1.2 - A Bo-Right Good Time (Closed)

[Dastardly Tristar]

Borite / Sindal (Trojan Reach 2219)
Urien, Mahan
Aboard the M.V. Delta Vee
019 (Week 2) 1105, Imperial

Urien was already strapped within his vacc-suit, and merely waited for Mahan to slip into a spare suit. He fitted the helmet over himself, and then double checked the comms, made sure Mahan's was on properly and gave him the thumbs up. Life was too short to die to suit malfunctions doing EVA work. Memories flashed briefly of an unfortunate comrade, whose tether snapped during an emergency job. He could still hear the screams faintly.

A chill ran down his spine as the airlock equalized the pressure. It could have been him.

He kept his weapon holstered as they cleared the common area. He paused to cross his right hand over his left shoulder in respect to the dead, and tagged them later for pick up. When the door to the bridge opened, Urien followed Mahan closely behind and observed CAT-KILLER. He was huge, and judging from the call-sign may have been part of the marine complement on a naval ship. Except this was a Far Trader - heavily modified for running against Oghman raiders. He sniffed. There were too many holes in the story to piece together, but their main priority was rescuing the man, and the ship.

He dialed in to an open frequency, but paused. Urien mimed wanting to check the man's suit out, and when CAT-KILLER assented, he ran his gloved hands over the suit's communicator. Trained eyes visually inspected the dials and knobs, and came to a conclusion that it was none worse for wear. Stepping back, he allowed Mahan to lead the conversation as he went to the bridge console. However it took only a few tries before he pounded the console in frustration. Sparks flew back at him in retaliation. "Guess we will need to do this the old fashion way."

 

[Sneaksby]

Big as the man was, Kesper still stood eye to eye with him, though he was less broad. Even as he stood quietly, albeit ready to plug the man with his stun carbine at any provocation, Kesper probed his mind. His thoughts came through clear, but it was becoming more and more of an effort to will his power into action. Hopefully, he'd have time to rest soon.

After a moment, he types out a message and sends it to the rest of the team.

He knows about Krrsh and Misery's Company and he's angry at them. Also suit not broke, he's just mute

[Emmettmcglynn]

After checking the door to the cargo bay and finding the other end depressurized, Mahan follows with the bulk of the group as they move to the bridge instead. After all, an A2 didn't have much of use without access to the cargo bay - they were hardly going to loot the staterooms while the reactor overloaded.

"I'm Mahan, and we're the crew of the ISV Reclaimer's Intent. We spoke on the intercom." Mahan says, raising his hand to put a voice to a face. "A pleasure to meet you. We'd love to talk, but unfortunately our scans indicated your reactor is on the fritz and could be on course for a meltdown. If you have engineering training, we'd love your help but if not you may want to get through the airlock to safety and take a break in the galley. If nothing else we can get that arm tended to."

With a signal to the doctor he leaves Cat-killer in her care. He himself leads the way, ducking through the airlock and grabbing a bag of tools from the locker. Returning, he takes a knee by one of the consoles and opens a bag of basic tools he'd brought over the Harrier's locker. It was badly hit by the pulse that had victimized the woman, but not unsalvagable. If nothing else, he could make it less of a chaotic mess to use by ripping parts from the ruined ones and moving them over. Hopefully if they could get one online it would allow the crew to get a better read on the status in the ship closer to its tail.

Edited September 5, 2023 by Emmettmcglynn (see edit history)

[Dastardly Tristar]

Borite / Sindal (Trojan Reach 2219)
Urien, Mahan
Aboard the M.V. Delta Vee
019 (Week 2) 1105, Imperial

Urien watched as Kesper and Rahne carried the corpses of the Delta-Vee's crew back to the Intent. When Cat-Killer gestured that he wanted to pick something from his room, the Solomani gestured back for him to lead the way. They made through the bridge, and into his stateroom. Urien leaned by the doorway to keep an eye on him as he rummaged through his belongings, trying his best to look disinterested. Though from the corner of his eyes, he caught the sight of a pouch tucked away in his oversized fist, and a moments hesitation as he reaches out for a wooden box. He leaves the box behind, and stands back up, signaling that he was ready to leave. Urien jerked his head towards the good doctor to escort him back.

"Stay/Fix/Engine/See/You/Later." He rapped on his bubble glass helmet in solidarity.

The moment D walked away however, Urien descended on the box and cracked it open slowly. "Hm." It wasn't like he expected to find gold, but what he saw still puzzled the man. It could have some personal bearing for their new stowaway. Either way, it was a shame to leave it behind. He closed the box shut, and walked back to the Intent, staying clear of the other passengers and the medical center where Rahne may be inspecting the injured crew.

