Chapter Nine: Year 300, 6th Day

[BackworldTraveller]

Sorry - You said - So how many aboard and where are they?

"We should have 15 souls, which includes one prisoner. Last I heard, we have one in Engineering, 2 on the vehicle deck, 2 on the passenger deck, one in the ladder between floor and the remainder on the crew deck, civilian has a broken finger."

The officer relays the count and asks I thought you'd retired? Didn't you get enough of boarding dodgy vessels? Lt da Silva - We met at the seminar on "Survive longer in your Vacc Suit". Looking at the pieces of suit on the floor: I guess your vacc-suit didn't listen!

[ateno]

The officer relays the count and asks I thought you'd retired? Didn't you get enough of boarding dodgy vessels? Lt da Silva - We met at the seminar on "Survive longer in your Vacc Suit". Looking at the pieces of suit on the floor: I guess your vacc-suit didn't listen!

Shakes hand.

"My vacc listened great, my thruster kit took the worst of a 13mm high power by a smart sniper. Rolls shoulders. I've been out about a week, sent 225 resumes, I got 8 phone interviews and one second interview, which told me no 10 minutes before the interview. So I got a chance for a XO spot on this girl. Been busy.

[joertexas]

The controller contacts Captain Indrani We have secured the Crew-Deck. Can you confirm exactly where in the ship you and the rest of your crew are, and if any are in immediate danger?

"We have one gravely injured crewmember on the cargo deck," Indrani replies. "I'm in the lift shaft, and there is another crew member and a prisoner on the passenger deck. My chief engineer is in Engineering with the door welded shut." She continues toward the passenger deck.

Indrani see the head of one of the boarders look down the shaft. I'm sending a team down the shaft, one deck at a time and a team up the shaft. To check out the bridge. If you don't mind, captain, please keep out of the way while we check all's clear. And with that, two soldiers enter the shaft from the Crew deck and start heading up. Behind them are others ready to come down.

And it all gets a bit tense as Nalani enters the shaft from the hanger deck in full vacc-suit and with a weapon! Hold it right there!

"She's one of ours," Indrani says in her command voice - calm but clear and firm.

[The Bindoner]

Ā! Utsu na!

She holds up her empty hands, letting her machine-pistol dangle on its sling:

Nah, I’m ship-crew. Pilot nah pirate, yah?

"She's one of ours," Indrani says in her command voice - calm but clear and firm.

Grateful for the backup, Nālani relaxes, but doesn't lower her arms yet. Irritation replacing fear she grumbles;

You are late. I would not have my gun if you kept this port secure, don’t threaten me with weapons now we’ve made the ship safe, gesuyarou

I am going to the hold. If you have a paramedic, send them to look at my arm. One of the pirates in your station shot me.

[joertexas]

Ā! Utsu na!

She holds up her empty hands, letting her machine-pistol dangle on its sling:

Nah, I’m ship-crew. Pilot nah pirate, yah?

"She's one of ours," Indrani says in her command voice - calm but clear and firm.

Grateful for the backup, Nālani relaxes, but doesn't lower her arms yet. Irritation replacing fear she grumbles;

You are late. I would not have my gun if you kept this port secure, don’t threaten me with weapons now we’ve made the ship safe, gesuyarou

I am going to the hold. If you have a paramedic, send them to look at my arm. One of the pirates in your station shot me.

"We will lodge protests later, Nālani. Let them do their job." Indrani smiles grimly to indicate silent agreement under her statement.

[ateno]

On the ship comm:

"Now for the attention of all hands, this is the XO, please put your weapons on safe and stow appropriately for the boarding party."

[BackworldTraveller]

In the midst of discussion, Nalani is surprised to hear the hatch to the (she thought) depressurised cargo hold open...


...There is no outrush of air, but there are two boarders who seem to be loaded for bear!

And from above:Stand down - It's friendly.

