Edge of Night Session #7 - Free at Last!

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, Tactics-0

Back on the Wasp, Yasmin grumps off to the engine room to size things up while Sylvanous gets to work reprogramming the ships' transponder and getting rid of or hiding/disguising and telltale digital trace of the "Wasp". The computer junkie informs the party that he is actually uploading a real transponder code for a real ship; less likely to get caught than with a fake one. As long as they don't inadvertently run into the original ship somewhere in their travels. Thankfully space is big ... Meanwhile, Mr. Kurigane heads outside to do what he can to disguise the look of the ship and hide any telltale features. 

All the reprogramming and disguise work takes about six days, and then the moment of truth. Baron Kundra pilots the newly christened "Superfly", flagship of "Tacyon Advantage Security Solutions" into port at Mouser to refuel and refit before jumping out of system. The ship clears landing control with no trouble, settles into a hanger bay. Soon fueling is underway [4000Cr, unrefined fuel only] and environmental systems are being scrubbed and recharged [8000Cr]. The servicing takes a few days, and even though lying low to avoid getting caught is a primary concern, the party decides to go shopping for some additional weapons (and a new fridge for the galley). Some reloads for their missile rack (12 x 5000Cr) are readily and legally available. But military grade personal laser and projectile weapons are not. Leaving Baron Kundra and Yasmin aboard ship, everyone else heads into the depths of Mouser. Mr. Hammill uses his skills to track  down a fellow who calls himself  "The Association". His connections with the teamsters ensures a few crates being transshipped between vessels go 'missing' every now and then.  He has no laser weapons, but is able to set them up with some additional armor (4x Cloth [4x250Cr], 4x Reflec [4x1500Cr]), guns (2x SMG [4x750Cr], 2x AutoRifle [4x1500Cr] and 50 loaded magazines for each [100 x 20Cr], a pair of stun guns [2x50Cr] and a half dozen blocks of plastic explosive with blasting charges [6 x 100Cr]. Sylvanous meanwhile sneaks off the get enough 'Green Khef' from his dealer to get through a week in jump space. 

Upon arrival back in the hanger bay, the shopping party is surprised to see a pair of guards standing by the ship, and a long cable extending from a wall panel connected to their engine room. Ducking out of sight, they call Baron Kundra and learn Clinton Jager got wind of their arrival. He can't prove the ship is the ex"Wasp" at this point, but had a magistrate issue a port lock order to keep them from leaving until the question is resolved. Questioning their resident computer expert, Sylvanous notes the lock can be removed either at the main hanger control room computer or by physically severing the cable. He warns that many locking cables will be trapped to prevent the second option, exploding if cut and doing severe damage to the ship (and whoever is doing the cutting). So the party decides to try getting to the control room, several levels above and accessible by a couple of ladders and a catwalk. From the hanger floor, they can see at least one guard inside plus at least one technician. Challenged by the two ship guards as they approached the ladders,  the party tries to discretely and non-lethally  take them out with stun guns and shotgun butts. Unfortunately, there is some gunfire and the alarm was raised. With the two hanger guards unconscious, everyone rushes for the control room and uses the fallen guards' key-cards to open the locked door.  To face a trio of rifle muzzles pointed in their faces. Thinking fast, Mr. Kurigane offered the three guards 10000Cr each to let them release the port lock. The three glanced at each other, and then greedily take the offer. The leader tells the party to tie them up, but only after handing over the credits. Then Sylvanous (aided by Mr. Kurigane's bulk) has the technician help lock down the hanger access door to delay pursuit, then disable  the port lock. They then tie him up and race back to the ship, where Baron Kundra is running up the engines to make a getaway. 

The "Superfly" makes it to the 100 diameter jump point without being intercepted, and the Baron hits the jump drive. A week in jump space, and having burned their bridges behind them, they emerge at their thankfully non-Concordance destination; Symera. And are immediately hailed by a patrol ship on picket duty ...