Astrid mewed angrily at Urien as he opened the door. He kept a gun trained on Ksrrk the entire time as he deposited the box on his bunk, in full view of the camera and the mutt. "Stay put." He simply warned him, and then locked the door behind him as he left to return to the Delta-Vee.

Pointing at the doorway to the cargo area, he made a simple query to Mahan. "What is our plan?"

[Emmettmcglynn]

Mahan spends longer than he'd like to admit fruitlessly working on the console, but in the end he gives up and accepts that he at least managed to keep it from getting worse by poking at it. Rising, he brushes off his knees habitually as the others leave. Without much to do, he inspects the door with equally little success until Urien returns. After a long consideration of the other man's question, Mahan sighs and shakes his head at the door to the cargo bay.

"Won't be safe to force the thing. Space walking will be our only safe bet without access to the consoles. We'll have to head back into the Harrier, loop around from the other airlock and walk with mag clamps to get there. That'll put us in the cargo bay right by the door to engineering. Give a shot at trying to vent pressure from that part of the ship from the bridge, but if that fails we'll just have to risk opening it manually if we want to reach the reactor and un**** it. I'll grab some tools and a rad blanket, meet me by the Intent's spare airlock once you're done on this side."

It was perhaps ironic, the Captain noted internally, that the aspiring pirates lacked the breaching tools so often used by ne'erdowells to board innocent ships for their original civilian purpose. Perhaps they should invest in some when they returned to Drinax.

[Niraverine]

Eirene followed Mahan and Urien wordlessly. She wasn't in a mood for talking after the events of past hours - nor in a mood to for any risky endeavours for that matter. Soon it was clear though that just lurking behind the backs of her companions is no longer an option.

"Fine", she sighed with resignation. "I'll try to space walk to that airlock on the second-deck. Should be faster." And with that, she prepared to depart.

[Kiro Haas]

Borite / Sindal (Trojan Reach 2219)
Rahne, Kesper
Aboard the M.V. Delta Vee
019 (Week 2) 1105, Imperial

---

Rahne had followed the rest of the Away Team into the Delta Vee, still as armed and ready has she had been during their voyage into the derelict space station, because she'd simply not removed her Vacc-Suit or disarmed. No, all she'd done during the hour long voyage from station to the marooned ship had been to take a long drink of electrolyte-enhanced water to deal with coming down from an adrenaline high from dealing with the Chamax in the station. So it'd been pretty simple for her to simply seal her helmet back on and head across from the Intent to the Delta Vee with the rest of her crewmates.

As she and the others reach the lone survivor she quickly brings out her portable medscanner and does a quick and cursory examination of the so-called "D". She murmurs to herself during the quick examination, before turning to the other two bodies on the bridge, quickly confirming that yes, they are indeed quite dead by electrocution and the shocks and burns associated thereof. She calls out the information to the rest of the crew, including confirming that D does indeed have a broken arm.

"Mister D," Rahne calls out to the massive individual, gesturing for him to follow, and making sure Kesper is aware. "If you'd care to follow me, we'll see to fixing your arm and whatever else that ails you," she continues, gesturing for him to follow her. "I would rather treat your injuries without having to risk causing a suit breach or having a vacc-suit in the way, and you could do with a rest, I dare say," she elaborates, as she starts heading back to the Reclaimer's Intent.

[Sneaksby]

Without an obvious enemy there was little for Kesper to do but stand ready and watch for threats, ruefully reflecting on his basic medical training and lack of engineering or electronic expertise. At least being in touch with the big man's mind would give him a heads up if he tried anything funny, which at this point, he doubted very much.

As D rummaged in his locker, his thoughts whispered in Kesper's mind:

I know you'd never forgive me if I left you behind. The game too? No. I can buy a new one. You come with me, though.

Although mostly satisfied he was not carrying anything dangerous - most likely a sentimental keepsake - the Zhodani still eyed D curiously.

Once D follows Rahne, Kesper takes up position behind the big man and wordlessly shadows the two, intent on backing up Rahne in case of trouble.

[Dastardly Tristar]

Borite / Sindal (Trojan Reach 2219)
Urien, Mahan, Eirene
Aboard the M.V. Delta Vee
019 (Week 2) 1105, Imperial

Urien nodded, rubbing the 'chin' of his bubble helmet. "Better make sure we do not risk explosive decompression then." Hopping on the spot, he gave the idea a thought, not particularly relishing the idea of interacting with the bridge's consoles. The last time he tried, sparks flew in his face - was he ready to gamble again?

