A Day in the Life of a Traveller Gamestory

[Grav_Moped]

This can be compounded by adding an Aslan to the crew.

Commentary:
It can? Great! But where are we going to find an Aslan on such short notice?

More to the point, where are we going to find someone who can script an Aslan character properly? Heck, neither GDW nor most of its licensees could even draw them as described!

(For example: )

TL;DR: Sorry to disappoint, but it's just a throwaway joke.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Commentary:
Soundtrack: Coelacanth -- Shriekback (Youtube)


Story:
Hour 8

090-1106 Imperial
1430 Shipboard time

Feri/Regina (Spinward Marches 2005)
B584879-B
Feri Downport, Berth 16 South

Kurt looked to the west, to the Skandi Range silhouetted by the setting suns. Home used to be past there, but he'd been dead to Imim for years. Home used to be behind him, in the ghetto across the starport tarmac and beyond the shipyard where he worked. At least they'd be safer now without him there to draw vengeance.

"Kurt, it's time," Roland called from the shuttlecraft. "Even if they weren't kicking you off the planet, we need you up there on the ship. Chief Doen just crashed out, and Tenya hasn't slept since yesterday."

Kurt sighed. "Ok," he replied as he climbed the boarding ladder. He cast one final look at the darkening sky before closing the hatch.

I guess that weird ship is home, now.

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Commentary:
Roland and Kurt are leaving in ANNIC NOVA V, the passenger shuttle.
Jon and Tomos are still in the starport, and will take ANNIC NOVA I, the cargo shuttle, back to the ship at an appropriate time.

 

[Spinward Scout]

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Story
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A Day in the Life of some Travellers

Hour 8

090-1106 Imperial
1445 Shipboard time
Feri/Regina
Windsor

"Well, I'm hungry. How about we grab something on the way back to the ships?" Jon said as they walked out. "Our cargo got cancelled because of the attack. We should probably count ourselves lucky. The Chief and Everybody's not going to believe this."

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Commentary
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I didn't mind if we changed ships. If you want to try it.

I'm thinking Fuel, Provisions, Passengers, and last-minute Cargo - probably from a different Broker. Probably not very exciting, tho.

whartung, you could jump in and play a character, if you want.

 

[Grav_Moped]

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Story
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A Day in the Life of some Travellers

Hour 8

090-1106 Imperial
1445 Shipboard time
Feri/Regina
Windsor

"Well, I'm hungry. How about we grab something on the way back to the ships?" Jon said as they walked out. "Our cargo got cancelled because of the attack. We should probably count ourselves lucky. The Chief and Everybody's not going to believe this."

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Commentary
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I didn't mind if we changed ships. If you want to try it.

I'm thinking Fuel, Provisions, Passengers, and last-minute Cargo - probably from a different Broker. Probably not very exciting, tho.

whartung, you could jump in and play a character, if you want.

Commentary:
The shuttle swap is so Kurt can get a quick nap in, in one of the staterooms, before going on shift in the Engineering section.

The ship's quarters deck layout presumes everyone on board is trustworthy, rather than being designed to keep passengers separated from the crew. I'd say it'd be ok if we're transporting personnel for the Scouts; otherwise, it might not be prudent.

Reference:
Passenger Deck Layout and notes behind the spoiler.
(Deliberately sloppy MS Paint sketch that I hope doesn't present copyright issues follows. MODS: Please delete image if it's problematic.)
{Spoiler for DA1}

Spoiler

Click image to enlarge.

Key:
SR = Stateroom
WASH = Lavatory
Lavender square = Elevator
Semicircle at top = Access shaft to astrogation dome two decks up. Eventually we'll put a hatch on the opening

Spoiler

so if the dome gets broken it doesn't depressurize this deck

- Sliding doors with blue Xs are left open.
- Brown walls/swinging doors are made from "space plywood" and basic hardware from "HabModule Depot".
They are a temporary expedient to allow bathroom access without disturbing the stateroom's occupant.
- The two staterooms just to the right of the lounge are freshly painted and have "Space Ikea" furniture rather than the usual stateroom fittings.
- We don't use the stateroom with the red X, except for storage. If we carry any passengers, they'll go there.

Spoiler

And we won't tell them why we don't use it ourselves: it's where we found all the dead bodies. (It's perfectly safe now, we're all just kinda creeped out by it.)

