Tranquillity Dawn September 24, 2019 Travellers : Thea [Dyan] Vicky [Chris] Dr Fred [Garret] Vance [Esra] “Beginning of the End” y295.49.6 The Travellers are onboard the MSC Star Lance (Mensah Scout Courier). They had just left the vault of Count Windchester located on Palmira in the Crowler star system. While Leon piloted the ship towards a jump point the rest of the team examined the spoils of victory they carried away. These included the Jinsu Document, four flash frozen human embryos belonging to Baron Lattimore, a complete listing of crimes committed by Mondo Bits between y285 and y295, passwords and the locations of several large cargos stored throughout the Mensah cluster, an Adam’s Tech artifact, four ampoules of high tech alien drugs, and an empty aluminum briefcase. Thea recognized one of the ampoules as containing the same drug that she had been forced to take that had increased her intelligence and dexterity. Vicky injected herself with drug and fell into a deep coma. During the week in jump the Travellers discussed how to hide items they had taken from the vault. In particular they discussed how to hide the severed head of Opal Price. In the end, Vance decided he liked the idea of simply putting the head into a container labeled “BioHazard”. As it turned out, the ship was not challenged as it approached Mensah. y295.50.7 Before reaching Mensah, the Star Lance received a communication from the Mensah Scout Service indicating that the ship was being recalled and assigned duty with the Mensah Navy. Leon would be allowed to stay in command of the ship if he agreed to service in detached duty with the Navy. Leon, knowing about the impending Quartermark invasion, wisely said “Hell No!”. The Star Lance needed fuel and the Travellers debated where to land. In the end they agreed to pay for landing at the Adam’s Port and pay full price for fuel. (Because of the protection offered by being at the Adam’s Port rather than on the Margus Island or at the Scout base. The team receives an invitation from the Marquis to join him on his Island and “discuss” and upcoming hunt, which is code for discussing the current political situation and the hail mary role they are playing in it. Thea pays for 30 days of storage for a single ton cargo container with MicroWareHouse, a franchised warehouse near the Adam’s port. Sir Gates uses some of Vicky’s money to purchase a wheelchair. Leon stays with the ship while Thea, Dr Fred, Vance and Sir Gates pushing Vicky in the wheelchair, hired air transportation to the Marquis Island. The Pouncer’s island, Roy’s Folly, has been undergoing significant changes. The Trantry marines have built two permanent barracks and are constructing a rec center. More than two dozen marines with ‘questionable’ women were hanging out on the beach next to two G-Carriers. The Travellers entered the hunting lodge, the only building that the Marquis wanted on his island, because it had been built and used by his dear friend the previous Duke of Mensah. In the lodge the team met with Baron Lemmon, retired Mensah Admiral Austin Masterson and of course Marquis “Raj” Rakshasa. After both groups performed a sweep for electronic surveillance Thea presented the Jinsu Document. After reviewing the document both Baron Lemon and the Marquis agreed that it was both a bombshell and useless without the hire, Landon Richmond. Only he could present it before the Moor and have it’s startling revelations accepted, considered and voted upon. If he was to be declared the rightful Duke of Mensah and prevent a war with the Quartermark Cluster he had to appear before the Moor. The problem was, the Travellers had hidden him on Quartermark with the mysterious Kandel Taper. They would have to quickly return to Quartermark and bring him back. The fastest way to Quartermark was through the Adam’s Moon wormhole. However, this moon was heavily patrolled by ships from Tantry. The Travellers would almost certainly be stopped and boarded if they tried to reach Quartermark by way of the wormhole. Admiral Austin suggested the “do or die” approach. Rather than slow down and come to a complete stop before jumping near the Adam’s Moon, the ship time their entry into jump at high speed. This would give the Tantry patrol ships around the Adam’s Moon less time to react and shot them. However, he admitted that this plan would only have about a one in six chance of success because failing to enter jump at the exact right moment would almost certainly result in the Travellers ship slamming into the Adam’s Moon at a speed of many Gs. While discussing the merits of the Admiral’s plan, Baron Lemon made a suggestion of his own. His operatives have been monitoring the few ships that until recently had still been allowed through the wormhole unhindered by the Tantry military ships. These were both Tantry and Mensah diplomatic vessels that had encrypted transponder signals. The Baron suggested that a talented Mensah marine, whom he had previous had in his command, would almost certainly be able to modify the Travellers Scout ship to emit copies for the encrypted transponder codes. It might just be enough to hold off the Tantry patrols until the Scout could enter the wormhole. Even the Admiral admitted that the Baron’s plan was much less likely to end with the Travellers death. The only problem with the Baron’s plan was that the marine, Fenton Bray, was serving a life sentince for murder in the Silent Wind Rehabilitation and Detention Center. The Travellers