The hopping stopped, and the man made a decision. Nothing ventured, nothing gained in his books. He walked past Eirene on the way to the bridge, and made sure not to bump into her. Avoiding the offending console, he found one that looked the least damaged and slipped into the chair. When he was hit with an error message, he slapped the screen in frustration. Then he felt it, through the thick gloves of the suit - a back panel.

Cracking it open and exposing the wiring, Urien licked his dried lips, trying to remember his technician days. The error message shown told him that it was an issue with communicating with the ship's main server, but if he could splice some wires. . .he fiddled with a wire cutter, and then made the necessary cuts. He winced with each slice, but no explosive reaction occurred. Eventually he reconnected the wires, and tried again.

Success. With a few swift key strokes he vented the pressure from the engine room in a slow, controlled operation - if he did it too quickly, it might blow out some of the more touchy electronics, or even shake the ship too much.

Out of sheer curiosity he requested another diagnostics check on the engines. When the report returned, he was pleasantly surprised, and relayed the information back. "I have depressurized the engineering section. We should not face any issues there. The ship's engines are also fine, but it seems that whatever knocked the ship out ambushed it at close range. Judging from how the pirates from the Misery's Company operate, this may be a lead."

He left the bridge and assembled by the airlock, checking on everyone's suit and making sure his hadn't suffered any other damage that he wasn't aware of. "It is losing power slowly, and should not have risk of cutting out on us, but time is running short."

[DJ P4NTSL3SS]

Borite / Sindal (Trojan Reach 2219)
Urien, Mahan, Eirene
Aboard the M.V. Delta Vee
019 (Week 2) 1105, Imperial

The console pops and hisses, a few sparks coming from jarred paneling and damaged wiring. But the systems are easy enough to interact with for the Solomani agent. Likewise, putting in system commands is similarly easy enough. The sensors show the atmosphere in the engineering and machine and passenger spaces lowering as atmosphere is pumped from those spaces. Gravity - mercifully - still reads as present and functioning in the engine spaces so you should have no issue moving about the space so long as the crew all keep their vacuum suits on. Likewise, even the cargo space shows that its maintaining half-gravity - low enough that you won't shatter your knees if you jump down the two or more stories from the breach to the deck, high enough that you won't need your mag boots to keep to the deck so long as you take it slow.

Processing through the airlocks and back aboard the Reclaimer's Intent is easy enough for all parties. Likewise, going from the second deck down to the first presents no issues. The passengers have once more retired to their quarters as requested until this matter is resolved - though a few may have been overheard grumbling at the delay when so close to making the port now. The away team can get down to the second airlock next to the missile magazine without any troubles in order to cycle through and then pull themselves out - inverting - and walking along the 'underside' of the hull of the Reclaimer's Intent until reaching a spot where you can more easily transition to walking across the Delta Vee once again.

The shortest safe path has you walking along the underbelly of the Delta Vee and towards her nose, walking along that curve in the hull through a space between the crippled vessel and the starboard wing of the Reclaimer's Intent as you go. In total, the whole walk takes twenty minutes from exiting your own vessel until you are standing at the ragged and scorched edge of the hull breach that lets you stare down into the darkened cargo bay. Illuminated now only lightly by the glow of the distant sun, you can see that her bay is full with cargo containers, and what looks to be palletized vehicles of some kind - though its hard to tell from so far without descending at first.

Splitting up from here, the away team are able to move on their discussed routes - Mahan and Urien descending through the breach, and Eirene moving along the edge of the breach to head into and secure the second deck.

As you all reconnect at the entryway up to the second deck the corsair has just cleared, you are all able to turn your attention to the engineering spaces to continue.

And when opening the door to the engineering spaces, that is when you are 'hit' - your suit sensors telling you that you have just been smacked by a wash of radiation. Not enough to bypass the protective layering of your suit's defenses, but just shy by a few degrees. The engine space strobes with a glowing blue-white light as the nuclear core heats the outer casings of the power plant. Not super-critical - yet- but slowly advancing that way as coolant systems and safety regulators have died away. The best way forward is either shutting the reactor down - losing all power and controls for the vessel - or trying to restart secondary systems to stabilize the reactor. Otherwise...

