Episode 2 - The planet Ahiri

[Gerrin]

Several hours later the planet Ahiri comes into view, after orbiting the planet several times Lloyd has discerned a number of possible landing spots.
A suitable clearing close to the L'Hoi settlement, P'Angarr
What looks almost like an old style landing strip ten miles or so further south.
The ship's scanners pick up what looks like some sort of unusual stone formations on the side of a mountain twenty miles to the North West of P'Angarr.

[Faanku]

Tatiana stands watching the main feed on the bridge screens, enthralled by the new planet below. The day in transit seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, after some engaging thespianic debate with Wei and some rather more abstruse discourse with Udex. "That airstrip does not seem to be of L'Hoi construction; I wonder what other life forms we may find here."

[lordgrimli]

Having awakened from a nap only minutes earlier Lloyd looks at the scene with fresh eyes. Switching on the mic, he speaks over the intercom:

"I can see three landing spots below, a clearing near P'Angarr, a landing strip 10 miles south of the city, well, I mean if you're going to call it that. The scanners are also picking up some unusual stone formations on the side of a mountain twenty miles North West of the city. Does anyone have a reason I shouldn't put us down in the clearing?"

He keeps them in orbit for a few minutes longer to give the crew time to voice opinions or come to the bridge if they aren't already there.

[kalstone]

Dr. Yegorovich

Nikolai stared down at the planet below. He hadn't been able to sleep; the first signs of withdrawal coming on. He hated going through detox while with the crew. They knew he hated showing weakness, and they would never seem to meet his eyes. Except Dax, of course. She frightened him deeply, but at least he would have a guardian angel. If angel was the correct word.

"Perhaps we should just set down in the clearing. We could ask the L'Hoi what those rocks are. That is, assuming they don't put our heads on spikes first."

[Gerrin]

Ahiri surface map.png (2.04 MiB) Viewed 1591 times

[Marullus]

"Step one: Don't look weird," Dax replies to Lloyd, sitting at the rear of the bridge with her feet up on a comm panel. "They trade with outsiders through P'Angarr, then we are outsiders s and land at P'Angarr."

Dax still exhales vapor from her Meraxes brand stick as she scrolls her social media accounts on her compad. It appears uncertain if she moved or slept. "Looks like Lissette ended up here... Oh, what a good girl, assistant to the deputy regional director for shipping. Sleeping your way to the middle, there..." She narrates absently, not lifting her eyes from her screen. "Lissette followed all the rules - be on time, get good grades, go to a good uni, only the right blowjobs, pander to the corps, be grateful for that hard placement and work you way up..." she finally looks up and out the window at the verdant space below. "I don't imagine this corner of nowhere is what she expected. Bet they get her excited by an offworld vacation once a year."

She turns and looks up at Nikolai as he comes in; Dax has a hint of honest concern in her voice. "Doc, check this pic. She's got junkie eyes. Lissette is off the rails, this guy she's with, here... He's got Black Albion tattoos."

A firm set returns to her jaw and she says to Wei. "Might be worth connecting with her... You could work her towards what you need to know about one or the other."

[lordgrimli]

Lloyd nods and agrees with the sentiment, maneuvering the ship down towards the clearing after checking the radio frequencies for anyone that he might need to ask for permission.

(Assuming he finds none.)

Piloting = +1dex +1skill= 3+4+3 = 7 +2 = 9

[Liaozhai]

Adrenaline surged through Wei as he looked at the tattooed man. Elián Arntzenius, wanted for murder. Wei did not hide from the thrill of the hunt, it was as much a part of him as his shadow. Just as the circumstances of his life had shaped him to to seek the flagitious peoples of the world, those who flaunted harmony between creatures, so Elián was a creature of circumstance. He, too, contained light and dark, light-within-dark, and dark-within-light. What path had Elián followed, that their paths should now cross? At this juncture, Wei could not know, but his shadow was dying to find out.

"Excellent find, Ms. Anchillies. Let's land at P'Angarr and get a better understanding of the situation here. It might also be an opportunity to pick up..." he glanced at Nikolai, "...supplies."

"If you encounter any L'Hoi, bow and sweep both hands out wide. Just to be safe, wait for them to straighten their back first before you stop bowing."

[Antman9]

Silas A. Corvus: Expert Technician (HP: 5) (AC: 13)
Action/Status: Preparing himself mentally for the game at come.

The “new” had always brought about a state of extreme focus in Silas. A state of hyper awareness, a focus so deep and acute that everything else falls away in to the shadows at the periphery of reality, followed by exhaustion and deep sleep. So Silas prepared himself through meditation and fuel in the form of food and water for hydration.

Lloyd’s announcement on the intercom brought Sials out of a state of deep relaxation. Redying his meager belongings, Silas joined the others. “Agreed, Wei, Dax. Proper etiquette is a wise approach. Blending in will subvert some of the more harsh suspicions that come naturally of outsiders. We are going to need every bit of advantage we can muster here. We simply don’t know what to expect from these L’Hoi people. And we don’t yet know to what extent, one way or another, these L’Hoi will receive said outsiders. But Dax is right, don’t be weird. We’re outsiders looking to trade, let’s use that to our advantage.”

