Alpha Panda, Serenity RPG IC

[Aneurin]

Jack
Alpha Panda's Bridge

"...Okay," he says after tapping away for a few moments at his own console. "This is going to be pretty interesting. We've got three Alliance Patrol Boats, each with a fair bit more firepower than we have. If we want to find a gap in their net, well, it's not going to be easy," he leans forward to look intently at everyone in turn.

"So, we've got a couple of options I can see; we can try and find a gap and sneak through undetected. Which probably isn't going to happen.

We could also just blast through; pick a good space between the ships and go as fast as we can; there's a chance we can get through before they can intercept. Unfortunately, we then have to get back off planet - which won't be easy if they're waiting.

Alternatively, we could try to fox their sensors; do a cold run and hope they write us off as a junked satellite or some other piece of debris. There are a couple of tricks to doing that which make it a lot more likely we'll succeed.

In theory, we could bribe one of the captains - they're not the force they were back in the War, after all - but that'll be expensive, and if we pick the wrong captain then we're rumbled," Jack settles back against his chair, folds his hands across his stomach as he looks around at his crew.

"What do you think?"

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
Alpha Panda Bridge
From his seat at the comm desk, Greg swivels to regard the Captain. Bribery would cut most dearly inta our profits... but so would bein' shot outta the Black. It seems hard t'believe that three warships' enough to make a blockade, but with long enough sensors, they could actually pull it off wit' two. Three means there ain't no chance we'll enter atmo without bein' detected. The question is, can they fire at max sensor range? We could probably just fly straight past em'... drop our load, an' leave from somewhere else planet-side t'confuse em'. Would they still be able t'track all our movements once we're in atmo?

[Space Lawyer]

Lei
Bridge

"O can probably fly fast and crazy enough to confuse them, maybe even figure out one or two spots where there'll only be one with eyes on us instead of all three of them. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll be slow enough on talking to each other and they don't figure out that we're coming and going so fast. Thing is, if they figure it out, or stop us at all, we're humped. Don't worry though, I'm a better flyer than that, and Cap'n will lead us right.

[Lentrax]

Sia
Bridge

"We could always give them too much to think about. We send out a wave for general distress, one of 'em's gotta leave. Course, we could always be bringing a Companion in for recertification. Alliance usually don't care about Guild business."

[Space Lawyer]

Lei
Bridge

Lei suddenly exclaims and puts a hand to her forehead."Gāisǐ! I knew I was forgetting something. A Captain Griffiths ship, Royale visited our contact Balley Sacket before. Turns out they paid a small fine levied by...lemme see... Renown. I'm guessing that was just a coverup for a larger bribe. If we want to deal with the Alliance, its the Renown we want to deal with."

[Erasmas]

Cole
Bridge

"While I'm keen on not getting shot at and dying from it, I also ain't real keen on paying the bon swah hing su hoku wunyan Alliance a cut of our profits, Cap'n. I think Sia's got a good point. We don't have a companion, but we could gussy either her or Lei up a bit. Course... the registered part could be a problem, but maybe Lei or Amiri here could fix that with a bit of their mong ji with the computers?"

Cole was leaning against the wall just inside the door to the bridge, where he absentmindedly twirled his knife around in his hand.

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
Alpha Panda Bridge
Not all companions're women, Cole. Lei'll need t'be flyin' the ship, so if the Doc's not keen on it, might be we'll have t'pretty you up, jokes Greg.

[Erasmas]

Cole
Bridge

Cole stood upright and sheathed his blade before throwing his arms up in the air.

"Hell... I'll put on a purty Sundee dress an bonnet if that's what it takes! I just wanna get this gorram exploding ice off the Panda and put the rear thrusters and a whole lotta Black 'tween us and them Alliance fellas! Being this close makes me all... jittery."

[Lentrax]

Sia
Bridge

"And as much as I am sure we would like to see you in a dress, Cole, I was thinking more along the lines of me. Sommat tells me, I am a mite more graceful than you."

[Erasmas]

Cole
Bridge

"Exactly!", the soldier gestures to Sia as he looks at Greg. "I ain't fit to be no companion, anywheres; gentlemen companions is always... dainty."