 

---

 

Borite / Sindal (Trojan Reach 2219)
Rhane, Kesperziaiepr
Aboard the Reclaimer's Intent
019 (Week 2) 1105, Imperial

The man follows easily enough and he doesn't raise any complaint when the bodies of his crewmates are recovered. He helps as much as he can - which isn't a lot. Mostly it is helping wherever a single hand is all that is needed, whether that's a fifth hand helping in moving one of the bodies to the airlock, or acting as the one responsible for hitting terminals to cycle the doors to allow easier passage. Those deceased crewmates can be set up... somewhere. Easily enough. Though cargo space is at a premium, with the hold currently occupied by both speculative and passenger cargo.

This means there is nowhere that you can place the bodies where they won't be in the common walkways, or in someone's way.

In traditional Sindalian fashion for such a vessel, there's always the dining room tables...

When shown the galley, the surviving crewmember only then finally pops the seals for his helmet. He struggles a bit to remove it with only one hand, but staunchly refuses to allow any assistance on the matter - shouldering away any physical attempts to that end. And then he unceremoniously drops it to the ground, giving a raspy sigh as if this is the first time in a while he has smelled air that wasn't pumped through a filter. Or at least, a filter he was wearing at the time.

That is when he spots the wine dispenser and raises a brow. He looks to the two of you - or at least the closest of you, if either have accompanied him. He gestures to it and signs with his good arm. "Like / drink?" And right about then its as if something shifts in his body. Muscles slacken. He seems to notice it more belatedly than one might expect, looking down as if to take stock of the fact his knees are shaking like he's a third-party observer. With a heavy throw of his weight, he unceremoniously deposits himself in one of the nearby galley chairs, grunting in pain and exhaustion.

[Dastardly Tristar]

Borite / Sindal (Trojan Reach 2219)
Urien, Mahan, Eirene
Aboard the M.V. Delta Vee
019 (Week 2) 1105, Imperial

Spacewalks were always a hair's breadth away from fun and death, which was a surprisingly ubiquitous occurrence in Urien's life. Perhaps he was simply an adrenaline junkie in denial, but more likely he simply found any situation which robbed him of control terrifying. He took the safer option during the traverse of the ship's hull, trying to ignore the screaming in his brain. Which was up? Which was down? Don't look at Borite, don't look at the expanse and most certainly ignore the call of the void to simply let everything go and float away.

The intrusive thoughts went away temporarily as he descended into the cargo area, feeling the security of the magnetic clamps locking onto the floor. The vacuum left behind by the suicidal urge was replaced by the tension gnawing on his nerves as the lights blinked in and out. The hairs on his skin stood up, rubbing against the Vacsuit's rubber insides.

They linked up with Eirene, who took the admittedly safer way into the ship, and reached the entrance of the engineering spaces. He opened his mouth to ask Eirene something, only to curse loudly as the wave of radiation struck the group. "Shit!" His helmet screamed at him, telling him of the near-lethal dose of radiation that would've cooked them all had their suits been improperly suited - or bought from a cheap manufacturer. Thankfully the sealing held, and all that did was disoriented Urien briefly.

He didn't have long to be dazed, as the tell-tale signs of an impending nuclear meltdown stricken his heart with fear. It lasted for a century of a second, before he snapped back to reality. He pushed his way to the room, finding the engineering console and booting it up. He pointed to the various sensors and readouts on the other consoles. "I am going to try and stabilize the core, but I need someone on the readouts in case there is any power fluctuations. When that happens, get ready to hit the emergency AZ-5. Someone else needs to get on that console-" he pointed a finger at a spare terminal. "-and help me divert power to the core's backup systems."

Urien threw himself at the console, wanting to wipe the perspiration of fear and anxiety away but unable to. Fingers flew across the keyboard, inputting commands to reboot the system. He couldn't care less if the system said it was unsafe - a nuclear meltdown ranked higher on the danger scale for him.

He watched, breathing heavily as the terminal loaded, then froze.

He smacked the screen, shaking it.

When it didn't budge, he almost gave up. He cursed it in all the languages he knew, grammar be damned. The glowing intensified -

- and then a screechy robotic announced the booting sequence of the OS. A textbox, in neon green, screen shimmering from screen damage, asked if he wanted to start the safety protocols and stabilize the reactor. Never had his hand slapped the command quicker than it did then.

'ARE YOU SURE? Y/N'

'Y'

'SEQUENCING.'

Urien nearly screamed in terror as it slowly loaded again. It must have felt Urien's palpable fear, because the progress bar quickly loaded in that instant, and the readings normalized.

And that was that.

They weren't going to die.

Urien leaned back in his chair, his breathing ragged. "I cannot believe they are still using TravSpace OS 98. Who still uses '98?!"

Edited September 7, 2023 by Dastardly Tristar (see edit history)