Chapter Two: Queen of the Belt

[BackworldTraveller]

Allowing the pressure to equalise between the two sides of the lift hatch takes some time. It equalises at about 0.8 atmospheres. And then the hatch can be fully cranked.

The shaft is fogged and cold. Above you is the bottom of the lift, with the bypass hatch in its floor. Below you is the long drop to the engine room, 15m below. The emergency ladder's steps can be seen on left hand wall.

Leiberkind is keeping you together and still videoing your every move.

[joertexas]

Allowing the pressure to equalise between the two sides of the lift hatch takes some time. It equalises at about 0.8 atmospheres. And then the hatch can be fully cranked.

The shaft is fogged and cold. Above you is the bottom of the lift, with the bypass hatch in its floor. Below you is the long drop to the engine room, 15m below. The emergency ladder's steps can be seen on left hand wall.

Leiberkind is keeping you together and still videoing your every move.

Indrani peers down into the shaft, letting her helmet light pick out the ladder. "Let's rig the emergency line, just in case," she tells Pranit. "I'll go down and get the power system ready for the external connection." She grins at him. "I'll let you climb to the bridge".

[BackworldTraveller]

"Hold on!" says Leiberkind. "If you are splitting up, we need another team in here to log the bridge group's actions."

And he starts to call the senior officer on site to relay this information.

[BackworldTraveller]

Arnwulf
While waiting for the women to do whatever it is they are doing, you look about Nalani's room - pet the cat, fiddle with the plant and the (fake) books and nonchalantly play with the window controls...briefly turning the window transparent, before quickly turning it back to black opaque.



The street outside appears to be taped off and there are milling police officers and vehicles - and what looked like a body lying, alone slumped on a seat in the middle of it all. (It would probably have been a good seat to watch the Hotel's front entrance in a stakeout in another life).

[ateno]

"Hold on!" says Leiberkind. "If you are splitting up, we need another team in here to log the bridge group's actions."

And he starts to call the senior officer on site to relay this information.

"Hey Mr. Leiberkind. I have the 51 sprc-17 AV kit with my suit. It can record my vitals as well as a 360 3D audio video stream. I can set you a link for my actions, just like I did my boss. Ask your tech, they should back me up. So we can get out of here as soon as possible, or get someone to stop drinking caff, get here and suit up. I'm just out of the Sparks Navy as a Lieutenant Commander and i'm on the level. Your choice."

[joertexas]

"Hold on!" says Leiberkind. "If you are splitting up, we need another team in here to log the bridge group's actions."

And he starts to call the senior officer on site to relay this information.

"Hey Mr. Leiberkind. I have the 51 sprc-17 AV kit with my suit. It can record my vitals as well as a 360 3D audio video stream. I can set you a link for my actions, just like I did my boss. Ask your tech, they should back me up. So we can get out of here as soon as possible, or get someone to stop drinking caff, get here and suit up. I'm just out of the Sparks Navy as a Lieutenant Commander and i'm on the level. Your choice."

"I don't remember agreeing to being recorded, and I especially don't remember giving you command," Indrani says conversationally as she rigs her safety harness. "We have work to do, and I'm not lowering your carcass down this shaft, and I'm certainly not guaranteeing your safety. Find your own safety rig, or stay here and watch our telemetry if you must. In either case, get out of our way." She clips the harness on the nearest rung, and starts down the ladder.

[ateno]

Pranit 'bumps' his phone with mr. Leiberkind.

"There you can monitor PIP, I'll be up top, so to speak."

Pranit checks his sensors and begins 'up'. Heading slowly and carefully.

"Heading to bridge Captain."

[joertexas]

"Heading to bridge Captain."

"You know, this is really odd for me to be the captain when you outrank me." Indrani pauses to let out her safety line a little more, and then she continues down the ladder.

[Stirling]

Tiberius

Is there an external feed which is recording all this for those outside the ship. I would like to collect a copy of the start to finish inspection as it represents 'real time' evaluation of the ship in it's current condition at the time of release and will be evidence of value to the lawyer who needs it as part of asset valuations and taxes and also if we further any claim against the navy or ship yard for keeping it in a state of disrepair.

So can I take a copy of the livestream.

[cybersavant]

Reven Stiilpahth watches the Captain descend and Pranit ascend. "Captain, should i follow you down to engineering?"

[BackworldTraveller]

Reven watches the Captain head down the shaft, followed by the Leiberkind...and then Pranit starts clambering up. The hatch into the lift opens easily and Pranit scrambles through, shutting it behind him to give him self room to work on the lift door. - Check the pressure, unlatch, wind. And then the bridge door - same process.

The bridge itself looks untouched. Given the mess downstairs, this is a bit of surprise. The room is cold, but it has outside light from the great windows - transparent now the power is off.


The whole room twinkles slightly in the starlight - ice has formed from the condensation. Some of the cupboards are open, and the arms-locker in the corner has been emptied. Other than that the place looks like any other ship, but dead, dark and still.

