Edge of Night Session #6 - To Keep the Ship (and Their Necks)

DRAMATIS PERSONNAE
Navy Lieutenant Raj Kundra - 4 terms - UPP 758C8C
Mechanical-1, Pilot-2, Medical-1, Jack-o-T-2, 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 D753C9
Rifle-1, SMG-2, Admin-0

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

Mr Kurigane, listening to the deal offered to the pirate (Marco Danielson) over his com link, decides the deal is not quite right. And worries about how they will pawn off the gas without getting lynched by the Crimson Wave. So he initiates a renegotiation by locking missiles on the cutter and threatening Macro (and the rest of the party) with destruction. The pirate calls his bluff by threatening to shoot Mr. Hammill (replaced shortly by Mr. Fisker when Mr. Hammill points out he has more useful skills) and risk that the navy lieutenant is not really keen to kill his friends with a missile launch. A lengthy Mexican standoff ensues, with varies offers and threats passing back and forth. In the end a new plan emerges: they will deliver the gas cylinders to the Crimson Wave and be done with those homicidal maniacs. They want to keep the 'Wasp' though, so the plan is to tell Clinton Jager that the 'Wasp' and the pinnace were destroyed in the battle with the pirates. And they would offer the cutter in replacement for the destroyed pinnace (and get paid out for greater value of the cutter vs the pinnace). Marco was brought on board with a promise of half the profit from the cutter, and new identity papers courtesy of Mr. Hammill. The ex-pirate agrees, but to protect himself he insists anyone not busy flying a ship (Mr. Hammill and Mr. Fisker) be locked in the cutter cargo bay. He will then program the cargo bays doors to open automatically in 72 hours, spacing the pair, unless Marco is alive and able to enter the override password. To protects themselves, the party will hide the cylinders (until they are turned over the Crimson Wave) in a location unknown to the pirate so he can't double cross them. 

Plan made, Mr. Kurigane heads off to the next inner planet (the gas giant Cat's Claw) and hides the gas cylinders on one of it's moons. He then proceeds further in system to hide the 'Wasp' on the surface of the next rocky planet (Cif). The cutter, piloted by Baron Kundra with a gun to his head, takes one gas cylinder (as proof they have been recovered) and heads into Mouser. They dock without any problem [100Cr docking fee], but immediately run into trouble while trying to clear starport security and customs. Marco's new papers are flagged as suspect; as the erstwhile pirate is being hauled away for questioning, he panics and yells out "I'm innocent. These other guys are who you want! They're smuggling dangerous contraband!" That gets the officials attention, and the port warden decides the cutter needs a thorough safety and customs inspection. Baron Kundra, however turns on the charm (and palms over 1000Cr) and convinces him there is nothing to see and Marco doesn't need further questioning.  The port warden concurs, carries out a very superficial inspection of the boat, and re-examines Marco's papers before releasing him from custody. 

That hurdle overcome, the party goes looking for Clinton Jager. He is on the one hand relived to hear the cargo has been recovered (Crimson Wave is really staring to lean on him), but not happy to hear of the loss of the 'Wasp'. He calls in his lawyers and has everyone sign an affidavit swearing the 'Wasp ' was lost to pirate action; this way he and his employer can claim the insurance on the ship at least. He also takes ownership of the cutter in place of the pinnace, paying out 750000Cr to an account registered to "Tacyon Advantage Security Solutions" to pay out the difference in value as well. And let's the party use it to now go back and collect the rest of the gas cylinders ('don't get this one blasted to Hell!'); he will make contact with Crimson Wave and arrange to have the cutter land at one of their docking bays on it's return, so they won't have to worry about another inspection. 

Before leaving port, however, the party decides to hire some extra help to man their new ship. First of all, a hot shot engineer to lesson the risk of mis-jumping and to keep the scout humming along. Second, a computer genius to reprogram the transponder and generally help out with the hgih tech stuff for a bit. After interviewing a number of candidates, they hire on:

Merchant Second Officer  Yasmin Cheung - 2 terms- UPP 864A93
Medic-2, Engineering-2, Mechanical-1
Short, round, and grumpy
4000Cr / month

Sylvanous Queen - 7 terms - UPP 5437B7
Computer-4, Forgery-3
Frail, ponytail, ugly tattoos, looks like a junkie

5000Cr / month

Passage out to the Wasp and the cylinder stash is uneventful. Yasmin and Sylvanous are left abroad to Wasp to start work, overseen by Mr. Fisker and his SMG. Everyone else heads back to port with the gas, and there are guided to land at a Crimson Wave platform. Met by a shady looking fellow, who has a quick look at the cargo and tells them to get it on a nearby grav-lifter and follow him. He leads them on a winding path into the depths of the base, to a nondescript warehouse section. Inside it is typical warehouse; shipping office, pallets and shipping modules, grav-lifters, and so on.  Plus another half dozen shady guys standing around a well-dressed gentleman who is obviously in change. To one side is a pair of figures, keeling and bound hand and foot with bags over their heads. Though tense, the handover of the cylinders goes off without a hitch. The party then watches horrified as the gentleman has his men fit one of the kneeling figures (who are now obviously warehouse workers) with a helmet, into which they pump a tiny bit of the gas. As they watch, the warehouseman dies a horrible death from the nerve toxin. But the gentleman is pleased, and announces he will have the payment for the gas transferred to Clinton Jager within the hour.  As the party leaves the warehouse, they hear a gunshot ring out behind them; likely the second warehouseman being eliminated. 

Making haste to get away from the lunatic fanatics ('I told you they were nuts' says Marco) the party makes contact with Clinton and gets their payout for the job [40000Cr]. Paying off Marco [394000Cr], who happily dances away with his riches, they then charter a shuttle [5000Cr] to get away from Mouser and back to the 'Wasp'.