[cybersavant]

Reven Stiilpahth Once the lift door to engineering is unwelded, Reven sets about cleaning up the area before beginning what repairs he can.

[SpinwardMarch]

Maggie

She complies with the order, carefully stepping away from the cutlass on the floor.

I believe you will find my credentials are quite legitimate. You will also find that I am one of the recipients of the Combat Command Ribbon, following the Outback Blockade.

[The Bindoner]

"We will lodge protests later, Nālani. Let them do their job." Indrani smiles grimly to indicate silent agreement under her statement.

by BackworldTraveller » Fri Sep 03, 2021 9:17 pm
In the midst of discussion, Nalani is surprised to hear the hatch to the (she thought) depressurised cargo hold open...


...There is no outrush of air, but there are two boarders who seem to be loaded for bear!

And from above: Stand down - It's friendly.

Nālani lowers her hands.

Not a threat is more accurate. I grow less friendly the more you talk. grumbling to herself It indeed.

Irritatedly: Stop pointing guns around, there is nobody left to shoot. If you want to be useful, go and deal with the bomb in the lower lift shaft, it is trapping our Engineer in the drive-room. He is in there alone, do not menace him with your weapons when he opens the door.

As she pushes past into the hold to look for Hoshiko and assess the mess she calls over her shoulder: Don't forget that medic.

[BackworldTraveller]

And with that the ship settles into a clean-up and inventory the damage mode.
Nālani
The Cargo Hold is emptier than she recalls. The carefully sorted bits of laser-turret that had been arrayed across the floor by Arnwulf have all vanished. The missile cases are still magnetically clamped to the floor and the cases of "Other" gear are also still prsenet - as is the cat-box and your personal gear although the boxes have been skittled about the room. Hoshiko is unimpressed with the recent manoeuvres and sounds like she might hold you responsible!

Reven
The Door is unwelded sucessfully - a bit of work to buff it up will be needed later - and Reven is greeted by a cheery marine who takes a cursory look round and (noting the snub pistol in reven's belt) doesn't seem too concerned - other than to ask you to check the safety is on.

Indrani and Tibbs
The prisoner seems to have a flushed look and is definitely afraid of Tibbs. Whether he's actually 18 is debatable. He was only there to cart the gear - but he's given me a couple of names.

Maggie and Pranit
The boarders take a while to check Maggie's credentials - But they accept Indrani's assurance that she's crew. There is a bit of a kerfuffle as Arnwulf's condition is diagnosed and a medical pod is scooted down-lift. There's further kerfuffle as the bomb-disposal expert arrives to look at the "Bomb" in the lift-shaft. And after a moment he starts discussing evacuating the ship while it is disposed of. However, an agreement that the Passenger, Hanger, Cargo and and Freezer decks should be temporarily emptied of people while they send in the disposal drone is eventually negotiated.

The two drivers and Ulrika take Navy's offer of transport to the Naval Base. Ulrika seems eager to get into a studio. The Drivers seem eager to get away. The delivery driver even manages to leave without getting the hull-plate signed for!

Assana and Zid seem settled. Assana doesn't want to go anywhere and Zid is still determined to interview several persons of interest. She'd also like to do "Stuff" about the boarding, but isn't going to muck up the case - being too involved.

Noor and Arnwulf
The Marine's Medic takes one look at Arnwulf and calls for the medical-pod. Arnwulf is carefully moved into it and rushed poste-haste to the Navy's sick-bay.

Noor heads to the bridge and watches the shuttle head towards an asteroid that wasn't there earlier - it's none other than the Belt's BNS Uchide no Kozuchi (打ち出の小槌, lit. "Tap-Appear Mallet"). If that doesn't have good facilities then nowhere will.

[joertexas]

Indrani keys the all-hands channel. "Everyone please report to the passenger deck immediately." She looks at Tibbs. "Take him to the inspector to have him arrested for piracy and attempted murder."

