THE ROBBER BARON, Part 5: The Other Shoe

 AVASTAN, DISTRICT 268 (Day 13)

Source: wiki.travellerrpg.com

    Eldon reminds the crew that Rowri's Baronial Guard has no jurisdiction within the Starport's extrality boundary, so their best option is to remain in the Starport when they return to Inchin.  They can travel under the pretense of contractors from Collace, and as there were no survivors of the gunfight at their initial meeting with Barnett, the Baronial Guard should not recognize any of them in particular.

    The difficulty will come from finding a way to invite Barnett to meet them within the starport, without alerting either the Baronial Guard or Imperial Naval Intelligence, both of whom may have Barnett under surveillance.

Roll to find a ship going to Inchin: (11) Other large cargo ship (up to 800 tons)

Is it the Roebuck? (1) No, and, and...

    While Eldon tries to locate passage, Kellan searches the WorldNet to find any information on the mysterious freighter Roebuck that they encountered on their way in to Avastan.

Investigate/EDU, 8+ : (9)

    He discovers that the Long Subsidized Merchant vessel Roebuck vanished with all hands several months ago, and the ship was believed to have misjumped.  There are numerous skeptics and conspiracy theorists that either disbelieve that Roebuck ever existed, or doubt that it suffered an unfortunate fate, or believe that perhaps that this was sabotage or other deliberate act.

    Eldon returns to the hostel and announces that they have booked passage on the Maru-class Standard Merchant ship Chrysanthemum, due to depart that evening.

NPC reaction: Neutral

Roll for working passage: Skill/EDU, 10+

Justan (Pilot) 14; Kellan (Medic) 14; Serina (Engineer) 10; Eldon (Broker) 13

    Captain Wesley Hopkins has agreed to take on the entire crew for working passage, but they will be required to share double-occupancy staterooms so that he can take on more paying passengers.  Eldon has already assisted Hopkins in finding cargo and passengers bound for Inchin, most of whom are legitimate contract workers from Collace.  Katha will pay for her own private Middle Passage cabin.

Starport Encounter: (56) Meet one of your contacts.  Ruling that this designates Katha Miray as one of Eldon's available contacts.

Starship Encounter: (4) None; no Piracy Warnings

Crew Reaction roll: (11) No issues

Passenger Ship Event: (63) Crewman has crisis of doubt.

    Kellan is working in the sickbay when one of the vessel's gunners comes in.  He is visibly shaken and fearful.

Counseling: Medic/SOC, 8+ : (9)

Does this have to do with the Roebuck? (20) Yes, and, and...

Did the gunner know a member of Roebuck's crew? (4) No, and...

    The gunner explains that he has recently encountered the "ghost ship" that people have been speaking of recently.  On a previous voyage, the ship was seen following a standard course, but comms were silent, all running lights were off, and life support was powered down.  He fears that this was the act of pirates... or worse?

    Kellan recommends that the crewman be given a few days to rest.  Captain Hopkins is disinclined to accommodate the request.  Justan offers to cover for the gunner if needed.

Gunnery/SOC, 8+ : (9)

    Hopkins agrees to allow Justan to sit the gunner's watch shifts, but expects Justan to still report for his agreed-upon shifts at the helm.

INCHIN, DISTRICT 268 (Day 20)

Starship Encounter: (10) Small Transport, (12) Small Craft (Industrial/Science)

Is it a Ship's Boat? (13) Yes, but...

    Inbound to Inchin, the Chrysanthemum encounters a 30-ton Ship's Boat, whose registry matches a ship that went missing last year.  Justan urges the Captain to investigate further, but Hopkins is worried about his deadlines and directs Justan to maintain course to the downport.

Starport Encounter: (64) Nothing out of the ordinary.

    Eldon locates lodging at the hostel within the starport.  Though there is little to choose from, the accommodations are at least equal to the hotel they stayed at in the city two weeks ago.

    Justan sends Arlor Barnett a telegram:

        "I got the news/

        No hostile feelings on my part/

        Sincerely,

        Just An old friend from the Academy"

    "Won't that tip them off?" Eldon asks.  "Neither of us went to the Academy," Justan explains.  "Then how will he know this is legitimate?" Eldon asks. "Because my name is right there on the last line.  Barnett is sharp.  That's why he was my Executive Officer.  He should know exactly what I meant."

Does Arlor understand the hidden meaning in the message?  Recon/INT, 8+ : (10)

DAY 14

    In the morning, Justan receives a message from the front desk that he is invited to an interview in the hostel's small conference room.  He is confident that his old friend understood the message, but prepares with caution.

