The group traveled to the distant world of Reqqat to steal a religious figure from the Temple of the Mother. When they arrive there they play cat and mouse with a SDB (System Defense Boat) but manage to reach the planet. The world is 50% water, much warmer than Earth, and has no icecaps. The planet has a population of about 100,000 women, no men, and about 60 children in total. Also there is no trade, no currency, and no industry of any kind on the planet. They discover how this is possible when they witness women creating anything they want or need out of thin air. Takeda teleports them to the planet surface. There they go to the capital city and approach the pyramid temple. The guards at the temple do not recognize these visitors, and they know everyone in the city (at least passingly) so the strangers are questioned. Their stories are suspicious so they are brought before the high priestess. During their discussion on theology they strangers reveal they are not Children of the Machine. Paladin asks how one becomes a child of the machine and the High Priestess agrees to show them. They go to the top of the pyramid where Ghost-Cat and Boom-girl go inside the uppermost room. They are blessed with a child, a beautiful baby girl. The High Priestess tells Paladin that this is how one becomes a Child of the Machine, by being born one. Ghost-Cat and Boom-Girl's daughter is also a Child of the Machine. When the High Priestess threatens to destroy the Empire, or kill every living member of the Empire, unless the strangers can explain why the conditions of the truce were violated Paladin comes clean with the whole story of why they came here, to get a ward that will keep some god-thing at bay. At first the Priestess denies any such thing exists there but then realizes that something called the Key (or Great Key) is the object they seek. She says that she recalls something similar being mentioned in the sacred scrolls and will try to find the information for them, but the information is not to be given freely. Her price is that Ghost-Cat and Boom-girl's daughter remain here, with them, protected and provided for by the Great Machine. Ghost-Cat agrees eagerly but Boom-Girl is reluctant. She does eventually agree but wants to see pictures of her daughter growing up and she wants some contact with her. The High Priestess does not agree to this but does admit such a thing is not impossible. Taking the child the Priestess goes to do research while making the strangers honored guests. The next morning she come to the strangers with news. She gives Paladin a rainbow hued crystal that looks like a d4. The crystal glows for Paladin and no one else. (She High Priestess violently attuned her to the stone, Paladin took 30 Stun and 8 Body (minus PD) during the tuning process.) The High Priestess also said the stone would led her to what she sought but it would not be a pleasant process. When the group gets back to the ship Xela has no idea how to tie the stone into the nav system. While she is pondering it a message reaches the ship, her parents have been kidnapped by The Marauders! They are a vicious band of space pirates that operate near the star system of Bandoq in her home galaxy. The Marauders want 20 million Imperial Credits for their safe return, plus other ransoms for other high value hostages that were captured from the cruise ship that her parents were on. The group offers to help rescue her parents. The voyage to the Stargate to her galaxy will take 5 days (Reqqat to Algol) Then 2 days to go from Thalok Prime to Bandoq. Exp Awards: Boomgirl 3, Takeda 3, Ghost-Cat 4, Paladin 3, Shifter 3 Actions on board during the voyage can be done by email. I will PM my address to each of you so you can let me know of your actions during the flight.