Flight to Loranis

The cargo was swapped out for non-viable embryos on New Florida, new cover cargo was loaded, and the Alex Murphy set off for Loranis. Kovak jumped the ship to the dark point.

There was an enforcer patrol ship in system when they arrived. Alex was able to identify the ship from his database as the Shield of the Sun. The Captain was an Antari and the first officer was Harth. The ship hailed Alex Murphy. Bletherin responded. The captain of the Shield of the Sun was a petite Antari. 

Bletherin told her that they were carrying a cargo of farm machinery and cheese for Loranis. He said that they had not seen any pirate activity. He was warned that there was more pirate activity toward Loranis and Estra. Then the ship abruptly jumped off. Kovak jumped to Loranis.

Distress Beacon

On arrival, they received a distress beacon from the free trader Starstriker, but there were no details. The signal was coming from somewhere further in the system, and the Alex Murphy was closest. Grendel insisted that they should render assistance and as that was the custom in expectation of repirocation if they were in need. A ship had been sent from Loranis, but would not arrive for several hours. There was nothing launching from the closer colony.

Bletherin contacted Rente to learn if anything had been done yet. An old Garlan replied that it appeared that they collided with the only ship that was big enough to help them. Kovak was suspicious. It was highly unusual for ships to collide, though it did happen. Alex launched a probe to investigate. 

The larger ship had been t-boned by the freighter. Alex detected a life form in the bridge as well as several in Engineering. Kovak and Grrr took a shuttle to the bridge, Alex and Grendel went to Engineering. The forward party found the pilot alive but unconscious. The others found the crew rushing to shut things down and helped.

Kovak surmised that the pilot’s calculations were off because they came out of hyperspace too close to a planet, where they could not know of other traffic. The wounded were taken to the hospital on the colony on Rente.

Kovak and Grrr inspected the cargo bay and found guns, crossbows, and other weapons. Grrr and Alex uncovered a secret compartments containing alcohol, drugs that are legal in some places and not others, and two earth movers. It was the kind of cargo that legitimate free traders would carry.

The crew were taken to the hospital. Kovak interviewed the pilot when he/she/it was conscious and it says that “hyperspace was wrong.” Scanning the logs and sensors, Alex determined that the constant hyperspace background be had stopped for a moment. There was no record of such a phenomena neither in official nor pilot social media.

On to Loranis

They took the shuttle down to Loranis amidst torrential rain. They waited until the rain slowed to take their crawler to town. There were no signs of man or beast until someone emerged to discuss their wears. Bletherin told him of the bear repellent spray and ammo that they had brought. They repaired to tavern to discuss things.

The tavern is crowded and noisy on account of the rainy season. The bear repellent was favorably received. Grrr started a friendly bar fight against tag-team Garlan opponents. This was apparently the most entertainment the locals had had since the start of the rainy season, and it continued until Grrr actually knocked one out. Then Bletherin beat them at cards.

Chain of Command

  • Bletherin – Garlan (scaled hexapeds, with the front set of limbs equating to arms with four fingers, and
    the second and third having cloven hooves) Captain of the CEP Alex Murphy
  • Grrr (aka Snarl) – atypical Harth (furred mammals that resemble semi-anthropomorphic dogs) Head of Security on the CEP Alex Murphy  
  • Alex – the CEP Alex Murphy AI
  • Grendel – Heffulump (alien with multiple tactile appendages) Engineer of the CEP Alex Murphy
  • Kovak – Human Pilot of the CEP Alex Murphy