Urien, Dwappa, Lindsey, Eirene, Kesperziaiepr, Mahan
Aboard the Reclaimer's Intent, approaching Drinax's orbit
As Eirene activates the console and presses to accept the incoming transmission, the screen of one of the forward facing window-cameras features an overlay for the video. Just opaque enough to avoid distorting the secondary image too greatly, but still transparent enough to allow some of the warmth of Drinax's sun to shine through. It makes the crackling fireplace on the video seem that much brighter, that much more brilliantly orange as it crackles and pops.
You all can recognize Princess Rao easily enough as she reclines back in her seat, and regards the camera with that same diplomatic smile. She's clearly changed since you all met her in the throne room, opting for a button-down shirt and suit jacket, slacks, and a pair of simple dress flats instead of heels. She sips from a glass of recently familiar golden liquor and clears her throat, "Ah, good to see you're able to receive me." She sets the glass down on a nearby end-table and in the same act, fetches a flip-case of cigarettes with a lighter stored inside, "How are you finding the vessel so far? I hope satisfactory."
The lighter clicks. Another orange light on the scene, there and gone. A diplomatic pause is there to allow for answers, and the minute but ever-increasing delay as you gain altitude and distance.
She exhales a long, blued cloud of smoke that drifts up and out of frame as she disperses it with a gloved hand when it lingers in front of her face, "While I'm sure you all have many ideas or theories about where things should go, I felt it only appropriate to reach out and give you a lead on where you might start your journey. Two nearby worlds, Torpol and Clarke" as she speaks, her image is replaced by side-by-side read-outs of each planet. "were both recently struck by what seems to be the same raiding party. A party that first landed on Clarke, then headed to Torpol. From there, they jumped, and have not been seen since."
The image returns to Rao at the fireplace in what one might presume is her personal quarters, "Both governments seek these raiders, and have put a price on their heads. The merchant-princes on Torpol have always been friends of ours, so I'm certain they'll give you a warm enough welcome. The Psychopomps on Clarke... " she frowns, staring off aside the camera, and puffing on her cigarette, "Less so. But not harmfully so. I imagine that an enterprising crew who just so happen to speak kindly of our Majesty solving this matter will go a long way to seeing both worlds come more in line with our favor."
She shifts in her seat, once more looking at the camera in a way that has her oddly looking at all present yet nobody in particular at the same time. The curse of communicating through teleconference, "Of course, you do not need to consider this an order. But simply a place to begin if you are at a loss or taking suggestions." She taps at a console on the arm of the chair she sits on, "I've attached some relevant documentation for you to peruse."
Attached as a file for review, the bounty can be found.
Clarke has posted a bounty of MCr 0.5 for the pirates, ideally brought in alive. Torpol's bounty is MCr2 - dead or alive - but proof must be required that the raiders were the ones who attacked both worlds.