[cybersavant]

Reven is greeted by a cheery marine who takes a cursory look round and (noting the snub pistol in reven's belt) doesn't seem too concerned - other than to ask you to check the safety is on.

Reven does NOT have any weapon on him currently, only the laser torch


"Acknowledged Captain. On my way." Reven follows the Marine back up the ship to the gathering point.

[ateno]

Pranit will help in any way he can. Getting the boarders off asap and following the rules is what he wants. He will want to, if allowed, put on his vacc suit and do a skin sweep. Photographing and collecting data. "Did they get the escape shuttle." Is Pranit's shuttle still here?

[BackworldTraveller]

Pranit will help in any way he can. Getting the boarders off asap and following the rules is what he wants. He will want to, if allowed, put on his vacc suit and do a skin sweep. Photographing and collecting data. "Did they get the escape shuttle." Is Pranit's shuttle still here?

The Officer in charge of the boarding replies...Your Captain suggested that there might be hostages aboard and so we didn't just disintegrate it...It has been abandoned near an airlock. It's being held as evidence pending completion of investigations. You might be interested to know that the police have one of the occupants under observation at the hospital - He was shot when they attempted to detain him. One escaped and another is dead.

[ateno]

"The ones in the shuttle were veteran boarders, not like the gang bangers on the skin. Is the Shuttle green? If so, that's mine. Thanks for the report."

Pranit

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

Noor updates the medic on Arnwulf's condition before he is transported off. She takes a moment to clean up and repack the supplies and breathe.

"How's Hoshiko?" She asks as she and Nālani head up to meet the captain. As they meet Reven, she winks and remarks. "Nice flying. Are you ok?"

When they reach the Captain, Noor nods and thanks everyone. "We need to talk about what happened, but not with this audience. I'm glad that everyone is alive, Arnwulf should make it thanks to Nālani."

[joertexas]

When everyone is on the passenger deck, Indrani begins. "We have a lot to do, so I will be brief. Pranit, we're flying without any controls right now, and the ship is even more damaged. Take everyone; get control of the ship and start a damage assessment. Tibbs and I will deal with the authorities. Any questions?

[The Bindoner]

Nālani tries to reassure and calm Hoshiko, but is grateful to give up the hopeless task when the Marine's medic arrives. Once the wound is cleaned and dressed she thanks them politely, with a smile, and leaves for the upper decks. Captain's orders.

by Monsieur Rose » Tue Sep 07, 2021 4:05 pm
Noor

Noor updates the medic on Arnwulf's condition before he is transported off. She takes a moment to clean up and repack the supplies and breathe.

"How's Hoshiko?" She asks as she and Nālani head up to meet the captain. As they meet Reven, she winks and remarks. "Nice flying. Are you ok?"

Hoshiko is well, thank you, but very angry.

She is not used to such maneouvres. It may take time before I can convince her it was you, Reven, and not me who threw her around so cruelly.

Seriously though, Reven, you did a fine job, flying blind and steering by engines.

When they reach the Captain, Noor nods and thanks everyone. "We need to talk about what happened, but not with this audience. I'm glad that everyone is alive, Arnwulf should make it thanks to Nālani."

I just did as I was told. You had the knowledge, I was the remotely operated tool. He should thank you.

by joertexas » Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:55 pm
When everyone is on the passenger deck, Indrani begins. "We have a lot to do, so I will be brief. Pranit, we're flying without any controls right now, and the ship is even more damaged. Take everyone; get control of the ship and start a damage assessment. Tibbs and I will deal with the authorities. Any questions?

Do you want me to pilot or assess damage? It might be better to stay still and look for problems than fly and find them. I think the patch on my will hold for another walk.

[joertexas]

Do you want me to pilot or assess damage? It might be better to stay still and look for problems than fly and find them. I think the patch on my will hold for another walk.

"We probably have about an hour before we come back down and crash into the station. Pranit will coordinate the assignments."