The climb down to engineering is slow and the fog of ice in the air that entered from the crew-deck is falling slowly. The stairs are slightly slippery, but nothing dangerous.



Opening the shat door into Engineering isn't an issue as the door is only partially closed - and down here the temperature is really chilly. "Careful what you touch captain" says Leiberkind "Its -90 in here. That's not all water-ice lying about." (and it does look like a really heavy frost, everywhere.) The workshop door is closed, and has air-sealant sprayed around the edges and a "Danger, Vacuum" sticker attached. Access to that space is going to be trickier.

The far wall to your left (past the powerplant) has the main distribution panel. The port-side breakers appear to have already been pulled. The others, except the emergency circuit, are easy enough to pull-down. Without access into the workshop space though, the main control desk for engineering is not accessible...Pranit's repeater on the bridge is where it's all at. But the mechanical gauges aren't hopeful. Battery Charge: Nil. Fuel Pressure: None Noticeable. Still, at least the place hasn't been stripped by "salvagers".

Reven has been moving slowly and carefully down the shaft in his bubble-suit. It's very cold and the fingers are already going blue from holding the rungs.

[BackworldTraveller]

Tiberius

The police seem to be going a bit nuts. Some new guy (who looks vaguely familiar - EDU roll please) has shown up and is getting dressed into a Vacc Suit, as is another forensic officer. It seems that the party has not stuck to what their officer thought they'd agreed to and they are now split across two decks with one (Reven) completely out of sight somewhere in the lift shaft, or worse, on a third deck and wandering through the evidence! (If only that new Captain hadn't been appointed they could have just thrown everyone off.)

The new police team look almost set to enter.

[Stirling]

Tiberius

Tiberius Education roll [2d6] = 7

"So you guys want to go in? Better let the Captain know so you don't bump together in the dark. Do I know you from somewhere?" he says.

He keeps one eye on the cops and the other on the progress inside the ship on the monitor.

"Captain there is another scene of crime forensic suiting up to come aboard." he speaks through a linked comm unit.

[BackworldTraveller]

Tiberius

The new guy looks at you and says "Nope, I don't think so. I've never been to New Earth so unless you've been having your ship overhauled here we probably won't have met". Despite this, you are convinced you have seen him before. "Right guys, lets get in there before the Lieutenant explodes."

They start cycling the bay's airlock.

On the comms circuit the police have been using to talk to Indrani
"Hi Captain, I've been asked to survey the ship by the Police...I wouldn't expect much to have changed structurally since she was docked, but I gather you've had an outbreak of vermin and someone has cut the services - must be cold and dark down there"

[Stirling]

Tiberius

Does my accent betray I am a New Earther?

"I can switch power on and you can heat her up whenever you are ready." he confirms.

[BackworldTraveller]

Tiberius
Does my accent betray I am a New Earther?

Pretty much. And the squat profile, musculature, darker skin from actually having been in sunlight while young.

[BackworldTraveller]

n.b. Split Nalani, Noor(Sam) & Arnwulf off onto separate thread.

[ateno]

"You know, this is really odd for me to be the captain when you outrank me." Indrani pauses to let out her safety line a little more, and then she continues down the ladder.

Private Channel to Indrani While climbing to the bridge

"Indrani, its alright, your a owner and I just happened to be with Noor. My whole Navel career I have never had a ship command. I'm a boarding officer, I can lead troops in ship combat, but that does not get you up the ladder or the right schools. I topped out, I was not picked for pilot or tactics school, which meant the rest of my career would have been writing policies on weapon use and doing safety lectures to ensigns and some such. I've always been a support guy, and I am here to support you and the Queen.

On reaching the bridge and looking around.
"Ok, I've achieved the bridge, nothing out of normal, about what you expect, I will search a bit until your ready, no power."

Pranit will 'boarding officer search' the bridge, but not touch any buttons or overturn pillows and like.

[joertexas]

'I believe I've made a great choice for Ex-Oh, then.

Indrani completes a quick visual survey of the Power Deck, and then she keys up on command override to everyone in the bay, including the bay's PA system. "This is the Captain. The only personnel who are authorized to be aboard the Queen of the Belt are my executive officer and one other crewman. Everyone else, get off this ship, and stay off until I say differently! I will have anyone else arrested for trespassing!" She glares across the compartment at the cop. "You are on thin ice with me. Stand out of the way, and say nothing unless one of us is about to die. Is that perfectly clear?" She turns away to work with the power distribution board without caring if the man answers or not.

Indrani disconnects the three operational power busses at the main breakers, and locks them out. She sets the external power system to "Standby", and ensures that the emergency breakers are on. When the umbilical powers up, she will check that the power profile is within parameters, and then set the external power to "Active" so it will energize the emergency bus.

"Tiberius, please activate your power panel. And cross your fingers."

[joertexas]

To Pranit:

While she works on the panel, Indrani keys up her private channel to Pranit. "I think we need to contact our attorneys. I will not have the police simply ignore me on our own ship. When the power comes back, start recording each and every person who is aboard ship. I want their posteriors hammered with a formal protest. Power coming up in a minute."