[Narmoth]

Adrian Starr
Alpha Panda Bridge
Previously

Spoiler

Show

Jack
Alpha Panda en route to the Bridge a few moments ago

"What's up, Adrian?" Jack gestures that they shold be moving towards the bridge.

"I believe there is a certain ambivalence on my part towards the upcoming situation. As I am not a part of the crew I did not partake actively in your last confrontation. Now, I am as prone to wish harm on myself as the next person, but I am convinced that I could and should have engaged more actively in the situation. Therefore I impose on you to give me some position that would enable me to be of help to you and the crew in stead of a passive bystander. My experience as an army officer of a certain rank should lend plenty of possibilities for where my abilities could be of use for you...." Adrian asks as soon as he gets a moment alone with Jack

[Lentrax]

Sia
Bridge

"What do you think Lei? Think you could put some papers together? Forge a Compaion Membership?"

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
Alpha Panda Bridge
He shakes his head. Lei's good, but forgin' a Companion membership's hard. If we were needin' t'git past anyone what wasn't the Alliance, it would be manageable, but the Companion database is tightly tied inta the Alliance networks. They might buy the act, and the papers, but soon as they fire up a computer, the jig'd be up, explains Greg, pausing momentarily before some words as if somewhat at a loss to convey what he is saying.

[Aneurin]

Jack
Alpha Panda's Bridge

"...not to mention the fact that the Alliance might just be keeping everyone out. Or in. Have we been able to pull up some intel on the reason behind the blockade? If they're searching for someone in particular, they may pull every ship over for a search - even if it has a Companion aboard. The Guild may have a lot of political clout, but in politics v. missiles, the missiles win every time.

However..." Jack grins suddenly. "Please don't let this stop the plans to put Cole in a dress. We'll keep it as a back-up,"

Alpha Panda several moments ago

"You want to get paid on the off-chance we don't explode, right? Well, I don't consider that to be unreasonable. I'll cut you a share in this run, and we can talk afterwards about getting you a more permanent position - assuming you still want in. We can also carry you to another non-Core planet, if you'd prefer it to Regina.

I don't know your business, but an Alliance-rich environment is bad for everyone, I've found,"

[Narmoth]

Adrian Starr
Alpha Panda several moments ago

"It's not about the salary, in fact. I am givne more than what I can possibly get intoxicated on, it is really most concerning of having a responsibility and that if I interfere in, let us presume, a gunfight, everyone has a certain approximation of why and what I am doing. If I had interfered in your last situation, it would be hard for your crew to be certain that I was interfering to your benefit, while having a position as part of the crew would make it more clear." Adrian smiles a faint smile

[Space Lawyer]

Lei

"Greg's right. I'm good, but the Companion registry is scary. It bites at whatever pokes at it, and if you leave any sort of trail back, the folks watching it have a reputation for finding you to ask what it was you were up to. Those Alliance ships might be a bit easier to sneak something on to saying we've got permission to pass, but if they notice anybody trying, they'll be on high alert. Plus, they'll know something is wrong once they check their files against any central database."

[Erasmas]

Cole
Bridge

Cole lightly punched the wall behind him and he took a step forward for emphasis, "Hu shang mi dao... Then my vote is to just blast our way past them and be done with it! We can figure out how to get off the gorram rock whenever we come to that point."

[Lentrax]

Sia
Bridge

"What about unloadin' bodies for burial? It'll be easier for us to forge an ident sayin' you used to live here. I can give someone somethin' makes ya' look dead. Purple-bellies shouldn't look too close at that."

Spoiler

Show

The Medical solution! Why did I not think of that sooner?

[Narmoth]

Adrian Starr
Alpha Panda bridge present time

"Is there any information concerning who in particular is administrating this blockade? Such knowledge could be instrumental to determining what angle one should approach this particular problem at." Adrian asks in his usual quiet manner

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
Alpha Panda Bridge
For a moment, Greg seems pensive. I'm liken' the burial bluff. We make fer the one we think might go fer a bribe, too, as a fallback. We hail them, so it all seems on the up an' up. I'm willin' t'be the corpse, but I reckon I could pull off a mean grievin' relative, too.

[Space Lawyer]

Lei

"I don't think even the Alliance will be keen to question someone wanting to be buried where his ancestors are. Everybody born dirt-side wants be buried in the home ground. Now, like I said, if we've got no choice but to talk to the Alliance, we want to talk to the Renown. They'll be a bit more amenable to letting some valuables convince them to look the other way."