would have to spring Bray from prison. And time was short. Leon, and the Star Lance, would not remain at the Adam’s Port for more than 18 hours. A direct assault on the prison was rejected. The Travellers believed the best chance of getting Bray out of the prison would be for one of them to impersonate a high ranking Tantry officer with orders to have Bray released into his custody. Naturally Lt Vance was selected due to his time in the Quartermark Army. “Raj” offered to “acquire” Tantry officers uniforms, claiming the task would not be especially difficult as he licked his lips. He asked Dr Freddick about medication that would ease the natural nausea his race felt when thinking about chewing on a sentient creature. It took a moment for the doctor to realize (he thinks) that the Marquis was joking. Thea asked about a female Tantry uniform and “Raj” assured her that also would not be a problem. It would be up to the Travellers to steal one of the G-Carriers on the beach. And that might not be easy. Although Lt Vance had to disagree. Within six hours the Admiral returned with fake Tantry IDs for the team and fake orders for Vance. To save time the IDs used the teams real names. The orders, while usable, were a rush job. They might not pass detailed scrutiny. With Tantry uniforms and IDs the team went out onto the beach and confronted several off duty Tantry marines grilling near and playing on the G-Carriers (with the questionable women). Vance, now a fake Major in the Tantry marine corp, dressed down the marines and (rolling very well) intimidated them into turning over the G-Carrier to him. And what was suppose to be difficult was accomplished with ease thanks to Vance’s ability to play the part of a Space Nazi and to his rather good luck. The team entered the G-Carrer and Sir Gates flow them to Silent Wind prison, site of the prison of the same name. Approaching the prison the Travellers were challenged over the radio. Vance, as a Tantry Marine Major, was again able to intimidate a junior prison guard providing permission to land at the small enclosed air field within the prison main fence. A group of nine prison guards, armed with electronic clubs arranged themselves as the Travellers exited their G-Carrier. Vance wasted no time and with amazing subtlety invoked the fear of Tantry retribution on the guards. Sir Gates, acting as a Tantry marine lieutenant, was ordered to take down the name of each guard standing at attention. Within a few minutes, Baron John R Smith, warden of Silent Wind approached the team. The warden invited “Major” Vance into his private quarters to discuss the reason for the visit. Vance “ordered” Gates to remain with the G-Carrier and had both Thea and Dr Freddeck join him. The warden offered Vance and his two “aids” refreshments but Vance cooly declined. The warden then asked to view Vance’s orders. Vance initially declined, stating that he was temporarily attached to the Tantry Office of Intelligence. This apparently impressed the warden but he still insisted on viewing Vance’s orders. Vance agreed and in an amazing stroke of extremely good luck (boxcars rolled) the warden merely glanced at the orders and accepted what Vance had already told him, that his orders were to bring Fenton Bray in for extended questioning. The warden readily agreed to allow Vance to take Bray as long as the prisoner waives his right to challenge this extradition. Even though the prisoner was not being taken off planet, the warden believed it would still be considered an extradition. Undetermined Vance, Thea and Dr Fred, escorted by three prison guards, visited the barracks where Bray was locked up. Bray was not overly impressed by the appearance of three Tantry officers. He suggested that the uniform did not suit Thea and that she should immediately remove it. The other prisoners in the barracks found this a great joke and began whistling and cat calling. Thea ignored them. Vance asked Bray if he would like to come with them but Bray declined, suggesting he was enjoying his three hots and a cot. Thea, pulling out a data pad, displayed an image of Baron Lemon. The Orsens old battle scar was clearly visible. Surprised and a little confused by this it was clear he was thinking fast. It was also clear he still had loyalty to the Baron, as he had served under him when in the Mensah marines. After a moment Bray agreed to waive his right to challenge extradition and leave with the three travellers. Once in the G-Carrier Thea cautioned Bray not to cause trouble. He insisted that the murder he was convicted of was self defense. She then negotiated terms with Bray. Thea would pay Bray CR 60,000 and he would alter the transponder on the Star Lance so that it could be set to transmit copies of the encrypted transponder codes. He also added the condition that he be transported to Quartermark. Thea agreed. Returning to the island of Roy’s Folly the Travellers picked up Vicky, who was still in a comma, and traveled back to the Adam’s Port. Boarding the Star Lance Leon was informed of the plan to modify the transponder. They discussed the ramifications that this was the legal definition of piracy. Bray worked for almost six hours before completing his work. He demonstrated the computer command he had programmed in order to switch between the ship’s normal transponder and the modifications he had just finished. At this point Sir Gates informed the team that he would not be joining them on their trip to Quartermark. He had no