Edge of Night Sector Session #3 - One Ticket to Anywhere, Please!

Mouser [2126]

DRAMATIS PERSONNAE
Navy Lieutenant Raj Kundra - 4 terms - UPP 758C8C
Mechanical-1, Pilot-1, Medical-1, Jack-o-T-1, Computer-0

Other Durjan Hammill - 3 terms - UPP A69467
Gambling-3, Forgery-1, Brawling-1, Shotgun-1, Streetwise-0

Army Lieutenant Bill Fisker - 1 term - UPP C643C9
Rifle-1, SMG-2, Admin-0

Navy Lieutenant Alexi Kurigane- 2 terms - UPP AB8579
Vacc Suit-3, Ships Boat-1, Sword-1

Army Major Leif Vilchis - 2 terms - UPP 5A77A9
Admin-1, Rifle-2, Fwd Obs -1, Blade-1, Leader -1, SMG-1, Tactics-1

While recovering from his wounds in hospital, Mr. Kurigane was approached by a doctor (not his treating physician) by the name of Dr. Nixon. Having heard of the lieutenant's encounter with a panther locust, she had a job offer for him. He husband, a senior manager at a remote Consolidated Interstellar mining site, has gone missing. He never returned from hunting panther locusts with a few work colleagues.  His as his hunting companions claim he was killed and eaten by one of the beasts.  But she is convinced he is still alive and offers 30000Cr if the party will go and bring him back alive; 10000Cr if they bring back his body if he is dead. Mr. Kurigane discussed it with his companions, but they decided it best to finish the Kinunir job and then get off world ASAP.  

The party rented a pair of rooms at a starport hotel, then left a message for their mystery employer in the designated starport locker. And then waited. Finally had a reply after six days; the gentleman would come to meet them. Meeting in their hotel room, the exchange went without a hitch. Once assured the data was real and everything was on the up and up, their employer summoned his men to bring the cash; a briefcase containing 200000Cr plasticredits. Inquiring as to any other possible employment (or even a way off-world), the gentlemen suggested it best if they part ways for now. His sources have told him General Shipyards has discovered the data breach and sent word to Concordance Naval Intelligence on Anitgone [2236]. He expects an investigation team to be on-world in a few weeks, and suggests they all need to leave before the investigators arrive. 

Making no argument, the party checked out of their rooms and headed up the beanstalk to the orbital highport, looking for passage to anywhere but here. There were two ships leaving that day: a free trader bound for Buna Cava [2025] (a corporate waterworld run by Seaharvester Corporation) and a scout/courier headed to Mouser [2126] (a moon orbiting the inner gas giant of the systems star, once a massive naval complex, and now a maze of overpopulated subterranean warrens  run by various cartels.) They opted for the later, and soon were in jump aboard the "Space Ghost" under the command of the grizzled ex-scout Jerold Simonsen. The week in jump passed without incident, and once they landed in the cavernous docking  bay, the first order of business was to cover their tracks. The party all booked low passage on a fat trader bound for Rastafar [1827], having no intention of ever boarding the ship. They instead bribed the captain to ensure they 'died' in passage.  This way everyone shed their fake identities, except Baron Kundra who was forced to kill off his real self and assume his plebeian alter-ego. At least for now.

That done, they asked Jerold if he had any contacts on Mouser, as they were interested in finding work. The old coot made a few inquiries for them:

1. "Spider" Davos is a 'fixer' looking for some help. It seems he had a line on some goods to be had for cheap. But for some reason the seller decided to do business with one of his rivals rather than take his offer. The Spider looking for hired hands to find the goods and 'recover' them for him. He'll pay them 5000Cr for doing to job.
2. A ships' captain  in a bit of a bind and is looking for help.  The cartel that controls the landing bay in which his far trader "Highliner" is docked is refusing to let him leave without paying an exorbitant ‘docking release fee’. He is looking for help in getting his ship and crew released. He’s offering 10000Cr and free passage to his next destination to anyone who can help. 
3. A scout/courier captain (Clinton Jager) representing a Tortuga merchant by the name of Malik Jupiter. Seems Malik has lost a scout/courier carrying a valuable cargo to the Crimison Wave cartel. The "Wasp" jumped from Tortuga with the cargo, but never arrived at Mouser. He wants the "Wasp" found and returned, and the cargo delivered to the Crimson Wave before they hunt him down and kill him. Pays 10000Cr each for successful completion of the job, plus high passage off-world should they need it.

The party takes on job #3. First thought is to bring Jerold in on the job, and have him take them off planet and to search. In the end his price is too high and they realized without more information, the search would be the proverbial needle in a haystack. When approached for help, Clinton did offer the use of a pinnace should they need to go search the space lanes. No jump capability, but well suited to searching among the planets and moons of the system. For now, information searching they went:

• Baron Kundra searched the public arrivals and departures database for any ship matching the description of the "Wasp". One other scout/courier arrived at the same time "Wasp" was due; the "Achilles Heel" piloted by Inigo Summers. By all accounts Inigo is male, and the pilot of the "Wasp" was a woman. "Achilles Heel" also jumped out of system a week after arrival, and did not land at the docking bays typically used by Crimson Wave. 
• Mr. Hammill hit the streets and bars for information on the pilot of the "Wasp", Nina Claire. No indication she is anything other than a reliable courier and a skilled pilot. No history of double dealing or other troubles. Also asked very discretely about Crimson Wave. Learned a little about where and how they operate. Also learned they are one of the bloodier and least 'civilized' of the cartels on Mouser. Best not to piss them off. 
• Mr. Kurigane drew on his naval background to muse on figuring out where the "Wasp" came out of jump, and then follow that vector to see if it led to the ship. A bit beyond his education and skill, but might be able to learn something useful if the right person could be hired. 
• Mr. Fisker and Mr. Vilchis went shopping for more guns and gear. Because they could here, and you never known when you might need it ...