Chapter Nine: Year 300, 6th Day

[Stirling]

Tiberius O'Hare

"Going up Ma'am". he says and presses the next floor input.

He eyes the vacc suited and weaponised Pranit.

"Your bodyguard Miss? Well nice to see security beefed up here to keep our personhoods and investments nice and safe."


He points to the uniformed vacc suit. "Oh dear. That patch needs addressing. Should have name and rank on there. Not demoted were you?"

Arriving in the crew quarters he motions for the pair to exit in preference of him and he follows.

[Bluetongue]

Arnwulf

With some of the delivered weapons in the cargo bay not the lock room, he can grab the accelerator rifle and ammo packs, stuffing the snub pistol and round in his back belt. When the lift arrives he might as well collect Reven as he is one floor below and we assemble together.

He passes the pistol on if Reven is unarmed.

[The Bindoner]

Inspector Umale starts to usher Assana, the Limo Driver and Miya with Assana's luggage and the Delivery Driver with his pallet of hull-plate to the bay lift.

Ulrika is not the lead person in the protestor group, but she breaks into a run on Nālani's urging - only for the policeman who was in the cart to slow the advance by authoritatively stating Walk don't run - We don't want an accident!. Nālani has a quick flashback to being ordered about by Prefects at school! Well don't block the doorway, let them through

A quick glance down the corridor shows that the sparks seem to have stopped, and the cherry-glows on the section door seem to be cooling. The "Cutting" seems to have stopped.

Nālani rolls her eyes at the Uniform and mutters: Kusottare

Addressing him directly; There is urgency, a breach is declared and something is happening at the emergency doors. You have taken responsibility for the fate of these people. I have invited Ulrika in, you take the others and find shelter.

Checking that all of Assana's bags have been taken (and picking up any that have not) Nālani moves into the bay. She is still concerned about who is heading this way and moves to the side of the doorway to cover anyone entering.

[BackworldTraveller]

These bays are the shelters! The Policeman seeks to place his body to keep the door open, thus allowing the protestors in. He is, however, partly diverted by his watching the progress of his colleague and the guard up the corridor.

The protestors - Start to gather round the door.

Do you try to slam the door in their faces?

[The Bindoner]

Nālani glares at the Uniform, torn between security and compassion.

Chikushou!

The bay is shelter, the ship is not. Keep order.

Nālani breaks away and runs to join the others at the lock to the Queen.

[BackworldTraveller]

At the lock, Assana, her luggage, Miya and the limo driver have cycled through and have rung on the ships annunciator panel.

Queen: We have more visitors at the crew airlock

Nālani finds Ulrika trying to find out what Zid is doing there, and the Delivery Driver with his pallet of sheeting.

Upstairs, she can hear the police driver organising the Protestors on the balcony of the bay. and Inspector - the comms from the cart are jammed too. WTF's going on?

[Bluetongue]

Arnwulf

Assuming he arrives at the rally point, rifle shouldered.

"So what's going on. Who do you want me to kill?" he asks Indrani, presuming the call to arms means an attack is imminent.

"Do I need my axe to repel all boarders or we just shoot whoever comes through the airlocks?"

[joertexas]

Arnwulf

Assuming he arrives at the rally point, rifle shouldered.

"So what's going on. Who do you want me to kill?" he asks Indrani, presuming the call to arms means an attack is imminent.

"Do I need my axe to repel all boarders or we just shoot whoever comes through the airlocks?"

"Go find Pranit. The two of you keep order down there, and get someone on the comms problems, whatever they are."

[BackworldTraveller]

Arnwulf
The bridge has Noor and Indrani cycling through the external cameras by hand...nothing obvious to see except Assana and two others in the bay's airlock with a pile of luggage! One is dressed as a Chauffeur and the other looks like: -

(But dressed in a leather jacket)

Pranit is back down a level on the Crew deck. Back to the lift and down one level.

Queen: The annunciator button on the crew airlock appears to be stuck!

[Bluetongue]

Sorry, I was expecting all the crew to be gathered together at the rally point in the crew area or bridge as requested. Arn and Rev will probably arrive after Pranit, Maggie and Tiberius.

[The Bindoner]

At the lock, Assana, her luggage, Miya and the limo driver have cycled through and have rung on the ship's annunciator panel.

Queen: We have more visitors at the crew airlock

Nālani finds Ulrika trying to find out what Zid is doing there, and the Delivery Driver with his pallet of sheeting.

Nālani moves to the airlock and tries to identify herself: Pilot Shiraishi reporting, Queen. These individuals are my guests, she indicates Assana and Miya as is Inspector Umale. These others indicating the drivers are delivering items.

[BackworldTraveller]

The group in the bay airlock have the outer door open...so you can't get in with them because it's interlocked...so you can't get to the annunciator...and the Queen still isn't recognising outside stimuli until you press the bell!

[The Bindoner]

Mukatsuku!

After allowing herself the relief of a flash of irritation Nālani centres herself.

In a very calm, but firm, voice she addresses the people in the airlock: Miya, would you please step outside the lock for a moment. Driver? Kindly allow me to reach the inner door, I believe the Captain is more likely to open for crew.

Given access to the inner she will deliver the speech above.

[BackworldTraveller]

Queen
The queen allows the three baggage carriers in. I shall designate them as Visitors 2, 3 and 4

There is much transferring of baggage into the Queen's airlock before the outer lock is closed.

