Shall we? And smile openly."


Smiling falsely is not something I make a habit of, but I will try.

She makes a grotesque caricature of a smile, which amuses her enough to provoke a genuine (though not exactly broad) one.

You lead, I will look decorative, until it seems useful to interject.

The party are separated from the trail of local children by the staff at the door.

Off with you...Stop bothering the clientele or I'll be talking to your parents!

and then

Welcome. Can I get you a table?

The downstairs is empty so there wouldn't be a problem - but you inform the woman that you are meeting the party upstairs.

Then go on up - I'll come up in a moment for Drinks orders

You are greeted by the person who spoke with Indrani and Assana at Sparks.

I'm glad that you have chosen to talk. You can't afford to traipse across the system with no business forever and we will get frustrated trailing after you for weeks at a time. We both have parallel aims. Perhaps we can reach an agreement?

[cybersavant]

You can - Cr 200/dTon, straight off the pocket.

Reven Stiilpahth contacts the Queen.. "Captain, the price is Cr 200/dTon. Shall i proceed?"

[ateno]

I'm glad that you have chosen to talk. You can't afford to traipse across the system with no business forever and we will get frustrated trailing after you for weeks at a time. We both have parallel aims. Perhaps we can reach an agreement?

Pranit slightly put off.

"Is that your ship following us, yes or no.

I don't need this stress, we took a 4 day trip to aboid the constant attacks and security issues.
I ended up tracking the ship on and off for almost 2 and a half straight days. You could have sent us a tightbeam."

Looks around for his food.

"Your partner like phrases are not help either, how do you know our aims?"

Pranit, who wishes the woman would show with drinks...

[joertexas]

You can - Cr 200/dTon, straight off the pocket.

Reven Stiilpahth contacts the Queen.. "Captain, the price is Cr 200/dTon. Shall i proceed?"

"Yes, please," Indrani replies.

[BackworldTraveller]

You can - Cr 200/dTon, straight off the pocket.

Reven Stiilpahth contacts the Queen.. "Captain, the price is Cr 200/dTon. Shall i proceed?"

"Yes, please," Indrani replies.

And with that acknowledgement, the miner confirms he'll have a skip of ice delivered to your berth in an hour. Do you need a slusher?

[cybersavant]

And with that acknowledgement, the miner confirms he'll have a skip of ice delivered to your berth in an hour. Do you need a slusher?

Reven Stiilpahth "Thanks, but i already have that covered. See you in an hour." Reven heads back to the ship, watchful for tails.

[BackworldTraveller]

I'm glad that you have chosen to talk. You can't afford to traipse across the system with no business forever and we will get frustrated trailing after you for weeks at a time. We both have parallel aims. Perhaps we can reach an agreement?

Pranit slightly put off.

"Is that your ship following us, yes or no.

I don't need this stress, we took a 4 day trip to aboid the constant attacks and security issues.
I ended up tracking the ship on and off for almost 2 and a half straight days. You could have sent us a tightbeam."

Looks around for his food.

"Your partner like phrases are not help either, how do you know our aims?"

Pranit, who wishes the woman would show with drinks...

Following you? Yes. Absolutely. I'm sorry to hear that you detected us. We will be more cautious of your capabilities in future.

We wouldn't want you to come to grief at the hands of "Pirates". You have rattled many cages and the animals are all agitated. Some have claws. Teeth. Missiles even.

As to your aims. You have no cargo. You have the daughter of one missing crew of the Queen aboard - one who has stated that you are going to find her dad. You were involved in a shoot out with police on Sparks yet are not being chased as fugitives.

I think that the Belt authorities have you out like a stalking horse while they wait to see who bites. We'd prefer that you didn't get chewed when that happened. Did you know that one of the Belt's major astronomical arrays is watching your progress? They have caused millions of credits of delay in major science programs by doing that. Now, we can work together or separately but know you won't be working alone.

[ateno]

Following you? Yes. Absolutely. I'm sorry to hear that you detected us. We will be more cautious of your capabilities in future.

"A decent operator and time can do anything, honestly once I had a idea after the first turn, the second confirmed it.

Pranit just about says something else, open his mouth and closes it.

We wouldn't want you to come to grief at the hands of "Pirates". You have rattled many cages and the animals are all agitated. Some have claws. Teeth. Missiles even.

As to your aims. You have no cargo. You have the daughter of one missing crew of the Queen aboard - one who has stated that you are going to find her dad. You were involved in a shoot out with police on Sparks yet are not being chased as fugitives.

I think that the Belt authorities have you out like a stalking horse while they wait to see who bites. We'd prefer that you didn't get chewed when that happened. Did you know that one of the Belt's major astronomical arrays is watching your progress? They have caused millions of credits of delay in major science programs by doing that. Now, we can work together or separately but know you won't be working alone.[/dialog]

"I'm tired of inuendos, and we make our own decisions, your crew do not control our mission. Why do you care about us, no one else seems to. I appriciate the information about the array, which one?"