 

[Grav_Moped]

Reference:
In the narrative, I've established that Roland's stateroom is one of the ones on the right side, and Tenya's is on the left side.
Tenya and Annie are double-bunking in the left-inboard-aft large stateroom, next to the elevator shaft.
Other than that, anyone can be in any room except the one with the X.

There are 8 staterooms total, and presently, 8 crew members including the loaner Medic from the Scout Base who's covering bridge duties at the moment. One of the staterooms is not in use, as noted above. There is therefore room left for one passenger.

We can carry up to 4 additional passengers in the passenger pinnace (it has 4 standard staterooms) if absolutely necessary. I wouldn't, because its cockpit door doesn't appear to be hardened (it's a sliding door, not an iris valve) and we do NOT want passengers getting in there.

Commentary:
"I wouldn't" = Captain Puch would violently object. Maybe if we can ever afford to reinforce the bulkhead and put in a locking hatch, but not as it stands now. Next annual overhaul, maybe. The only exception he'd make is if they're all Scouts personnel (and they could be: Roup also has a Scout Base).

If we're going to spend the Credits on remodeling, though, it'd be better to add passenger staterooms on the forward end of the cargo deck instead.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Commentary:
Another element of the shuttle swap was to provide room for hauling cargo back (about 20Td) without dragging another craft into this.

Anyhow...

Story:
090-1106 Imperial
1430 Shipboard time

Feri/Regina (Spinward Marches 2005)
B584879-B
Feri Downport, Central Mall

My handheld shows the starport map with local eateries highlighted. "Let's see, there's a Brubecks, a WaWa Burger -- ah, there it is, different category: Lone Star Lounge. We've got a few minutes, and after all this I think we deserve better than fast food. It's over that way." The concourse is a little crowded this evening, but not enough to slow our progress toward the lounge.

But I slow it myself, instead. "Wait. The cargo got cancelled? I know there's that no-fly zone thing, but can't they do maglev or ground trucks here or something? Nevermind, if you can't get it sent over, nobody else can either. Maybe the brokers here in the starport have some good stuff."

While I pause, I check my phone again. There's a text message from Coordinator Preston.

"Hey, Jon, turn your phone's notifications back on. Coordinator Preston's trying to reach you, something about wanting us to take a few Scouts with us to Ruie. Routine personnel transfer. You know how I feel about hauling passengers with the ship the way it is now, but if they're Scouts that'd be ok."

Reference:
Go on, take another roll on the spec cargo table. Passengers, too -- but they'll be the aforementioned Scouts. Don't worry, the IISS will compensate us for our troubles. Each Scout brings 1Td of household goods at standard freight rates.

The cargo pinnace has stow-and-fold seating for 16 passengers in its cargo hold, so transportation to the ship won't be an issue.

 

[The Pakkrat]

Story
Zazuezdez Doen chose a slow-pace walking exercise today after rising from a sleep. The COTCO Friar took a varying route from the Bridge to the aft observation route as he walked aft and forward, forward and aft through the ship. A walk would calm the Morning Person everyone hates aboard a ship. Dressed again in Cloth-8 Vun Nez Onorka Emissary robe, signature garb for the prestigious Emissaries from Torrrrerz, Zazuezdez carried openly and opened to a chapter and set of verses of the Church Of The Chosen Ones text. As he paced quicker down longer corridors, the Gvegh whispered the verses to himself, absently stepping over bulkhead thresholds. After a few laps the Friar decided would satisfy his exercise, Doen sought out breakfast.

Commentary
Vargr do have religion, though it is so widely varying across the species ethnicities, that no one could possibly say what the Vargr collectively believe or have unified faith. Thus, it is unspoken and fully accepted that belief systems are to cater to the individual rather than a group. While movements such as the Jihad of Faarzgaen can crop up, they come and go with the short-term energy of the Vargr, much like their physiological cycles.

 

[Spinward Scout]

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Story
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A Day in the Life of some Travellers

Hour 9

090-1106 Imperial
1500 Shipboard time
Feri/Regina
Windsor
Downport

"My Comms? Oh yeah, I forgot. Buddy, you can turn your Comms on, too."

Smithe rustled through his new messages until he got to Coordinator Preston. He brought it up on his screen.