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'. 

Edge of Night Session #5 - Plans Go Awry

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 slips quickly towards the cutter's airlock to sneak in behind Mr. Fisker, hoping that between them the two could surprise and overpower any opposition on the other side of the door. Unfortunately, the  pirate watching from the cargo bay door spots him and fires a shot from his laser carbine at the erstwhile naval officer.  And most likely raising a hue and cry to his compatriots inside. Time for finesse gone, Mr. Kurigane and Mr. Fisker burst through the inner airlock; Mr. Fisker heads for the door to the bridge, and opens it to find a shot gun pointed in his face and  a second person sitting in the pilots chair. There is a pair of shotgun blasts, then a flurry of swinging gun butts and brass knuckles (as the pilot joins the fight), all performed in zero G as the pirates have turned off the grav plates in addition to depressurizing the boat.   

Mr. Kurigane heads for the passenger compartment, presumably where Baron Kundra and Mr Hammill are being held. And indeed they are, tied up hand and food and covered by a shotgun wielding pirate. As the big navy lieutenant charges madly at the guard with his sword, Mr. Hammill and Baron Kundra throw themselves bodily at the same fellow, hoping to throw him off balance. Baron Kundra makes contact and is then able to brace against a seat, but Mr, Hammill misses and ends up bouncing out of control around the room. The pirate from the cargo bay now enters the fight with his laser carbine. Mr. Kurigane is able to free Baron Kundra and skewer the first pirate. However, at this point, the pilot appears in the cabin, he and the other bridge pirate having rendered Mr. Fisker unconscious. He then does the same to Mr. Kurigane, leaving three armed pirates against Baron Kundra and Mr. Hammill, who is still bouncing around the room. The pilot, who name they now learn is Cristovo 'the Pain', calls on them to surrender. Seeing no other option, the pair agree and everyone is once more tied up and secured to their seats. 

Cristovo begins to question them, to get the story on the 'Wasp'. The party tries the same combination of veiled references to the Crimson Wave before giving up and telling the truth. They learn the pirates have located the 'Wasp' in orbit around Scalpel, but have not yet boarded the starship. The arrival of the characters on the pinnace put those plans on hold. Having gotten the full story of the 'Wasp', Cristovo is now wary of risking he or his crew on board the drifting vessel. He gives the party a choice; one of them goes aboard the 'Wasp' to investigate or they all get spaced as the cutter makes it's way back to the scout ship. While neither option is palatable, in the end Mr. Kurigane agrees to scout out the scout to save their skins. Shoved back in his vacc suit, the lieutenant is sent across the void to the 'Wasp' with no weapons or tools, and a live comm link jammed open to the pirates. 

Mr. Kurigane gains access to the "Wasp" through the engine compartment airlock. Looking around, he notes everything is powered up and seems to be in perfect working order. No sign of a drive or powerplant issue. Curiously, the maneuver drive hasn't been switched from standby to active. That would be standard procedure for a ship coming out of jump, but in this case the pilot did not do so. First selecting a few heavy tools to use as weapons if needed, Mr. Kurigane searches the rest of the ship. He finds nothing unusual or out of place until he slides open a stateroom door. There he finds the body of the pilot, Nina Claire, lying in a pool of her own body fluids and vomitus. Obviously dead for some time, probably since the ship came out of jump a month ago, if not before. Which would explain what happened; the ship came out of jump and simply drifted to it's current location, getting caught quite by chance in Scalpel's gravity well. Leaving the body for now, Mr. Kurigane continues his search, ending in the upper cargo compartment. There he finds the mystery cargo, and an explanation for the gory mess below. The cargo consists of a dozen tall gas cylinders, unlabeled but painted a sickly green. One of the safety caps has become dislodged, and close examination reveals a cracked cylinder stem. It looks like whatever is in the cylinder leaked out and filled the ship; something quite nasty to have offed Nina so grotesquely. 

