Tranquillity Dawn July 23, 2019 Travellers : Leon [Alex] Thea [Dylan] Viky [Chris] Dr Fred [Garret] Sabina [Hannia] Vance [Esra] “And Then a Road Trip” y295.49.4 The Travellers have been preparing to crash the Knighting ceremony and then party given to Opal Price by Count Whinchester of the Crowler system. Baron Lattimore, who had been asked by the Count to plan both the ceremony and the party, had Vance appointed as a waiter. Vance arrived at the Count’s spherical palace early both because he had to take up his duties and so that he won’t be associated with the rest of the Travellers. Dr Fred made one final adjustment to his medical equipment. He mislabeled a dose of Truth Serum as a harmless and common drug and he labeled distilled water as Truth Serum. He replaced both into his medical kit. The Baron arranged for a hired Air/Raft bus to transport the Marquesa, Vicky, and the rest of the Traveller to the count’s suspended palace. Thea hired Samuel Morse, the Cutter pilot suggested by the Baron, and his Cutter. With the electronic pads needed to tap into the Count’s security feeds she had Morse hover a kilometer from the palace. Sabina, as part of Vicky’s entourage, arrived at the palace and attempted to smuggle in the electronic device she built to tap into the Count’s audio and video security feed. She failed and the device was confiscated but it’s purpose was not questioned and it was placed with the other contraband items to be returned when their owners left the palace. The same occured to Dr Fred’s scalpels and syringes. Eliminating any chance of easily and secretly poisoning the wine to be served. Leon, wearing the Tantry support pin given to him by Tantry marines, mingled with other quests of the Count and discussed politics and the upcoming Moor. He learned that the Count would be leaving the party early in order to travel to Mensah. Although Opal Price was already present, Count Winchester Later in the Day, Count Winchester arrived and stayed only long enough to conduct the ceremony and Knight Price. Vicky attempted to open a dialog with the Count. He was pressed for time and “politely” insisted that the Marquesa contact his aid, Dame Price in the next day. All the planning and scheming seems about to go out the window. Having already caught the eye of several ladies at the ceremony/part, he stepped up and attempted to catch Opal Price’s eye. Which, surprisingly, he did. Due to his physique and obvious lack of skill as a waiter, Price mistook Vance for the paid escort she was expecting for her private celebration. She told Vance to get rid of the basket of bread he was carrying, go back into the kitchen, get the Count’s most expensive bottle and bring it to the private rooms. Vance returned to the kitchen for a bucket of ice and an expensive bottle. He then met with Dr Fred in the restroom in order to secretly get the pieces of the 3D printed key, which he hid under the ice in the bucket. The doors to the stairs leading to the Count’s private rooms opened as Vance approached, he could hear the armed guard at the foot of the landing laugh as he was waved through. To Vance’s surprise (maybe?) he finds Dame Opal Price wearing a revealing black leather bodysuit and holding a small whip. Towns is also in the living room of the private quarters but after Vance is instructed to pour him a drink he takes his machine gun and goes to the kitchen. He also laughs and slowly shakes his head at Vance. Price directs Vance to move out of the living room, through the Count’s study and into the bedroom. Vance notes the pyramid shaped nick-knack on the shelf. On the wall in the Count’s private bedroom are several edged weapons arranged in an artist display. Vance notes a broadsword among the other swords. Price is gently caressing a small very sharp knife. Things take a turn for the worst for Vance but they take an even worse turn for Price. His tactical training helped him understand that allowing himself to be handcuffed to the bed would be a really bad idea. So, out of self preservation he grabs Price, taking a stab wound from the knife and then breaks her neck. Grabbing the broadsword off from the wall display Vance proceeds to cut off Price’s head. He heads back to the living room but interrupts Towns, who is pouring himself another drink from the bottle. Vance strikes hard and fast takes Towns down in a very anticlimactic one sided fight. Dumping the ice, Vance puts Price’s severed head into the bucket. He also takes the pyramid shaped key and several other items from the shelf. He then calmly walks past the security guard outside the private rooms. “They want another bottle”. Apparently amazed at their good fortune the other members of the group almost get Vance caught by attempting to help he leave the palace. Leon starts an argument with the only guard Vance has to pass on his way out of the palace. That argument causes a second guard to show up. But, Vance is known to be a waiter and it does look as if he is carrying a bucket with a bottle, which is what they would expect him to be doing so the guards pay him little attention. Leon however is asked to leave the party. Making their way from the party and out of the hanging palace the members of the team meet at the Star Lance. Thea contacts Baron Lattimore and strongly warns him to leave the system, suggesting that Count Farwood might be able to protect him. Vance puts Price’s head in the lounge refrigerator. In short order the Star Lance is flying towards the system’s primary. A yellow star. They have a moments scare as they pass a Far Trader from Durran but are able to activate the program which will open the back door to the Count’s satellite system defending the small planitoid of Palmira, location of the Count’s vault. Only four, not six satellites obey the command to hide an intruder. Making the likelihood of success much smaller. However, excellent Navigational calculations by Vicky and equally superb Piloting by Thea allow the Star Lance to thread the needle with only minor damage to the ship’s cargo bay door. Once on Palmia Thea brings the ship within meters of the surface. She cautiously flies the ship at ground level until they are within 800 kilometers of the base where the vault is located. Only once did she bounce off an unexpected rock, causing 10 tons of fuel to vent. Calculating that they have 12 hours of air for everyone the team sets off using the Air/Raft from the Star Lance with Viky as pilot. Flying over some low hills they stumble upon a damaged Tracked ATV. Spending an hour exploring the wreck, Leon and Thea discover the dead owner of the ATV was a prospector. They find his last sample bag and three air tanks. Two of which were filled with oxygen. Vicky did get into a bit of trouble while attempting to fly through some mountain passes. To avoid flying high enough to be spotted she had to backtrack an hour and try a different route. Taking 11 hours they reached the small mound with an air lock. Leon climbed the mound to look into a sky light, but it turned out to be a sensor. Thea, Vance, Dr Fred and Vicky’s body guard Sir Gates enter the airlock and enter the base. They find a small room featuring an elevator. The light showed that the elevator from coming up. A fight ensued between the four team members and two of the Count’s men wearing combat armor and bearing sub-machine guns. The team won. Although wounded, one of the guards was given truth serum and questioned. He mentioned that a total of eight guardsmen man the base. Thea then held up the man's own communicator and told to give the “all clear” code. Continued August 27 - It all Goes Down! <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTbme9RUX3zeP1VEZJf4zY5Puw28MgAd1UuDhU1weIYKXLQ_IFOwVjvczX3N0GwMvTGuX1jyQ_tXjMy/pub" rel="nofollow">https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTbme9RUX3zeP1VEZJf4zY5Puw28MgAd1UuDhU1weIYKXLQ_IFOwVjvczX3N0GwMvTGuX1jyQ_tXjMy/pub</a>