Pranit

[BackworldTraveller]

"I'm tired of innuendos, and we make our own decisions, your crew do not control our mission. Why do you care about us, no one else seems to. I appreciate the information about the array, which one?"

Pranit

The Heavenite smiles. I have no reason to suppose that you would think that you would not make your own decisions. I feel that your decisions are influenced by God. And in this case I am offering you the opportunity to decide to work with us. As to which array? I'm sure you can use your sources to find that out. As partners, that would be easier though.

[ateno]

The Heavenite smiles. "I have no reason to suppose that you would think that you would not make your own decisions. I feel that your decisions are influenced by God. And in this case I am offering you the opportunity to decide to work with us. As to which array? I'm sure you can use your sources to find that out. As partners, that would be easier though."

Pranit sighs.

"I'm tired of banter, pretend this is a business meeting. Work with you how, ...

[BackworldTraveller]

We work as a team - we find where the Starflight Inc hid their ship (and I can't imagine that they didn't build one - too much evidence that they did) and then...
...Well the world is your Oyster, it was said.

The question just remains of your price. How large is the Oyster that you want?

And bear in mind that we are paying for exclusive access.

[ateno]

Pranit does not recall Starflight Inc, much less anything they are talking about, I have only a vauge idea of the overall arc of the game, someone was researching to rediscover jump, and there are ideas, but no ship.

"I have never heard of Starflight Inc, much less any suspicious ship, which one of us suffer from the curse of Yudhishthira.

Also, I have only been a merchant for a short time, but I don't give anyone a exclusive without knowing everything."

Pranit looks at Nālani and slightly shakes his head.

[BackworldTraveller]

The Heavenites respond
Oh Come on! Starflight was the news of the week when they went bust.
Raised a fortune to build a starship then vanished with all the cash.
And your ship was involved in that scandal.
As soon as the ship gets out of suspension, it becomes the target for all sorts of troubles - Non-State troubles at that. Other than Starflight, its nothing.
So, whatever the ship has, someone thinks it's a loose end.
You are clearly tugging at it.
And if someone is spending the volumes of cash that appear to be being spent, there is a good reason.

Our conclusion is that the fraudsters didn't just vanish - they vanished using their starship. And we aim to find them as that ship is our way to the rest of the universe. It took us an age to get here from Earth. Maybe we can bypass all that and find our way back.

[ateno]

"Oh them, sorry I was in deep space with the navy then.

It's not my ship, I'm for lack of anything else the XO and only have to do with this ship since it was released from the Goverment.

I agree with you there we are a object of attention, but to be honest, we are not 'tugging' at anything, just trying to make some money.

If there is a bubble ship, good for it, I just want to support myself and my family.

Question: don't you think we left earth for a good reason?"

[BackworldTraveller]

"Oh them, sorry I was in deep space with the navy then.

It's not my ship, I'm for lack of anything else the XO and only have to do with this ship since it was released from the Goverment.

I agree with you there we are a object of attention, but to be honest, we are not 'tugging' at anything, just trying to make some money.

If there is a bubble ship, good for it, I just want to support myself and my family.

Question: don't you think we left earth for a good reason?"

Of course - To be tested in our faith!

[ateno]

"so you are offering your help to find a bubble ship and when we do, you want exclusive right to it? Is that what I am to understand?

You have so many more reasons and resources than we do, I'm not sure what we can do for you.

Turns his head.

Nālani, am I reading them right?

Pranit

[The Bindoner]

Nālani leans forward.

That is what it sounds like. We are to draw trouble on ourselves, and they will follow that trouble to a fabulous ship, which they will use to spread their faith. Presumably we are to do this out of some religious duty? Because I do not hear any other incentive.

I am here to make money. That is what I put faith in. That and owning a ship.

If there is a business proposal, I will listen.

[BackworldTraveller]

Nālani leans forward.

That is what it sounds like. We are to draw trouble on ourselves, and they will follow that trouble to a fabulous ship, which they will use to spread their faith. Presumably we are to do this out of some religious duty? Because I do not hear any other incentive.

I am here to make money. That is what I put faith in. That and owning a ship.

If there is a business proposal, I will listen.

A business proposal.

Of course.

You aid us and we aid you in finding the ship. We get to make a copy. The original is yours. How about that?

[ateno]

A business proposal.

Of course.

You aid us and we aid you in finding the ship. We get to make a copy. The original is yours. How about that?

"AAhhh, well thats a offer, are there any more specifics you can bring to the table so a can present a breif to my Captain and crew?"

Pranit