Recon/INT, 8+ : (8)  No surveillance or ambush detected

Computers/INT, 10+ : (12) No bugs detected.

    Confident that the room is secure, Justan calls the rest of them into the room to await Barnett.  At exactly the appointed time, Barnett enters the room.  As before, his military bearing and demeanor cannot be concealed by a business suit.

"Justan, old friend, glad to see you made it," Arlor says warmly.  "But I admit I'm surprised to see you here, Miss Miray.  Was this the safest course of action?"

"Your insurance policy is safely in place," Katha reassures him.  "But this is something that I felt was best and safest for you to see for yourself,"

  She inserts a wafer into her portable computer and shares the information to their hand terminals.  It is further material from the Ad Astra investigation.

Do they learn why the Ad Astra opened fire on the Yukon? (18) Yes, and...

Do they know the gunner's identity? (10) Maybe.

    "The gunner was a new recruit, and apparently obtained his posting because of his noble connections.  When his father learned that the investigation would destroy the family's reputation, he pressured the Navy to whitewash the investigation.  It's why Justan was quietly cashiered and you were promoted to your own command."

Can Arlor get the roster of the crew who were aboard during the incident? (2) No, and...

    "Unfortunately," Barnett says, "If I tried to call up the crew roster, it would certainly flag the search for Naval Intelligence.  Were you unable to obtain the name through your channels?"

Would Katha have been able to access the crew roster? (6) No, but...

    "I'm sorry, Arlor.  That information was classified and my sources didn't provide it.  Can either of you recall the names of the crew members at that time?"

Leadership/INT, 10+ : (13)

    Justan begins to rattle off the list of gunners posted to Ad Astra on its final patrol, and Eldon drops his coffee mug in shock.  "I know that man," he says, a look of shock and surprise upon his face.

*        *        *

THE ROBBER BARON, Part Four: Digging Your Scene

 AVASTAN, DISTRICT 268 (Day 10)

Starport Encounter: (54) Meet a Contact.

        Eldon and his crew locate a modest hostel at the spaceport, and settle into their suite.  After freshening up, Eldon sets out to try and locate the rendezvous with Barnett's contact in the port's startown.

Streetwise/INT, 8+:  Natural 2

Does he go to the wrong place? (Yes, and...)

Does he attract attention? (Yes, and...)

Is it Rowri's agents? (No, but...)

Colorful Locals: (24) Guards (but whose?)

    Eldon is stopped by Port Authority Inspectors, who have noticed him asking questions around known illicit establishments.  They wish to know the purpose of his activities.

Carouse/INT, 10+:  (14) Effect 4.

    "Good evening, gentlemen," Eldon says, as charmingly as possible.  "This is my first shore leave in months and I'm just looking for a good time - good drinks, live entertainment, a little companionship?  Know of anywhere good?"  The Inspectors scoff and turn away.

    Eldon returns to the suite, empty-handed.  "We'll try again tomorrow," he laments.  "Maybe someone has a better idea on how to find this journalist."

Day 11

    "We should just hit the town," Serina suggests.  "Go out, have a good time, maybe she will find us."

Carouse/INT, 8+: Natural 2, again!

Are they in the wrong place? (Yes, but...)

Has their contact tracked them down? (No)

Day 12

    "Maybe we shouldn't look at this as a social exercise," Kellan suggests.  "Let's think like an investigator.  If you were going to meet an informant, where would you go?"

Investigate/INT, 8+: (7)

Wrong place again? (Yes, but...)

"Seriously, you guys are the worst spies I ever met," a nondescript woman says quietly as she slides into the booth Kellan is sitting in. 

"Umm, we're not really... spies?" Kellan whispers.

"That much was clear," she laughs.  "But what other group would be stumbling around, drawing attention to themselves and conducting the most indiscreet stakeout I've ever seen?  And that's even counting Iarl Rowri's paranoid surveillance attempts."

"How do you know we're looking for you?" Kellan asks.

"Because the gentleman sitting in the booth behind you, the man I'm looking at right now, is none other than Lieutenant Commander Justan Arundel.  Who else would Barnett have sent?"

NPC Reaction: (10) Friendly... but cautious.

    "I'm Katha Miray.  If you have the package he promised to deliver to me, I have something for him in return.  But I need to be sure I can rely on your discretion.  And so far, there's little to convince me of that.  So there's something I need you to do for me, first..."

Day 13

        Eldon answers the door chime.  Katha Miray is standing in the corridor, and he invites her in.  The crew is assembled in the living room, drinking coffee.  Eldon pours a cup for her and they sit down.

    "Barnett's 'insurance policy' is in a safe place now," she begins.  "Even if something happens - especially if something happens - to me, or him, or Justan, that information will go public.  If they try to make us disappear, what will we have to lose?"

