[007] Lady Alicia's Yacht - The Kiara Surabi

[joertexas]

He pauses “Would you like to share a room?”

"You're outrageous!" Vee hides her face against Gauvain's chest as she laughs. At his question, she moves away enough to look into his eyes. "Yes, I would love that." She cracks a smile. "It will save us from a walk of shame every morning in front of the entire crew."

[shaidar]

Harper enjoys a light breakfast with the group as she looks over the available data.

"Once we land we can take some radiation readings and work out how long we'll be safe in our vacc-suits. So the team that found it have vanished? That puts a different slant on things. There could be any number of reasons, but we should be extra prepared. From the look of it it could be an temple to some weird alien deity, it's rather well preserved"

[Tiglath]

He smiles back at Vee “Then we will do it!” After a moment’s thought he adds “We should also head over for breakfast. I’ll borrow Auntie’s G carrier to transfer all our crew’s gear”.

Once Vee is ready Foix dons a simple shirt and work trousers to walk her back across to the Kiara Surabi where he fondly greets Lady Harper once more and listens to her thoughts.

He nods adding “At least a four strong team” he taps the image “three and the photographer. That’s quite a disappearing act. The temple being so apparently unspoiled must only increase its value to researchers and looters alike. My first thought would be that the team fell foul of human greed before any other possibility. Fortunately Ana and myself can deal with that eventuality should it arise but any members of the team going along should be armed for self defence”.

“With these people still missing I assume we should depart promptly? As a first step we could use the ship to conduct a recon flight over the temple area”.

Prior to setting off Foix will transfer everyone's gear from ship to ship using the Air/Raft.

[joertexas]

Prior to setting off Foix will transfer everyone's gear from ship to ship using the Air/Raft.

Vee sees to packing her belongings and helps Foix with the baggage transfer process.

[lenusmars]

“It’s hard you know, the being out of time and it’s not just because your music sucks. I mean dreadful does not even begin to cover how truly awful it is.” Ana grins then takes a drink of her tea, “Your job and our physical differences in years don’t matter, it’s just a number. Well I mean unless you’re 15 in which case it really does matter.”

She swirls her tea around in the mug, “Everyone I ever knew is dead and not because of some terrible accident or plague, they just got old and died and I didn’t. I missed everything, weddings, kids, graduations, funerals, missed their whole lives, it messes with your head.”

Sara reaches out and lays her hand over Ana's as she listens.

“It’s worse when you find them and they’re old, sometimes they remember sometimes they don’t. That’s hard too, I just stopped looking after a while, stopped making friends, did my job. Buried myself in my work and waited for it to happen again.”

"I can't even imagine." Sara murmurs. "They're different people, really, after all that time. She shakes her head. "Void... you're so strong, Ana. You're amazing, seriously, to have faced all that and kept going like you have."

“Foix, Foix was an accident, never expected to see him again. I mean he’s still young enough to remember but 15 years is a lot of time to polish the rough edges off memories and muddle the details. It’s nice to find someone with shared life experience but then again everything always looks better in the rear view mirror. He’s a reminder of yet another life I failed to live and the things I’ve lost along the way.”

"But you didn't fail to live! You lead your soldiers. You inspired Foix's. That doesn't sound like failing to live to me. You've lost, yes... more than many. I would be a wreck, honestly. But on the selfish side I can't feel too sad about it... because you're here with me now." Sara smiles but it falters. "I don't expect to make up for what's happened to you, but... I want you to be happy. I want to be part of that."

[Ramona]

Ana looks at Sara, noodles hanging from her mouth, and grins.

She shrugs and slurps up the noodles, “Ya, but I mean what are you going to do about it though, laugh and smile, or cry?”

“En kråka kan aldrig gråta.”

“We should probably head back after this,” Ana carefully grabs some noodles with her chopsticks, “figure out how long repairs will take. You know, the good thing about flying on government credit is not having to worry about this kind of shit.”

I think Ana and Sara were outside when the chat with her ladyship happened and are thusly blissfully unware.

[Tiglath]

I think Ana and Sara were outside when the chat with her ladyship happened and are thusly blissfully unware.

Foix smiles to himself as he forwards the image of the strange alien temple to Sara's comm with the message text: "Mlle Sara. This is on Arthiop - located by my crazy Aunt. If you want to go exploring come to the Kiara Surabi for breakfast. Please bring your gear and any belligerent ex-soldiers you find along the way with you. Foix".

[ffilz]

He smiles back at Vee “Then we will do it!” After a moment’s thought he adds “We should also head over for breakfast. I’ll borrow Auntie’s G carrier to transfer all our crew’s gear”.

Just to be clear, it's a luxury air/raft, 6 passengers, 2 tons cargo, not a G-Carrier...

Once Vee is ready Foix dons a simple shirt and work trousers to walk her back across to the Kiara Surabi where he fondly greets Lady Harper once more and listens to her thoughts.

He nods adding “At least a four strong team” he taps the image “three and the photographer. That’s quite a disappearing act. The temple being so apparently unspoiled must only increase its value to researchers and looters alike. My first thought would be that the team fell foul of human greed before any other possibility. Fortunately Ana and myself can deal with that eventuality should it arise but any members of the team going along should be armed for self defence”.

“With these people still missing I assume we should depart promptly? As a first step we could use the ship to conduct a recon flight over the temple area”.

Prior to setting off Foix will transfer everyone's gear from ship to ship using the Air/Raft.

Lady Kiara is a bit concerned about a recon flight with the ship, but maybe could be convinced.

[Ramona]

There’s a launch...

[Tiglath]

That would work nicely. We could have a launch party ...

[lenusmars]

Ana looks at Sara, noodles hanging from her mouth, and grins.