Nālani is now free to admit the next set to the Bay's lock - while the others open the inner ships-lock door to find the crew in motley battledress and armed.

Assana: Hi - There is something going on, isn't there. She looks round - Which is Nālani's Cabin?

Miya smiles at the assembled crew, holding a small suitcase and the Driver looks concerned before pulling himself together and collecting remaining luggage.There's a metal delivery outside too.

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

"Captain. This is getting out of hand. I don't presume to order actions, but I suggest you have the Queen remove lift access to the Bridge for now. If you feel comfortable, I ask that you give me some control over the Queen temporarily. I can't do much otherwise. Designations, lift restrictions, door seals, that kind of thing." Noor looks grim but focused.

"We have four visitors on board, a mob of others at the airlock, the comms are jammed, someone is cutting into the bay, and the guard is down. That we know of. Let me be helpful."

She tries to access any outer cams she can. "This may be a diversion. Chaos and madness over here, sneaky bastard over there."

"Queen? How much time do you estimate it would take to depart?" Noor looks at Indrani and shrugs. "Last resort."

[The Bindoner]

Queen
The queen allows the three baggage carriers in. I shall designate them as Visitors 2, 3 and 4

There is much transferring of baggage into the Queen's airlock before the outer lock is closed.

Nālani is now free to admit the next set to the Bay's lock - while the others open the inner ships-lock door to find the crew in motley battledress and armed.

Nalani approaches Zid and Ulrika: Inspector Umale, shall we go to the ship now?

Ulrika, may I ask about your drone? Is it operating properly? If so, may I ask if you would use it to see what is happening outside?

Nālani walks the pair toward the airlock as she speaks.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor

"Captain. This is getting out of hand. I don't presume to order actions, but I suggest you have the Queen remove lift access to the Bridge for now. If you feel comfortable, I ask that you give me some control over the Queen temporarily. I can't do much otherwise. Designations, lift restrictions, door seals, that kind of thing." Noor looks grim but focused.

"We have four visitors on board, a mob of others at the airlock, the comms are jammed, someone is cutting into the bay, and the guard is down. That we know of. Let me be helpful."

She tries to access any outer cams she can. "This may be a diversion. Chaos and madness over here, sneaky bastard over there."

"Queen? How much time do you estimate it would take to depart?" Noor looks at Indrani and shrugs. "Last resort."

Queen: Judging by Captain Celise's exits, about 15-20 minutes. We'd need to start the reactor, get off station power and get the bay hatch open and connectors retracted - and off we go!

[BackworldTraveller]

Queen
The queen allows the three baggage carriers in. I shall designate them as Visitors 2, 3 and 4

There is much transferring of baggage into the Queen's airlock before the outer lock is closed.

Nālani is now free to admit the next set to the Bay's lock - while the others open the inner ships-lock door to find the crew in motley battledress and armed.

Nalani approaches Zid and Ulrika: Inspector Umale, shall we go to the ship now?

Ulrika, may I ask about your drone? Is it operating properly? If so, may I ask if you would use it to see what is happening outside?

Nālani walks the pair toward the airlock as she speaks.

Indeed it's working fine - provided it's close. Further off it has to be pre-programmed. The controls seem to be suffering from interference.

She looks at the protestors on the top deck. The Police Driver seems to be helping the Sergeant manoeuvre the injured guard along the balcony. Streetwise roll from Nālani?

We had a tip that "Something was going down in the Yacht Bays" today. We thought it meant the Protest - Seems it's something bigger. Care to make a comment? On the record?

Zid declines, emphatically!

[joertexas]

"Queen? How much time do you estimate it would take to depart?" Noor looks at Indrani and shrugs. "Last resort."

Indrani sits back in her chair. "We're not moving without fuel, and the bay doors are closed. So, we're stuck. What I want you to do is, as you've suggested, control all access to the ship." She gestures to the sensors station. "Sit there, and send me your access requests. I will approve whatever you need."

She activates her personal comm. "All crewmembers, Noor is coordinating access, and the bridge is about to be locked out for now. Contact her for access."

She switches to Pranit's channel. "Pranit, we need to disconnect the external comms umbilical. Can you get to it?"

Indrani continues to work with the external cameras, building a picture of what is happening outside the ship's hull, and noting any blind spots.

[Bluetongue]

Arnwulf

"Go find Pranit. The two of you keep order down there, and get someone on the comms problems, whatever they are."

Ok. So I will turn to Pranit and ask him what his 'plan of defence's is? I am expecting at least some brief as to what this 'yellow alert' and call to arms is about.

If you feel some hidden threat are possibly outside on the hull, attempting a breach, climbing in through the present unwelded breach or simply attaching another bomb. Then Arnwulf as he is vacc-suited up, will go for a space walk on the hull and kill them.

I just want to very clear about what you are asking me to do because despite all our past military careers we are civilians in a civilian city. What protocols do we have to open fire on armed or unarmed threats and should the shit hit the fan, will Indrani stand by whatever goes down and say we are acting under orders?

If the bay is overwhelmed by 'mostly peaceful protestors' from the New Heaven cult who just want to cause a riot, protesting against perceived FTL apostasy, I want to know opening fire on ranks of women and children will be justified. We have a senior cop present. (Zid Umale). Surely she should be able to take authority over a civilian crowd and maintain control over any unrest.

He also acknowledges Maggie and Tiberius who are also in attendance at the rally point.