Chapter 10: Year 300, Days 7 and 8

[BackworldTraveller]

The Queen receives a message

Captain Indrani

We see that you have finally managed to get the Queen into space. Please confirm when you have delivered the water tanks and have located a potential return cargo.

Charlie Maputo
QotB Holdings

[joertexas]

The Queen receives a message

Captain Indrani

We see that you have finally managed to get the Queen into space. Please confirm when you have delivered the water tanks and have located a potential return cargo.

Charlie Maputo
QotB Holdings

Indrani uses her holo keyboard to type a return message. Will do. Taking care of a local issue first.

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

"We're talking about Jusu Saffa? The Starflight scientist? Who we found dead on the Queen?" Noor looks confused and tries to redirect back to the larger picture.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor

"We're talking about Jusu Saffa? The Starflight scientist? Who we found dead on the Queen?" Noor looks confused and tries to redirect back to the larger picture.

Yeah - Him. Big Ideas, bit dubious on "Mine" vs "Yours". While everything went the way the big boys wanted, they left him alone. As the wheels came off he started top realise just how deep he was swimming - and we are talking Poseidon Deep with no lifebelt!

His protectors went quiet and his rivals got their knives out. Still, if they hadn't tripped over each other and tried so hard to hide everything it could have been worse. And I only know part of the story. A small part.

[ateno]

"Speaking os story, I don't know anything your talking about, are you talking about a specific boarding I did or somethin the )5s amd above did?

Prannit

[BackworldTraveller]

"Speaking os story, I don't know anything your talking about, are you talking about a specific boarding I did or somethin the )5s amd above did?

Prannit

The Queen...You Boarded the Queen: OK It wasn't you but I'm sure it was your clone. Looking for contraband (which you found, much to everyone's surprise). And they weren't even aware that it was all a set-up. "Well. They would deny it" I think they said when the defence lawyer asked.


Hebden opens the hatch onto the street.

OK - Off we go. Shall we go as pairs? I'll take the boarding officer. And mind the cameras! And, can I have the white top from my bag? Or the bag?

[ateno]

"That must have been Máirín, he and I look alike, he's at staff college now.

To Group: "I don't care to take his orders unless everyone else agrees. Noor? Nālani?

Where exactaly are we?

"And the bag is closed now, for all I know H is a master pickpocket. And whats the white top?"

Pranit

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

Her head is still reeling from all the half-information, trying to put the pieces together. "What the hell is that blue chip for? You took it. And what is in the dead plant? Do you want to be free? Then spill."

She takes a deep breath and replies to Pranit. "I don't think he's on anyone's side, just trying to survive. So we go along, seeing as we don't have an exit strategy of our own."

[BackworldTraveller]

"That must have been Máirín, he and I look alike, he's at staff college now.

To Group: "I don't care to take his orders unless everyone else agrees. Noor? Nālani?

Where exactaly are we?

"And the bag is closed now, for all I know H is a master pickpocket. And whats the white top?"

Pranit

A top that has "Death Eagles" band tour blazoned across it is very obvious - I thought I'd swap it out.

And we are at the top end of Ten-Drift Street - about to leave the Hydroponic Air Station, if you have to know.

Noor

Her head is still reeling from all the half-information, trying to put the pieces together. "What the hell is that blue chip for? You took it. And what is in the dead plant? Do you want to be free? Then spill."

She takes a deep breath and replies to Pranit. "I don't think he's on anyone's side, just trying to survive. So we go along, seeing as we don't have an exit strategy of our own."

The blue chip allowed people through the door of the Queen and, I'm told, turned off it's targeting - and mucked up the ships security. I took it out because you need the ship if you are to save my sit-upon.

And yes, Free would be nice. Free and rich would be better.

That plant. It's a plant. Tricky to identify now it's dead you think? It'd be impossible to identify when alive as it isn't in any database you'd have access to

[ateno]

"Im about done with him, he still thinks hes playing a game. Hit replay.

[The Bindoner]

"Im about done with him, he still thinks hes playing a game. Hit replay.