She shrugs and slurps up the noodles, “Ya, but I mean what are you going to do about it though, laugh and smile, or cry?”

“En kråka kan aldrig gråta.”

Sara does an exaggerated eyeroll, but a smile quirks her lips.

“We should probably head back after this,” Ana carefully grabs some noodles with her chopsticks, “figure out how long repairs will take. You know, the good thing about flying on government credit is not having to worry about this kind of shit.”

I think Ana and Sara were outside when the chat with her ladyship happened and are thusly blissfully unware.

Sara agrees and they enjoy the rest of their dinner in lighter conversation, teasing and feeding each other. Sara shows Ana the message from Foix when she gets it. She has that same light in her eyes as when Ana agreed to go after the crystals with her. After dinner they head back to the ship and find different ways to communicate.

The next morning Sara floats into consciousness when the very warm mass at her back moves. She smiles and turns her face up towards her shoulder. "Mmmm... Can't decide if I want to look at crazy ruins or stay right here all day."

[Ramona]

Ana, is already awake sitting up in the bunk; her eyes are closed, legs crossed, her back is arrow straight, pressed flat against the bulkhead, and her hands are palm up on her thighs. She takes a deep breath and slowly opens her amber eyes to looks at Sara.

“If you want to stay here all day you are going to be really really lonely,” she smiles, “cute and with a pretty shocking case of bed head but lonely.”

Ana leans forward and kisses Sara on the forehead, “Can’t lay about in bed all day, no matter the circumstances, it’s not that I don’t want to or that I haven’t tried but I just can’t. My brain will not shut up, one of my CO’s taught me how to meditate and it helps kind of push the noise to the back for a little bit but it never completely stops.”

She offers an apologetic look, “I’m sorry, I’m just not that girl.”

“Besides, creepy ruins of death!” Ana grins maniacally.

[ffilz]

There’s a launch...

Lady Alicia would be ok with using the launch for a flyover.

[Tiglath]

When all have assembled on the Kiara Surabi and breakfasted Foix will propose a fly over using the launch to begin the exploration of the site.

He will ask if anything more is known of the previous expedition or if Lady Alicia believes more could be discovered from the Scout Service.

He asks Lady Alicia to make enquiries in the local media and starport databases (using her Computer skills).

After breakfast he proposes to transfer everyone's gear over to the Kiara Surabi using the air raft.

For GM: Please action enquiries as above with Lady Alicia.

[joertexas]

After breakfast he proposes to transfer everyone's gear over to the Kiara Surabi using the air raft.

"I can fly the launch. That will leave the rest of you to focus on the ruins," Vee offers.

[ffilz]

When all have assembled on the Kiara Surabi and breakfasted Foix will propose a fly over using the launch to begin the exploration of the site.

He will ask if anything more is known of the previous expedition or if Lady Alicia believes more could be discovered from the Scout Service.

He asks Lady Alicia to make enquiries in the local media and starport databases (using her Computer skills).

After breakfast he proposes to transfer everyone's gear over to the Kiara Surabi using the air raft.

For GM: Please action enquiries as above with Lady Alicia.

Of course a post comes in over the weekend, I see it on my phone, and then I forget I owe a response...

Lady Alicia suspects probing the Scout Service too deeply about this incident will raise flags, but Sara might be able to make a discrete query. She does probe into the media and starport databases to see what she can dig out:

Alicia Computer [2d6+2] = 11+2 = 13

She finds a dispatch in the star port database that was seemingly mislabeled (yea, right, probably on purpose), suggesting that the ruins might be a Vargr site.

She also turns up some various news articles. There are several factions here that each have carved out some territory. One faction is led by a noble from the Salazar family, they have set up some agriculture in some of the more protected areas near the star port growing some unique produce that thrives with moderate atmospheric radiation. Another faction, the Imperial Protectorate, has been gaining power in these parts as the Imperium pulls back. The name is misleading as they do not support the Imperium, rather their own interpretation of what the Imperium should have been. They often resort to violence. They would be very interested in publicizing the failure of the Scout mission.

[Tiglath]

Foix shares all the information with the team.

He will check both his own rusty recollection and also that of Lady Alicia and Lady Harper regarding the Foix familiy’s collective relationship with the Salazars. (Just in case some distant cousin has started a blood feud with them! )

Equally he aims to pool their collective knowledge of the specific noble of House Salazar who is active on Arthiop.

He will begin to actively collect data on the Imperial Protectorate for future use as they sound like an entity that the Domain of Foix will have to deal with one way or another.

[joertexas]

Foix shares all the information with the team.

He will check both his own rusty recollection and also that of Lady Alicia and Lady Harper regarding the Foix familiy’s collective relationship with the Salazars. (Just in case some distant cousin has started a blood feud with them! )

Equally he aims to pool their collective knowledge of the specific noble of House Salazar who is active on Arthiop.

He will begin to actively collect data on the Imperial Protectorate for future use as they sound like an entity that the Domain of Foix will have to deal with one way or another.

Vee steps up beside Foix with a cup in her hand. "I brought you some tea. When are we leaving for the site?"

[Tiglath]

Foix smiles his thanks and replies "With the original exploration team missing and overdue we should make haste but it seems Sara may be able to gain us more Intel from the scout service. So an hour or so to ready our gear and see if we can find out a little more and then we fly. I assume the flight will be relatively quick but I am no pilot!"

[joertexas]

Foix smiles his thanks and replies "With the original exploration team missing and overdue we should make haste but it seems Sara may be able to gain us more Intel from the scout service. So an hour or so to ready our gear and see if we can find out a little more and then we fly. I assume the flight will be relatively quick but I am no pilot!"

"As long as I arrive safely, then my passengers do, as well." Vee says with a lurking smile. "I'll make sure the launch is ready to go."