regrets in helping them but he was still loyal to Mensah. The ton of cargo the Travellers had placed in the nearby MicroWareHouse was returned to the Star Lance. The Star Lance lifted off and the Travellers headed towards the Adam’s Moon. Thea was determined to get through the wormhole one way or another. If the fake transponder codes didn’t fool the Tantry patrols she would have the Star Lance speed up and attempt Admiral Austin’s dangerous plan. Bray offered Thea a bet. If his transponder modifications failed he would give her back the CR 60,000. But if it fooled the patrols then she “owed” him. She declined but countered offered to pay him an additional CR 35,000 if the modifications worked. As the Star Lance approached the Adam’s Moon Leon switched on the modified transponder. The Travellers held their breath and waited while the Star Lance slowed as it lined itself up to use the wormhole. At a distance one of the Tantry patrol cruisers transmitted an all clear signal to the Star Lance. The fake transponder had worked and the ship entered jump. y295.51.4 During the trip to Quartermark Vicky finally woke up from the long coma she induced by the alien drug. She was in rather good spirits despite a hammering migraine, which Dr Fredrick was soon able to clear up. The drug had worked on her as a similar drug had worked on Thea. Vicky had gained both IQ and dexterity due to the drug. She was quickly brought up on the current situation. y295.52.1 After entering jump space Leon switch off the fake transponder. Seven days later the Star Lance left jump space and found itself near the Adam’s Moon in the Quartermark star system four parsecs from Mensah. Almost immediately they received an order from a nearby Quartermark patrol cruiser, the QPC Lengthy Discourse on Wisely Applied Violence, demanding that they stand by for boarding. The Travellers complied and soon a squad of Efray marines entered the Star Lance. It wasn’t long before squad leader, an Efray named Usian, recognized Thea and raised questions about why she was entering the system in a ship registered out of Mensah, being piloted by a citizen of Mensah and carrying a convicted murderer from Mensah. Thea replied that they should contact Captian Brian Page of the Quartermark Navy. After several hours of waiting Usian told Thea that the Star Lance was to be taken to an undisclosed Down Port near Quartermark Down but that she and her crew mates were not under arrest. The Travellers agreed and soon the Star Lance was on a landing pad near the capital city. There was considerable activity at the Down Port. Navy personnel, marines and cargo were loading into armed ship’s boats. To both Vance and Thea it was clear that intensive military logistics were under way. A single human marine in dress uniform armed with only a side arm arrived and requested Thea and her team accompany him. The marine took the Travellers to the small office being used by Captain Brian Page. (Page is Thea’s contact with Quartermark Navy Intelligence, supposedly.) Over the course of a brief conversation Page informed Thea that the wormhole was now closed to all traffic with direct approval of the Duchess (of Quartermark). Such permission could take several days to get but only if the need was urgent enough. Thea declined to discuss the reason why she and her team would need to return to Mensah. And Page wisely declined to press her on it. Possible having some suspicion already but knowing that if he asked and she told his superiors would get involved and possibly doom any chance Thea actually had. Page admitted that due to his history with her, he trusted that Thea would do all she could for Quartermark. So he let the Travellers leave and take their ship to the Adam’s Port. Thea allowed Bray to leave after making him promise to be on his best behavior. She also offered him a job with Broadsword Solutions. He told her he just might take up that offer when she returned from stopping a war. The team refueled the Star Lance and paid for the landing fees. Leon stayed with his ship while Thea and the others left to complete their own business. As she was leaving the Adam’s Port Thea bumped into her “friend” Dame Noel Godwin, owner and Captain of the Far Trader Niven. Thea invited to Noel to have dinner, on her, at Churchgates but that she was far too busy to talk. Quicking traveling to Kandel Taper’s office in Quartermark Down Thea found Landon Richmond in the waiting room ‘waiting’ for her. He had been in a deep discussion with Taper. Thea showed them the Jinsu document and Landon immediately understood that he would have to present it at the Moor. Thea explained that the wormhole was now restricted and could not be used. She asked Taper if he could get them to Mensah quickly. He declined saying he didn’t want to be involved in the middle between two cluster governments. Also, Landon vetoed the idea. He would have to arrive at Mensah onboard a Mensah registered star ship. The optics of doing otherwise might jeopardize his claim to the title of Duke. He would have to take Star Lance. Taper did however offer Thea something he felt might come in handy. Six blue and six red medical patches. One provided a high tech version of standard combat drug that was untraceable by any means known to either Quartermark or Mensah medicine. The second provided a different type of combat drug that increased Strength and Dexterity by 5 points each for 30 minutes. Landon, putting on a mask, left with Thea. To Be Continued.