Mr. Kurigane goes to the bridge and report back to the pirates. Cristovo orders him to vent the ship to clear the gas, and to space the empty cylinder and Nina's body.  Then tells him to stand by, as he and one of the other pirates were coming over. Mr. Kurigane follows the orders, but then gets to work on his own plan. Gathering everything he can find that's heavy and not nailed down (including the bar fridge from the lounge), he piles it all in front on the engineering space iris valve.  Stationing himself on the bridge, Mr. Kurigane waits until he notes the pirates cycling the engineering space to vacuum and coming inside. Before they can close the door and start re-pressurizing however, Mr. Kurigane opens the inner engineering iris valve, using the rush of the ship depressurizing through the open door to propel all his loose junk into the engineering space and the faces of the pirates. One pirate grabs on to a handhold, but unfortunately has his head caved in by the flying refrigerator.  Cristovo is tumbled out of the open lock into space, and a few minutes later is vaporized by shot from the ship's beam laser. 

Meanwhile aboard the pirate cutter, Baron Kundra has been working on their guard. Trying to convince him to switch sides, the Baron offers him half the profit from selling the poison gas, convincing him they have a willing buyer lined up already. The remaining pirate is intrigued but worried the party will turn on him the minute he frees them, since it's now 4 against 1. In the end they come to a deal.  Baron Kundra will have his bonds removed so he can pilot the 'Wasp', but he won't get his weapons back. The other three party members will remained tied up and unarmed for now, until they are able to make contact with the buyer. They decide to abandon the cutter since the pirate  (who had been the cutter's gunner) couldn't trust anyone to fly it; he can only hold a gun to the head of one pilot on one ship.  

Edge of Night Session #4 - On Scalpel's Edge

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

Following up on Mr. Kurigane's idea to trace the route of the 'Wasp' post-jump, the party is introduced by the ex-scout Jerold to a wiz-bang navigator and computer geek by the name of Ulysses Brisbois. Visiting him in his little shop behind a dim-sun restaurant and strip club, the highly excitable fellow explains he can figure out where the 'Wasp' would be assuming she jumped into system from Tortuga using the filed flight plan. But needs a lot more computer power than he has on hand. In particular, he needs to get access to the space traffic control supercomputers at the star port, with their advanced modeling software and database of all the bits of space debris and lumps of rock in the Mouser system.  Ulysses used to work there (got let go for making unauthorized improvements to the system), so he knows exactly where to go and what to do. But he needs to physically get inside the building and use the computer; hacking in from outside won't do the trick. 

The party comes up with a plan to have Ulysses hack into a part of the space traffic control computer he can access remotely, and cause a massive computer meltdown. One big enough that they'll have to call in outside help to fix. And since Ulysses knows the company on contract  (Mighty Mouser Computer Analytics and Repair), he'll have that call rerouted to the party coms. Who then, using fake uniforms, ID's and service air/raft, will arrive to make the repairs. Just in case Ulysses is recognized, they'll smuggle him in hidden inside their service cart. And just in case something goes wrong, Plan B is to have Mr Fisker hang out around the Mighty Mouser Computer Analytics and Repair office, intercept and intimidate one of the computer geeks into helping them gain access to space traffic control. 