    "Recently, I've discovered some new information that will be of significant interest to him, and to you.  But it's something I really need to present to him in person.  And I'll pay each of you 8,000 credits to get me there safely.  I'll advance your travel expenses if you can get the job done discreetly."

(Portraits generated by thispersondoesnotexist.org)

THE ROBBER BARON, Part Three: Venturing Out Into Danger

Interlude

     While Justan ran his errand, and Serina rested under Kellan's care, Eldon had set out cautiously toward the startown around the downport.  There were three stops to make.  Finding a ship to take them to Avastan had been simple - buy a few drinks for ship captains in bars near the port and one could almost always catch a ride.  Perhaps less-than-ideal accommodations, but it would have to do.

    Next, Eldon stopped at the Imperial Consulate office.  He chose a particular line - one where the clerk looked tired, overworked, and ready to go home.  Life as a noble scion had taught him how to work the system and find the back-doors of bureaucracy.

Diplomacy/SOC, 10+ : (11)

    He left the Consulate with diplomatic clearance papers for a trade mission to Avastan, and a diplomatic handbag.  He carefully made his way to the hotel where they had stayed, passing it from about a block away and approaching the service entrance.  He found an idling grav-car used by the hotel for transporting VIP guests to and from the starport terminal.  The driver was leaning against the fender, a cup of coffee in one hand and a smoke in the other.

Carouse/SOC, 8+ : (9)

    A friendly, casual conversation and a 400-credit bribe got a pickup time at the clinic in the morning.  Eldon returned to the clinic and Kellan let him in.  Serina was still sedated and Justan was not back yet.  Eldon watched out the back door, waiting for Justan to return.

*        *        *

    They awoke in the early morning, stiff from dozing in the uncomfortable chairs.  Kellan found a clean jumpsuit for Serina, who was still groggy from the sedative and her injuries.  The VIP shuttle arrived right on time and drove them to the port, where a Baronial Guard stopped the car at the Extrality Boundary.  Eldon tried to hide his tension - if this bluff failed there would certainly be trouble.  On his lap, he held the diplomatic pouch containing the three body pistols and ammunition, as well as the confidential files Arlor Barnett had trusted them to deliver.

Contested roll: Admin/INT vs. Investigate/INT.  (13) vs. (5), Effect 8.

    The guard stepped around the vehicle and Eldon handed over his paperwork. "Trade Attaché to Mewey Delegation", he said in an officious tone.  The guard gave the papers a cursory review, clearly understanding none of the legalese, then peered into the back seat.  Serina sat between Justan and Kellan, her head lolling forward.  "Is she okay?" the guard asked.

    "I'm shot", slurred Serina.  "It's been a long week", said Eldon quickly.  "We're all tired."  The guard nodded and signaled to his partner, who opened the gate.  "You can proceed directly to the tarmac, sir" the guard said, waving them past.

Starport Encounter: (62)  Nothing out of the ordinary

Edgar Larson's reaction: (9) Friendly

    The car stopped near a small landing pad, upon which a Suleiman-class scout ship was parked.  The name "Endeavour" was stenciled on the hull.  The man at the bottom of the ramp greeted Eldon warmly as Kellan and Justan helped Serina from the car.  "Captain Larson," Eldon said, shaking the pilot's hand. "Permission to come aboard?"

*        *        *

    As with all ships of the class, Endeavour was cramped and utilitarian.  Eldon and Justan would have to share a stateroom, while Kellan stayed with Serina to monitor her condition.  Justan suggested that he and Serina might negotiate with Captain Larson for working passage, as even the smallest ship could benefit from a couple of extra hands in Engineering.

Engineering/INT, 8+ .  +1 for favorable Reaction, -1 for Serina due to injury.

Justan (6), Serina (10).

    Larson was willing to allow Serina to work her passage as an Engineer, but declined Justan's offer, saying he preferred to handle piloting and sensor tasks on his own, as he had always done during his years in the Scout Service.

Starship Encounter: (6) None.  Pirate activity in the area? (10) No.

Non-Passenger Ship Event: (64)

    Within a few hours, the ship had broken orbit, making its way toward its planned jump point.  "I'm seeing an inexplicable power drop," Larson told them.  "But the source seems to be external."  Justan studied the sensor panel.  "Serina's in no condition for an EVA," he said as he donned a vacc suit.  "I'll go."

Task Chain: Vacc Suit/DEX, 8+ . (8) +1 to Engineering check. Engineering (Power Systems)/STR 8+ .  Natural 12.