Nālani is starting to readjust her attitude to Hebden. It seems unlikely that he was the cause of Jojo Celisse’ death, and she is starting to realise that they may have a lot in common.
Do not dismiss Hebden as trivial. He plays a game, yes, but it is more serious and complex than something you can “hit replay” on. I do not trust him with my life, but I trust him to save his own. That is a stake he has held on to for a long time, I will back his play on it now.

[BackworldTraveller]

"Im about done with him, he still thinks hes playing a game. Hit replay.

Nālani is starting to readjust her attitude to Hebden. It seems unlikely that he was the cause of Jojo Celisse’ death, and she is starting to realise that they may have a lot in common.
Do not dismiss Hebden as trivial. He plays a game, yes, but it is more serious and complex than something you can “hit replay” on. I do not trust him with my life, but I trust him to save his own. That is a stake he has held on to for a long time, I will back his play on it now.

"Whose table earth — whose dice were human bones?"

And today, we are the dice!

I don't like being the dice, but I'm not wild about being the collateral either.

Now the alternative is that you leave me here, walk out there and make you own way. You'd need to get to the surface and then get to your ship. I wouldn't be happy, but at least I'd be away from their current target. It is you they followed, after all.

[ateno]

Fine Nālani, you take him. He seemed to anxious to be paired with me. At least with you he might get once chance.

Pranit

[BackworldTraveller]

Fine Nālani, you take him. He seemed to anxious to be paired with me. At least with you he might get once chance.

Pranit

Hebden's quick change into his t-shirt reveals that he hasn't kept himself in the best of shape. What bulk he has is flab not muscle.

So - Ready for the nonchalant walk in the open?

Could I have an order of march and statement of what is carried visibly - and where any "Ready" items might be...

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

If we are to go in pairs, Noor will go in the second group behind Hedben. Probably with Thaco. She's carrying her bag which holds her weapon.

[ateno]

"There are 5 of us ,so i go with Noor and Thacho or should he go with you?

Pranit

[The Bindoner]

Nālani glances down at her bright red, crane-embroidered “kimono” (which is not a kimono) and shakes her head, with its red and black bilateral hair.

There is little I can do to alter my appearance. I will take my chances for now.

Is there a cheap clothes store nearby?

Nālani has her stunner in one hand (concealed, in her shoulder-bag), its empty holster on a black satin belt at her waist. The weapon rests in a pocket of the bag, so she can release it, use the empty hand, and recover it easily. Her silenced body pistol is in a holster hung between her shoulders, under her hair.

A combination mask and small “medkit” (of sorts) are also in her bag, along with the comms in their foil-lined pouch and the usual miscellaneous impedimenta (including cosmetics).

[ateno]

Pranits shotgun and Hebens bag are in my sports bag, my gloves are in a large exterior jacket pocket, energy ball in right front exterior bag, extendable baton in back pocket.

[BackworldTraveller]

Hebden sneaks a look out of the exit...

Camera's cameras. But is anyone watching yet?

There's a clothing outlet in the mall. Go in, change, pay cash, leave?

All meet on the stairs at the far end of the street marked "Grinders". If you get twitchy, split up and head for the reservoir instead. Inlet2. It's a maze and if you can't lose someone there, you'll never do so! But if you do head there, you are on your own.


The peek as seen from the doorway when Hebden snuck a look - The stairs to the grinders are visible in the distance.

[The Bindoner]

Hebden sneaks a look out of the exit...

Camera's cameras. But is anyone watching yet?

There's a clothing outlet in the mall. Go in, change, pay cash, leave?

All meet on the stairs at the far end of the street marked "Grinders". If you get twitchy, split up and head for the reservoir instead. Inlet2. It's a maze and if you can't lose someone there, you'll never do so! But if you do head there, you are on your own.


The peek as seen from the doorway when Hebden snuck a look - The stairs to the grinders are visible in the distance.

I am not letting you out of my sight, so I shall not change in the shop.

I will buy a different coat, and a bigger bag.