Decisions made and all the material gathered, they wait until the backshift to put their plan into action. But things go a little sideways right away; it seems Mr Hammill's forgery skills are slipping, as the guards at the gate are suspicious of their IDs and won't let them in. A series of phone calls between Desk Sergeant Miller (in charge of space traffic control security)  and Mighty Mouser Computer Analytics and Repair (ie. Baron Kundra's com) gets them access in the end, but only with a pair of guards watching over them at all times. So as the group is escorted to the main control computer, improvisation begins. Baron Kundra plants himself at the main console and fakes working, then declares the rest of the team has to go back to the server room and do some work to help him. He is able to convince the two guards to split up, one going with Mr Kurigane and Mr. Hammill to the servers and the other staying with Baron Kundra. Once in the server room, Mr Hammill distracts the guard, and Mr. Kurigane then wacks the unfortunate fellow in the head with the pommel of his sword cane. The guard is knocked out cold, but not before he discharges a few rounds from his SMG. This initiates another round of frantic calls from the Desk Sergeant, and it's only by luck (and the fact Officer Johnston is known to be a klutz) that they mange to convince the sergeant that it is just an accidental discharge, nothing to worry about. That done, Mr. Kurigane (who looks a lot like Officer Johnston) strips the unconscious man and dons his uniform. The officer is then bound and gagged and hidden under the false floor of the server room. Ulysses then emerges from hiding, and gets to work running his analysis on the backup console. Twenty minutes later he is done, and the party gets out of there post-haste. 

Dropping Ulysses and his pay back at the shop, the group then headed to find Malik Jupiter's representative, and get their hands on that pinnace he promised for their use. And in just a few hours, they clear traffic control and are in their way. Based on Ulysses' calculations, the Wasp would have intercepted the third gas giant in the system, Scalpel. There is a good chance the scout has been captured by the planet's gravity and is in orbit around the planet, maybe in the asteroid ring that encircles it. Or maybe it has plunged into the atmosphere and burned up. He can't say for sure. Assuming the first, Mr. Kurigane straps into the pilot's seat and set everyone on a course for Scalpel. 

Two and a half days later, Scalpel is just resolving into a disk a few degrees across when their ship sensors suddenly jump to life. There is a boat just outside the rim of the planet; a 40 ton cutter according to the readings. Mr. Kurigane maintains course straight ahead, while Baron Kundra settles into the gunners seat to prepare for possible combat. The cutter starts changing velocity to curve around in front of the planet, and then hails the pinnace, demanding to know what they are doing. Baron Kundra tries to frighten them, saying they were on a mission from the Crimson Wave. When that doesn't work, he tells the truth; they are looking for a lost scout/courier. At that, the voice on the coms barks back, to say they have located such a craft and are claiming it under admiralty salvage laws. To the two navy officers, that sounds suspicious, given they are the rightful claimants as representatives of the owner. The cutter might be able to claim a salvage fee, but not the full ship. When the Baron points out this fact, he is met with contempt, severed communication, and a sensor reading showing the cutter powering up weapons. 

As everyone jumps into vacc suits, Mr Kurigane depressurizes the cabin and starts accelerating straight toward the planet, trying to get it's bulk between them and the cutter. The cutter meanwhile continues to accelerate around Scalpel. And then both ships opened fire. And to the party's surprise, another laser opens up from somewhere in orbit around the planet; there was no drive signature so it must be an orbital installation of some kind. Baron Kundra scores a pair of hits on the cutters cabin, but the pinnace was outgunned and could not get into the planets' shadow fast enough. A series of hits takes out the pinnace's drive and laser, leaving them drifting along at 15G with no way to stop or maneuver. The cutter changes course and comes around to intercept, as Baron Kundra frantically repairs the laser. But in the end, the party decides capture was a better choice than drifting helpless in space. As the cutter matches course, the party singles surrender. But first, Mr Kurgane crawls out of the pinnace to cling to the hull, out of sight and detection of the cutter.  The cutter directs the three (as they are told) crew to come across to their airlock one by one, all the time covered by a fellow armed with a laser carbine watching them from the cutter's open cargo door. Baron Kundra and Mr Hammill go first and second, and are soon stripped and bound inside the cutter's cabin. At this point, as Mr Fisker is heading across the void, Mr Kurigane sets off a couple of grenades on the pinnace's hull, causing it to lurch towards the cutter and sending a spray of debris and ice fog into space. This causes enough distraction for him to also make his way across, unseen, to cling to the cutter's hull, just as Mr. Fisker cycles into the cutter's airlock ...

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 ...