    Justan flipped carefully over the rim of the ventral hatch, and made sure his magnetic boots were firmly set on the hull before letting go and removing the welding torch from his belt.  He made his way aft, toward the power plant.  Attached to the hull were three tubular creatures, about the size and thickness of a man's arm.  Power Leeches, thought Justan as he ignited the torch.  Deftly he killed all three of them with the torch, tossing their corpses free from the vessel before making his way inside.

    "That was a fine piece of work, son," said Larson as Justan emerged from the airlock.  "I dread to consider what might have happened if we jumped with those things still attached.  I have to reconsider your earlier offer.  You've definitely earned the price of a passage."

*        *        *

        An uneventful week later, the Endeavour emerged in the Avastan system.  Justan and Serina had made good use of the time, with Justan cleaning and rebuilding the air filters while Serina tweaked the power plant and maneuver drives.  Kellan was clearly unhappy that she was working in her injured condition, fussing about at every opportunity and reminding her not to overdo it.  Eldon spent his hours poring over the library computer, learning what he could about Avastan.

Ship Encounter: (8)  Large Transport table.

    "I'm seeing a Type RX subsidized merchant ship on approach," Justan announced from the sensor operations seat.  "500 tons, transponder identifies it as Roebuck.  It's not answering hails."  He adjusted the communications array and continued to try.  "No response, she's not adjusting course."  Larson made some corrections to their own course and several tense minutes later the Roebuck had passed, silently, out toward the depths of the system.

    Eldon bid Edgar Larson and the Endeavour farewell as it cooled on the pad.  His wallet was a little lighter, but not so much as it might have been had Justan and Serina not earned their keep.  They would have enough funds to complete Arlor Barnett's mission and return to collect their pay.

*        *        *

(Portraits generated by thispersondoesnotexist.org)

THE ROBBER BARON: (RE)INTRODUCING THE CREW

     When we last visited this story a few years ago, the stats of the characters may have appeared a little different.  I'm exercising my prerogative to ret-con their skills and characteristics to better fit the way I want to play going forward.

These are the "player characters" who form the crew (party) for the Robber Baron campaign.

ELDON SEXTON                        5569BC

Merchant First Officer (6 terms)                Age:44

Admin-3             Broker-3          Advocate-2    

Auditor-2            Carouse-2      Computers-2

Deception-2       Diplomat-2      Streetwise-2

Zero-Level Skills:  Creative Arts, Drive, Leadership

The retired First Officer of the Free Trader Drakkar, a Type A-P passenger vessel based on the Beowulf class.  He possesses exceptional interpersonal skills.  Eldon rose quickly through the ranks, until his reputation for risky behavior caught up with him.  He has, in time, learned better judgment.

Eldon's father arranged for him to marry the noble daughter of his business partner.  Eldon fell in love with a shipmate and broke off the engagement.  This enraged her father, who dissolved the partnership, ruining Eldon's family and driving him to bankruptcy.  Eldon has managed to salvage what he could, but he has made a powerful enemy in the mercantile world.

Eldon knows about Kellan's addiction issues and hopes to help by restoring his sense of purpose and belonging.  In hiring the young doctor, he has drawn together others who were united by a pivotal and life-changing moment.

JUSTAN ARUNDEL            66699A

Navy Lieutenant (4.5 terms)         Age:36

Sensors-3          Starship-3              Admin-1

Astrogation-1    Athletics (Dex)-1    Blades-1

Crewman-1       Leadership-1     Life Support-1

Tactics (Naval)-1    Turrets-1        Vacc Suit-1

Zero-Level Skills:  Advocate, Jump Space Physics, Mechanic, Persuade, Steward

Justan is a former Naval Lieutenant, skilled in piloting, command, and corresponding crew skills.  During his first command aboard the patrol corvette Ad Astra, an accident occurred that caused the death of several crew members.  He was blamed for the incident, and accepted responsibility as the vessel's commander.  After a long and expensive legal battle, he was acquitted and honorably discharged while the Navy whitewashed the incident.  During the action, he saved the life of a crew mate, who has since become the commander of a patrol vessel and Justan's staunch ally.

Justan feels a sense of obligation toward Serina, whose lover was killed in the "friendly fire" incident in which Justan's ship was involved.

KELLAN DROMA                5869B9

Scholar Researcher (3 terms)         Age:32

Admin-3            Biology-3            Medic-3

Chemistry-2      Computers-2       Investigate-2

Persuade-1       Pharmacist-1      Streetwise-1

Wheeled Vehicles-1

Zero-Level Skills:  Advocate, Diplomat, Flyer, Presentation

Kellan is a talented young doctor who now leads a solitary life.  Two years ago, Kellan made a negligent mistake that led to the death of his patient, a young prospector whose ship was destroyed in a patrol action.  Stricken by grief and guilt, he turned to substance abuse for comfort and solace.  When Kellan hit rock bottom, a fellow doctor helped him get clean and get much-needed therapy.  But he always worries that he might make another mistake, and those demons will come back out of the bottle.  As such, he keeps people at a distance, for fear of becoming close.