"You're not going to believe this. Preston wants us to take a Prisoner and two Security Scouts to Roup with us. Just what we need. Routine transfer, my asteroids. At least the Prisoner is a Scout.,"

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Commentary
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Should be interesting for the next couple hours.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Story
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A Day in the Life of some Travellers

Hour 9

090-1106 Imperial
1500 Shipboard time
Feri/Regina
Windsor
Downport

"My Comms? Oh yeah, I forgot. Buddy, you can turn your Comms on, too."

Smithe rustled through his new messages until he got to Coordinator Preston. He brought it up on his screen.

"You're not going to believe this. Preston wants us to take a Prisoner and two Security Scouts to Roup with us. Just what we need. Routine transfer, my asteroids. At least the Prisoner is a Scout.,"

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Commentary
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Should be interesting for the next couple hours.

Story:
090-1106 Imperial
1431 Shipboard time

Feri/Regina (Spinward Marches 2005)
B584879-B
Feri Downport, Central Mall

"Three questions: First, what is this guy in custody for? Second, how much force are we authorized to use to restrain him if it comes to that? Third, are you out of your ever-lovin' mind?! You know as well as I do that the ship can't be secured against an internal threat without a major refit."
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Commentary:
Examples:
- No segregation of passengers from crew on quarters deck.
- Passengers in shuttlecraft are only kept out of its cockpit by a sliding door. The shuttle has a ship-grade beam laser...
- There are no airtight doors (or any doors, for that matter) for the drive rooms -- the entrances are simply hidden behind the plants in the hydroponics bay. [I"ll bet you think I'm kidding.]

 

[Grav_Moped]

Story:
..."Three questions: First, what is this guy in custody for? Second, how much force are we authorized to use to restrain him if it comes to that? Third, are you out of your ever-lovin' mind?! You know as well as I do that the ship can't be secured against an internal threat without a major refit."

"And, no, one-man coverage by guards working 12-hour shifts for a week straight isn't 'secured'."

 

[Spinward Scout]

A Day in the Life of some Travellers

Hour 9

090-1106 Imperial
1500 Shipboard time
Feri/Regina
Windsor
Downport

"I understand Coordinator Preston, but..." he paused, listening.

"Why can't you tell us what she's charged with?" He listened to the reply.

"But, we don't have the Security Personnel..." he paused again.

"A self-contained cage. Her and a Security Officer in one Stateroom. Shift switch every 12 hours is plenty of time when there's nothing else to do... I see your point. We'll be ready Boss. Smithe out." And he closed the Comm.

"So," Smithe said. "They can't tell us what she did. They can't give us extra Security. He saids our Gunners can be backup in JumpSpace. The Scout Base is brining her own cell and putting it in a Stateroom. He said we better hope she doesn't get loose. The Chief's going to be thrilled."

Shaking his head he said, "She better be up on charges for being sexy."

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Commentary
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Our times are off.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Commentary:
Can't edit. My previous immediately follows yours.

 

[Grav_Moped]

090-1106 Imperial
1500 Shipboard time
Feri/Regina
Windsor
Downport

Out-of-character commentary:
If you're setting up something that requires interaction with, or action from, the prisoner, I'll have the captain back down and wait for the inevitable "Told you so" moment.

If it's just to set up this argument with the captain, I have a plausible resolution that should be acceptable to everyone involved.

Let me know. Thanks in advance!

 

[Spinward Scout]

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Commentary
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It's just Fluff if we want it to be. No need to turn it into an adventure. Unless you want to.

 

[Grav_Moped]

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Commentary
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It's just Fluff if we want it to be. No need to turn it into an adventure. Unless you want to.

Out-of-Character Commentary:
I can see two scenarios coming from it:
1. Escape attempt
2. Conversion attempt (prisoner was in league with one of the anti-Imperial nations and is being "exiled", tries to gain the crew's sympathy for their cause -- kind of a moot point since we're ending the scenario before it would affect anything).

I also don't see the captain character accepting that risk voluntarily.

There is a potential for implied coercion: we do actually owe them for the damage to the air/raft (it probably got a bit shot up in the race back to the starport, for dramatic effect) and that's leverage.

On the other hand, we're not absolutely certain that the lethal pathogens have been completely purged from the ship. Fairly certain, but not absolutely so. (This is why Doc is on board.) This is a theoretical risk to passengers, since even if vaccinated they won't yet have established a full immune response. Doc has 8 doses of synthetic antibodies as a fallback in case of breakthrough re-infections among the crew, or passengers getting the disease. As a last line of defense, he also has 8 doses of Medical Fast Drug to prevent disease progression until the ship can reach a world with the tech to treat the infected.