Silas felt weird after speaking so much, but didn’t regret voicing his opinion. Everyone has a voice, and his was no less important than anyone else’s. We’re a team after all, he thought. He had to keep reminding himself, otherwise he would wake up one day and find himself a hermit. He didn’t want that, and certainly did not want to forget about Eli. A pang of regret and fear crept up his spine at the thought of Eli.

Silas eyed the motley group of characters, "We should agree on a common story.”

[Marullus]

"Excellent find, Ms. Anchillies. Let's land at P'Angarr and get a better understanding of the situation here. It might also be an opportunity to pick up..." he glanced at Nikolai, "...supplies."

There is an awkward silence, Dax's mouth pursed like she is sucking a lemon. She then responds, drawing attention back to her from Nikolai. "DAX. Just Dax, please."
.

[lordgrimli]

Setting the craft down, Lloyd takes a quick trip to the armory to pick out a blaster which he puts in his belt.

"I mean, this is the Persephone and we are her crew. We're not the first ones in the universe to travel around on a ship looking for work, do we need a story? For that matter, do we have anything to hide? I doubt there's any sort of "customs officers" to get suspicious of us anyway."

[Liaozhai]

Wei smiled at Anchillies. "I meant nothing but respect, Dax. I will not misspeak again."

To Lloyd, he said, "It's possible our work may bring us into contact with less than reputable characters, some of whom have already been targeted by bounty hunters. The Black Albion will be suspicious of off-worlders. If we want to ingratiate ourselves into their ranks in order to collect information about Mr. Charmsworth (or even to collect a bounty ourselves), it might be useful to have a 'story.'"

[Marullus]

"Well, story depends on the plan, doesn't it?" replies Dax to Wei. "So, what's the plan, boss?"

She ticks off on her fingers. "We know you need to negotiate with the L'Hoi, and that I have a potential in to make friends with pirates." She smiles. "You want one story that covers both, or to divide up between the two?"

[Gerrin]

The Persephone settles gently onto the surface, clouds of dust blowing up momentarily obscuring the view from the ship.
As you made your approach several figures were visible fleeing deeper into the jungle.
As you discuss whether or not you need a cover story, three figures emerge from the jungle and stand watching the ship from about 50 yards away.

[Antman9]

Silas A. Corvus: Expert Technician (HP: 5) (AC: 13)
Action/Status: Preparing to depart the Persephone.

Dax has a point, Silas thought to himself. Do we attempt to complicate the affair by managing all fronts at once, the pirates, the L’Hoi, and the missing agent? Splitting up could be dangerous too…“Perhaps we need to ascertain the complexities of this affair on the ground. My vote is to make contact with the L’Hoi and play things by ear. My two credits of course. He gave a friendly smile to everyone hoping they wouldn’t find him overbearing or opinionated. Not that he actually cared either way, but it was important for the group to act as one and to have each other’s back when it mattered. That was more important than what or how he felt as an individual.

Silas pulled out his dataslab and made several quick searches for Eli’s name anywhere on the network; some clue to her last known location; anything that might lead him closer to her whereabouts. He did this most often when he was nervous or antsy about something. Glancing up to see the landing, while the dataslab did it's thing, Silas watched as three figures emerge from the jungle and stood waiting for the inhabitants of the Persephone to disgorge. "Looks like the decision may have already been made for us,” he said, pointing at the external view on the ship monitors.

[Faanku]

Tatiana checks over her own laser pistol, loath as she was to consider using it. Her training had picked up an intensity from Wei in the past few moments that had not been present before, and it left the psion feeling as if she were trespassing on the man's confidence, which was why she was thankful for the distraction provided by the video feed. She holsters the pistol and nods to Silas. "For what is it worth, I am in agreement with Silas. It is best to understand the situation fully before committing."

((Are the figures human or alien?))

[Marullus]

Dax rises from her seat, tucking her sleek laser pistol into the holster in the small of her back without even looking at it, hiding it under her kimono coat. "Fair enough... Dress for a pirate date over a safari, pack a change of clothes, extra guns for contingency." she smiles, scooping her designer duffel case off the floor. "Udex, mind if I put luggage in your trunk?"

[Faanku]

"And what manner of dress is deemed acceptable for a 'pirate date,' I wonder?" she muses perhaps too loud.

[Marullus]

Dax winks at Tatiana, straightening the tops of her thigh-high boots. "I think I am probably good already. I only needed to change if Wei needed respectable."

[Gerrin]

Tatiana checks over her own laser pistol, loath as she was to consider using it. Her training had picked up an intensity from Wei in the past few moments that had not been present before, and it left the psion feeling as if she were trespassing on the man's confidence, which was why she was thankful for the distraction provided by the video feed. She holsters the pistol and nods to Silas. "For what is it worth, I am in agreement with Silas. It is best to understand the situation fully before committing."

((Are the figures human or alien?))

You can tell they are L'Hoi