SERINA TOKANI     6C6975

Belter Manager (3.5 terms)                Age: 34

Vacc Suit-3        Belter-2                Power Systems-2

Remote Ops-2   Athletics (Dex)-1  Jack'o'Trades-1

J-Drive-1            M-Drive-1            Mechanic-1

Persuade-1        Stealth-1             

Zero-Level Skills: Astrogation, Belter Patois, Geology, Gunner, Pilot

Serina is in her element when working in space.  She has considerable agility and technical prowess, but is perhaps a bit more "rough around the edges" than her crew mates.  Her prospecting ship Yukon was fired upon by a Navy patrol vessel, who had mistakenly identified them as pirates.  Her crew returned fire, and her lover was killed in the attack.  She discovered the truth behind the incident and the cover-up by the Navy, but had to flee and change her identity to protect herself from retribution and possible elimination.  She is secretly in love with Eldon, but is afraid to tell him and worried that Kellan or Justan might discover.

(Images generated by thispersondoesnotexist.com)

TRAVELLER'S TALES RETURNS!

     

    I'm not even sure if anyone follows this blog or reads these posts anymore, but my solo Traveller RPG campaign will be resuming soon!  I had generated an interesting subsector for Classic Traveller and was going to play the LBBs as solo, but I'll be honest - I miss Eldon and his crew, their chemistry and interconnectedness.

    With the introduction of a new version (and total overhaul) of Cepheus Light (my favorite form of this 2d6 ruleset) and Zozer Games releasing a second edition of their fantastic SOLO rules, I couldn't help myself - I was just drawn back in!

    And honestly, a task-oriented system like Cepheus or Mongoose Traveller works better for solo play than Classic does, at least in my opinion.  The strength of Classic Traveller is that the Referee has a lot of latitude and the use of skills and target numbers are more ambiguous and open to interpretation - whereas a solo player relies on the dice to guide the story.

    With that in mind, I have revised the stats and skills of the crew in order to conform with Mongoose Traveller Second Edition career package rules (as seen in the Traveller Companion).  I do wish there were more options for Backgrounds and Career Paths (I'd buy another supplement if they added more!), but what's included is sufficient for our purposes here. 

    I also implemented one significant restriction, that I feel keeps things from getting out of hand: In Mongoose Traveller, the total number of skill levels a character can possess is equal to three times their INT+EDU.  This seems insane!  An entirely average character could have 42 total skill levels and countless 0-level skills as well.  That's not how I roll.  

    In Classic Traveller, the total number of skill levels is equal to INT+EDU, so the average character has 14 skill levels.  And that's how I do it.  But in my game, that's not just a limit on total skill levels, but also on total number of skills - including 0-level skills.  So an average character could have up to 14 different skills, with a total number of levels up to 14.  This allows for core skills and a few level-0 skills at which a character has basic proficiency.  If generation results in more skills, or total levels, skills and levels can be reduced or dropped to get within the limits.

    Furthemore, I am imposing a limit of 3 levels in any particular skill.  I have found that level 4 or 5 in a skill gives far too much of a bonus in a 2d6 system and makes most rolls utterly pointless.  Level 3 is still a very respectable proficiency, and it allows a reasonable amount of success without near-absolute certainty.

    I went with the package generation because it allows me to quickly create characters that are focused on their particular concept, but also retain a bit of variety and depth.  The other option I used is one I've borrowed from Zozer 2d6 games - rather than rolling for each Characteristic, I assign the values of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and A (10) to whatever Characteristic I wish.  So a character will always have a strong characteristic, and something that's not as good (but may be improved during character creation, depending on the chosen options).

    All that said, I'm eager to begin playing!  If you're new here or want a refresher, please visit these links to see what's happened in the story so far:

The Robber Baron: Part One

The Robber Baron: Part Two - A Stitch In Time

    Stay tuned - the next post will provide a recap on the crew with their updated stats.  Thanks for tuning in!

THE ROBBER BARON, Part Two: A Stitch In Time

  SCENE TWO

There would be no returning to their suite, which by now was surely under surveillance.  Thankfully, they had travelled light.  There was nothing to leave behind.  There would be no running, with the condition Serina was in.  They would have to find a safe haven before her injuries worsened.