That's the basis of the captain's counter-offer: Transport the prisoner under Fast Drug, administer the antidote after arrival. They might not even need both security guards if we do it that way!

This leaves open the option that the Scout Base could task us again the next time we come through, even though none of us are technically still on Detached Duty (we still would owe them one, because this would be "too easy" a task to balance out the damage to the air/raft). Outside the scope of this scenario, that's a nice adventure hook.

And we have to come back, to drop Doc off at Feri again once he's convinced that the disease is really gone from the ship.

 

[Grav_Moped]

This leaves open the option that the Scout Base could task us again the next time we come through, even though none of us are technically still on Detached Duty (we still would owe them one, because this would be "too easy" a task to balance out the damage to the air/raft). Outside the scope of this scenario, that's a nice adventure hook.

Commentary:
That is, as a Cr30k task (3 Ea. High Passage due to security risk) it was a fair exchange, but as a Cr 9000 task (actual cost to Scouts: Cr13,100 for 1x Mid Psg, 1x Low Psg, 1 dose Fast, 1 dose Fast Antidote) it doesn't balance out. It still accomplishes the objective, which counts for a lot -- but not for all of the damage to the air/raft.

The Scouts will accept the counter-proposal, but we'll still "owe them one" despite having saved them Cr16,900.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Story:
090-1106 Imperial
1600 Shipboard time

Feri/Regina (Spinward Marches 2005)
B584879-B
Scout Base Feri
Office of Detached Duty Coordinator

"Coordinator, I wasn't going to talk in public on open comms about how we've got a potential plague ship hanging over your planet. I know your men scrubbed it, and the Navy cleared it back at Efate, but there's a reason you detailed Dr. Martin to monitor ANNIC NOVA for a possible outbreak. We really shouldn't be transporting anyone who hasn't been vaxxed less than two weeks ago."

"Scout Puch, I will remind you that your account is significantly in the red because of the damages to the air/raft you borrowed. This is a risk we're willing to take with our personnel for mission accomplishment. And your colleague agreed to it."

"Sir, he's... a bit optimistic. I'm nominally the ANNIC's captain, which means that I'm the acting Mission Leader. This makes me responsible for the safety and security of my ship and my crew, including your Dr. Martin. A prisoner, no matter how well guarded, is a security threat. Especially so since you're not authorized to tell me what charges she's facing."

"I really wish I could, but it's above my clearance level. But I can tell you that we need to get her offworld as soon as possible, and that means she goes on your ship, tonight."

I sigh. "Ok, but does she have to be awake through it? Doc has some doses of Medical Fast Drug on hand -- it's the last-ditch fallback if one of us gets a breakthrough re-infection the synthetic antibodies can't stop. We could dose her up, and hit her with the antidote when we're dirtside at Roup. I'll bill you for low-passage rate instead of High for her if she's knocked out for the trip. How does that sound?"

Coordinator Preston pauses in contemplation. "That's not a bad idea. And if she doesn't need 24/7 coverage, a single guard will do. Fast and the antidote aren't cheap, though."

"True. Still costs less than sending 3 pax at High Passage rates. It comes out to just a little over half of what you were planning to credit us with."

"I should have thought of it in the first place -- but what gave you the idea?"

"We have a doctor on board who's just itching to put my entire crew into medical comas if that's what it takes to avoid mass casualties. And, honestly, I'm fine with that. But I wouldn't have thought of using Fast as a Low-Berth substitute otherwise."

"Very well. We'll have her prepped and dosed by the time you lift off, with one Scout detailed for security and handling."

"Thank you. I'm always glad to help, I just want my crew and my ship to be safe."

"Not a problem, and it's good we worked this out. By the way, if you're only billing for one high and one low passage, you're still on the hook for damages to the air/raft."

I look at him with a puzzled expression. "But we just saved you fifteen k-credits. That doesn't count?"

"It does, and it doesn't. I'll call it square, but Accounting isn't going to see it that way. So, expect me to task you and Smithe under Detached Duty Regulation 5, Section 1 the next time you come through Feri."

Reg 5.1? That's for loaner Type S couriers, not contracted ships! I think he's got good intentions here, but even if he doesn't it's not worth arguing. "Understood, Coordinator Preston. You've been nothing but helpful, and I'll be glad to provide any assistance you need the next time we make port on Feri." My sincerity surprises me a little.