Eldon located an abandoned apartment building and clambered up the fire escape.  Kicking out the window, he entered the building.  Two minutes later, he had opened outer door from the inside.  Kellan and Justan carried Serina into the building and they locked the door behind them.

"She's going to be out of it for a couple of days," Kellan warned.  "She can't travel without surgery, but we can't go to a med center.  Someone might have seen us, and this Rowri might be looking for us too."

"I'll see if I can find a ship that will take us to Avastan," Eldon said.  "Justan, are you coming with me?"

"No, Skipper," Justan replied.  "I think I know a way to help her."  Justan took out his tablet and began typing.  Eldon nodded and left the apartment.

Hours later, he returned.  "The best I could manage was a Scout ship," he told the others.  "The captain is not too particular, but we'll have to double bunk.  It's not going to be a comfortable week, and we'll be down 20k for passage."

"I've got good news too, Skipper," Justan said to Eldon. "Rowri's men might be watching the hospitals, but there's a round-the-clock clinic nearby.  I've managed to get into their system and give Kellan credentials to practice there."

* * *

They brought Serina to the ambulance entrance of the clinic, and Kellan walked directly to the main desk as Eldon and Justan helped Serina into one of the treatment rooms.  Moments later, a nurse entered the room.  She asked for ID, which they declined to provide.  Eldon stated that he and Justan were her brothers.

The nurse insisted that she was required by law to report gunshot injuries to the police.  Eldon had served on a merchant ship for over 20 years, and he knew a loophole.  "Unless she intends to press charges," Eldon explained, "you require her consent to report confidential medical information."

The nurse was clearly not happy with Eldon's explanation, but there was little she could do.  Turning to Serina, she asked, "Do I have your consent to report these injuries to the authorities, as required by law?"

Serina was clearly hurting, but the heavy painkillers Kellan had administered were taking effect.  She shook her head and said no.

"And you don't even want to press charges?," the nurse asked.

"No," she slurred, "The police have never helped me in the past, anyway."

"Fine," the nurse harumphed, "The doctor should be with you shortly."  She stomped back toward the nurse's station.

Kellan entered the room a few minutes later, and set down a clipboard.  "These places love their paperwork," he said.  "Ironically, all this red tape makes it easier to take care of things discreetly, if you know what to do."

He lay Serina back on the med table and administered a powerful sedative.  He then activated the auto-med systems and set up a tray of surgical tools.  Eldon and Justan watched from across the room as he deftly removed the two bullets, stopped her bleeding and applied pressure dressings to the wounds.  "She'll be in no condition for strenuous activity for a while, but by the time we reach Avastan, she should be fine.  I'll bunk in her cabin, so I can keep an eye on her condition.  I've advised the front desk that she will need a few hours to recover, so we'll be safe her until the morning."

"I'll go arrange for discreet transportation to take us to the starport at first light," Eldon said, as he stood to go.  Justan rose as well.

"I'll need to return Arlor's sidearm," he said.  "We won't be able to maintain a low profile if we go around shooting people with it, and I'm sure we can't smuggle it aboard.  Do you still have your pistol, Skipper?"

"Yes," Eldon said gravely.  "But the bad news is, it's out of ammo.  It won't do us much good, except maybe to bluff."  Justan nodded and both men left the building by the back entrance.

* * *

Justan proceeded carefully down back streets toward his destination.  Barnett had kept a mailbox at the local Express Office station, which would not be staffed at this hour.  But he had the access code to the box.  He tapped the code into the door panel, and slipped inside.  Finding the right box, he punched in the code once more and opened the mailbox.  There was a small package within, about the half the dimensions of a shoebox.  It was addressed to Justan, in care of Arlor.  Justan took the package, and slipped Arlor's empty handgun into the empty mailbox.

He returned to the clinic, and Eldon let him in through the back door.  Justan joined the others in the treatment room, and opened the box.  Within, they found a pair of body pistols, and four extra magazines of ammunition.

"This should solve your problem, Skipper," Justan said, handing two magazines to Eldon.  "That will give each of us one spare magazine."  Kellan shook his head as Justan offered him the third pistol.  As a doctor, he avoided lethal weaponry as much as possible.  

"Serina's in no condition to use it right now," Justan insisted.  "You don't have to use it, just hold onto it for her for now."  Kellan frowned, but tucked the pistol into his medical bag.

"Try and get some rest, everyone," Eldon said, leaning back in his chair.  "We leave for Avastan at dawn."

* * *

THE ROBBER BARON - Part One: The Incident

Prologue - The Ad Astra Incident

(Image by steampoweredmikej.deviantart.com)

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT:

Patrol Cutter Ad Astra - Ship's Log: 189.1102

FIRST OFFICER BARNETT: Skipper, telemetry shows the vessel designation Yukon.  A Seeker-class vessel, 100 tons.  No clearance on file for commercial activity in this system.

ARUNDEL: Comms, open a channel. (pause)  Attention Yukon, this is Lieutenant Commander Justan Arundel, commanding the Imperial patrol corvette Ad Astra.  You are not authorized to operate in this area.  Stand down and come to.  Prepare for boarding and inspection.

(Static)

YUKON: Ad Astra, we are... armed and... we will.... resist... inspection.

WEAPONS OFFICER: Skipper, Gunnery reports that Yukon has... powered up their weapons... identified as a pulse laser and missile rack.

ARUNDEL: Weapons, prepare to fire- (explosion)

(Alarm klaxons)

SHIP'S COMPUTER: Warning:  Hull breach on main deck, bridge compartment.  

ARUNDEL: Damage control team to- (explosion)

WEAPONS OFFICER: Gunnery reports Yukon has been disabled, Sir.

(Explosions)

ARUNDEL: Weapons... report! (silence except for alarms)  Mister Barnett, status!

(secondary explosion)

:: LOG ENDS ::

SCENE ONE - INCHIN/District 268

"I need you to deliver this package to a journalist on Avastan.  I'll pay you 25,000 credits each, on completion.  She'll provide you with the evidence she has collected.  But be careful - if the Navy finds out you have this evidence, they'll stop at nothing to suppress it.  You'll spend the rest of your days in a deep, dark hole - if they don't space you first."

That really should have been the first sign that this wasn't going to be a simple job.  But they owed it to Arlor Barnett to see it through - the rest of Eldon's ragtag crew had already suffered too much to let the Navy just whitewash the whole affair.  Justan had sacrificed his command and his career - and lost friends and crew mates in the battle.  Serina lost the man she loved in the unjustified attack.  Justan had dragged Barnett from the burning ruins of his ship's bridge into a lifeboat.  Arlor was badly burned, but the doctor on the rescue ship stabilized him.  But Kellan had lost his other patient - Serina's mate - and his faith in himself, due to a mistake under pressure.

They weren't about to let the Navy cover it all up and pretend it didn't happen.  They needed to find out what really happened, and they needed to be able to do so freely, without fear of retribution.  And this package was their insurance policy.

* * *

Justan ducked as the bullet whizzed overhead, shattering a mirror behind him.  Three assassins had interrupted their meeting, and clearly Barnett was their target.  "Go!" he shouted to his comrade.  

"Here!" Barnett called, tossing his sidearm to Justan before running toward the back door.  Justan caught the weapon and checked to make sure it was locked and loaded.  Serina grabbed the package by Justan's feet and dove behind the bar.

Justan kicked over a table and ducked behind it.  Kellan rushed forward, medikit in hand, ready to render aid in case his crew mate became wounded.  Justan tried to shout orders to the rest of them, but he could not be heard over the sound of the gunfire.

"They're Rowri's men!" Eldon shouted to the others.  Iarl Rowri, the self-styled Baron of Inchin, was a paranoid egomaniac who was convinced that Avastan Portways Inc., a shipping company from a neighboring system, had sent agents to Inchin to foment labor unrest.  Surely he suspected that Barnett was engaging in industrial espionage.

Justan fired off two quick shots at one of the assassins.  His target jerked as the bullets struck him, and fell to the floor, out of the fight.  One down, two to go.

Another assassin snapped off a couple of quick shots in Justan's direction, but they thunked into the synth-oak tabletop that Justan and Kellan had crouched behind.  Then, Kellan did something unexpected.  "Parlay!" he shouted, "Parlay!"

Surprisingly, the two assassins ceased fire.  Kellan rose carefully, never one for violence.  "What do you want?" he asked them.  "Give us the package and we'll let you go," the taller of the two demanded.

While they were distracted, Serina crept toward the fallen assassin, hoping to steal his weapon.  As she crouched to pick it up, the shorter assassin noticed her movement out of the corner of his eye.  Exposed in the open, Serina had nowhere to take cover.  His shot struck her in the shoulder.  Surprisingly, she did not drop the package, tossing it to Eldon instead.  He scooped it up and ducked behind the bar.

Realizing he had been duped, the taller assassin spun around and fired another shot at Serina.  Struck in the leg, and already bleeding from her shoulder, Serina collapsed on the floor, unconscious.  

Kellan rushed out to tend to his wounded friend, as Justan aimed carefully and took down another of the assassins.  Eldon rushed out to pick up the wounded man's weapon, but tripped over some debris and stumbled, dropping the package.  It fell at the feet of the remaining assassin, who picked it up and ran for the door.