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Commentary: See preceding posts. Apologies if I stepped on any advance plot-building you had in mind.

Also, we won't be back to Feri for another half-year or more, since we're headed for Victoria/Lanth to follow up one of the few clues left to us by the ship's previous owners. Doc Martin is along for the ride. Overtly (as far as we know) he's just there for pandemic control. What we don't know (but will eventually guess, and will probably be ok with) is that he's also there to find out what we learn -- if anything -- when we reach Victoria.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Commentary Outside the Scope of the Scenario:
The ANNIC NOVA will route through Ylaven/Lanth instead of Ghandi/Lanth to avoid the Naval Base after making the rift crossing from Dinomn/Lanth. This will be to conceal the ship's double-jump capability by masquerading as a "standard" collector-drive ship that recharged in mid-rift (waiting a week in deep space before the second jump). Everyone except the Imperial Navy would expect it to be able to recharge in deep space because "collectors" are supposed to be able to do that (but ours can't). The Navy knows that the ship can't recharge in deep space and would be very curious as to how it made the trip. . .

So we'll just avoid them when we double-jump.

Spoiler for DA1 (maybe, depending on referee interpretation):

Spoiler

Interesting bit from the Wiki article on Ylaven/Lanth (SM1916): "Around 20 years ago* there was a totally unprecedented earthquake that leveled most of the poorer areas of Chicago. Hundreds lost their lives in the debris. Several ore mines collapsed killing dozens more. . . . In the immediate aftermath of the quake there was an outbreak of severe cold like symptoms. Nearly a hundred people were killed before it was brought under control. There have been no reports of the disease before or since."

Sound like anything that affected ANNIC NOVA's previous (and current) crew?

Notably, Ylaven is 2 parsecs from Victoria. One week in Jump would be long enough for symptoms of the lethal disease to manifest, which would have the crew in a desperate panic on arrival at Victoria. This panic could have led to a misjump that terminated in the coreward/trailing corner of Regina subsector -- right where it is found at the beginning of DA1.

But it's not mentioned in DA1, so who knows?

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* The wiki article is not clear as to what date "...around 20 years ago" is relative to. It follows the "During the Fifth Frontier War" section that describes Ylaven's history up to 1120ie, so "... around 20 years ago" could actually be referring to a date between 1100-1103ie. rather than 1086ie. This would align with the first sightings of the ship as mentioned in DA1.

 

[Spinward Scout]

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Commentary
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Smithe is a former Scout. They have his Scout/Courier, if I remember right. He would be on Detached Duty. That doesn't mean the rest of the Crew or the ANNIC NOVA is, tho.

They can still put her on Fast Drug in her own cell. The Scouts aren't going to take a chance on her dying in a Low Berth Mishap. Ship and Crew would get Paid in Full before launch, as well. The Scout Service will pay.

There could be an escape attempt or just smooth sailing.

Or it could be an attempt to steal the ANNIC NOVA. No one would know in JumpSpace. If the Coordinator is getting orders from someone else who's compromised - or being fooled as well.

But, it might clutter things up too much for this 24 hour Project.

EDIT: Weird, you must have been typing as I read your previous post.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Commentary:
If they have Smithe's Type S, he isn't on Detached Duty any longer, just inactive in the same way all former Scouts are. The on-call status comes with the loan of the ship.

If it's not obvious (and I concede it's only obvious in hindsight since I was a bit unclear on it myself until after I posted), Preston's invocation of Detached Duty regs to get compensation from the crew of a privately-owned vessel is a fig leaf. He's got to do something to mollify the Accounting folks so they don't come after the ANNIC NOVA for the balance of the damages to the air/raft. What he's doing is taking the "DD tasking obligation" as credit against that balance. That is, instead of us owing them Cr15,000 in hard currency, we owe them Cr15,000 worth of services -- and since they have an "enforceable" (really, it's not) means to compel those services, the books appear balanced. At some point, we'll get a make-work tasking to resolve the situation.

Smithe could file paperwork to get his Type S (or a replacement) back if he wanted to return to DD status, since he was already entitled to one. (Average task, +DM for Admin -- and he can hire a lawyer for this! +DM of terms served, -DM per month elapsed after turning it in, maybe a +DM for high EDU or INT, maybe a +DM for high SOC depending on how it's role-played.) If not at a Way Station, there will likely be some waiting period before receiving the replacement, or he may have to travel to where one is available.