Eldon regained his footing and picked up the body pistol.  Only two rounds remained in its small magazine.  He would have to make them count.  Justan let out a breath and drew a bead on the retreating man, but his shot pinged off the wall, scattering plaster and wood chips against the assassin's back.  Eldon's first shot fell short, ricocheting off the floor a meter behind the target.

Their foe was almost out of range.  It would be a hard shot with Justan's autopistol, and nearly impossible with the short-range body pistol that Eldon held.  The round in the chamber was its last.

Justan sprang over the table, running toward their opponent.  He fired off a quick shot, and barely missed the fleeing man.  Soon, the assassin would make it to the door and escape with the package.  Eldon rushed forward, as fast as he could, trying to keep his bobbing weapon on the enemy's center mass.  One last shot, he thought.  Got to make it count.

His pistol barked and the last remaining enemy fell to the ground, a smoking hole in his back.  It wasn't clear if any of the men had been killed, but there was no time to check.

Sirens could be heard in the distance.  Time to go.  Kellan helped Serina to her feet.  She leaned heavily on him as they staggered toward the back exit.  Eldon scooped up the package and joined them in the alley behind the hotel bar.

TRAVELLER'S TALES: MEET THE CREW

These are the "player characters" who form the crew (party) for the Free Traders campaign.

ELDON SEXTON 678CAA

Merchant First Officer (7 terms)                Age:46

Admin-3    Liaison-3    Steward-3    Carousing-2

Jack-of-All-Trades-2    Piloting-1    Streetwise-1

The retired First Officer of the Free Trader Drakkar, a Type A-P passenger vessel based on the Beowulf class.  He possesses exceptional interpersonal skills.  Eldon rose quickly through the ranks, until his reputation for risky behavior caught up with him.  He has, in time, learned better judgment.

Eldon's father arranged for him to marry the noble daughter of his business partner.  Eldon fell in love with a shipmate and broke off the engagement.  This enraged her father, who dissolved the partnership, ruining Eldon's family and driving him to bankruptcy.  Eldon has managed to salvage what he could, but he has made a powerful enemy in the mercantile world.

Eldon knows about Kellan's addiction issues and hopes to help by restoring his sense of purpose and belonging.  In hiring the young doctor, he has drawn together others who were united by a pivotal and life-changing moment.

JUSTAN ARUNDEL            788A97

Navy Lieutenant (4.5 terms)         Age:36

Piloting-2        Engineer-2    Jack-of-All-Trades-2

Computers-1    Gunnery-1    Medicine-1    Zero G-1

Justan is a former Naval Lieutenant, skilled in piloting, engineering, and corresponding support skills.  During his first command aboard the patrol cutter Ad Astra, an accident occurred that caused the death of several crew members.  He was blamed for the incident, and accepted responsibility as the vessel's commander.  After a long and expensive legal battle, he was acquitted and honorably discharged while the Navy whitewashed the incident.  During the action, he saved the life of a crew mate, who has since become the commander of a patrol vessel and Justan's staunch ally.

Justan feels a sense of obligation toward Serina, whose lover was killed in the "friendly fire" incident in which Justan's ship was involved.

KELLAN DROMA                7979BA

Scholar Researcher (3 terms)         Age:30

Medicine-3    Admin-2    Sciences-1    Computers-1

Steward-1

Kellan is a talented young doctor who now leads a solitary life.  Two years ago, Kellan made a negligent mistake that led to the death of his patient, a young prospector whose ship was destroyed in a patrol action.  Stricken by grief and guilt, he turned to substance abuse for comfort and solace.  When Kellan hit rock bottom, a fellow doctor helped him get clean and get much-needed therapy.  But he always worries that he might make another mistake, and those demons will come back out of the bottle.  As such, he keeps people at a distance, for fear of becoming close.

SERINA TOKANI     7C8976

Belter Manager (4.5 terms)         Age: 36

Zero G-3    Repair-3    Engineering-2    Sciences-1

Computers-1    Piloting-1

Serina is in her element when working in space.  She has considerable agility and technical prowess, but is perhaps a bit more "rough around the edges" than her crew mates.  Her prospecting ship Yukon was fired upon by a Navy patrol vessel, who had mistakenly identified them as pirates.  Her crew returned fire, and her lover was killed in the attack.  She discovered the truth behind the incident and the cover-up by the Navy, but had to flee and change her identity to protect herself from retribution and possible elimination.  She is secretly in love with Eldon, but is afraid to tell him and worried that Kellan or Justan might discover.

(Images generated by thispersondoesnotexist.com)