[Erasmas]

Cole
Bridge

Cole looks around the room, and then nods.

"Sounds good to me... so who's the stiff?"

The soldier looked around once again, and then added, "I'll do it, but nobody better put me in no dress while I'm under!"

[Adlan]

FADE TO NOT QUITE BLACK

CORTEX ACCESS
{table]



ASTROMETRICS DATABASE INFORMATION
REGINA
Inhabited

Distance: 99,647,858 km
Radius: 6,587 km
Gravity: 1.05 g
Orbital Period: 209.43 days
Rotation: 46.3 hrs
Mean Temp: 295K/22C
Atmosphere: Standard/Dense
Water/Ice Index: 34%

Moons:
Jiangyin
Adonis
Deadwood
Mercatus



[/table]

NOTES

The mineral-rich planet of Regina is known for its massive mining operations. Over three-quarters of the population work in one part of mining industry or another. Most of the mines are run by the Corone Mining Consortium, although there are still a few local owners hanging on. Working conditions can be extremely dangerous. Blockades are enforced to maintain Corone Mandated import laws, suppressing a black market. The Blockade is currently under investigation by a Parliamentary Committee.

The miners of Regina take a stoic pride in their work and the suffering they endure. As if things were not hard enough, the ore-processors and atmospheric conditions of Regina have created conditions for a disease called Bowden's Malady, a degenerative affliction of the bone and muscles that leaves victims weakened in constant pain. While there is no cure, regular treatment with Pascaline-D halts the progression of the disease and makes life tolerable.

The Alliance sponsors regular shipments of the expensive drug to Regina. The drug is drop-shipped to central location And delivered by train to the individual mining towns. The people of the world are dependent on this government handout, though shipments are not as frequent as they should be.

[Adlan]

BLUE-SUN

Fade from almost Black, Back in.

[Narmoth]

Adrian Starr
Alpha Panda bridge

"Upon whom were you envisaging the task of negotiations with the Alliance?" Adrian asks
"I would offer my candidature, as upon initial reception, I would be above suspicion by the Alliance. Regretfully, if they decide to scrutinize my persona, some irregularities will be apparent, for example that I am very much supposed to be dead."

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
Alpha Panda Bridge
Y'all've got that formal Core speak, Adrian. Y'all won't be a very convincin' Regina native, if we're goin' with the family burial strategy. I think I should play at bein' Cole's brother; I'll put on a show fer the Alliance. God knows I did it a dozen times durin' the war.

[Erasmas]

Cole
Alpha Panda Med-Bay

Cole laid down on the table in his best duds (which wasn't saying much) and let out a long exhale. He was ready to die... well, in a manner of speaking. Looking over at Sia, he noted her apprehension as she drew up whatever c0cktail that she was going to give him.

"Hey... don't you worry about me; I've survived worse than this before. After we get dirt-side, just bring me back to the world of the livin' and I'll take you out for a real pei sho fancy dinner. How's that sound?"

[Space Lawyer]

Lei

Lei whistles as she works. A faint orange and blue line of arrows marks out the optimal descent path as calculated by Alpha Panda's computers. She cuts the pulse engine to the Alliance-approved output levels for planetary approach. A counting down clock in the corner glows blue as well. At 5:30, it turns orange. She flips on the internal comm. "Ok everyone, get into your roles. We're 5 minutes out from the blockade line."

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
Alpha Panda Bridge
As Cole and Sia leave for the medbay, Greg salutes the Captain and makes his way to the cargo hold.

Cargo Hold
Greg surreptitiously unlocks and enters his personal storage compartment, and the lock clicks behind him. Minutes later, he reemerges; his face is slightly more tan, his clothes less brown-coloured and less coat-shaped. He has on a cheap woolen threadbare sweater and worn-out blue jeans, instead of his usual all brown cargo pants, shirt and trenchcoat. His hair and face also seem subtly more like Cole. As he returns to the bridge and stands next to the captain's chair, awaiting the call to the Alliance vessel, the crew can almost believe that he's Cole's brother.

[Lentrax]

Sia
Medbay

"Dinner and a show? I must've done something right."

Sia leans over and gives Cole a peck on the cheek. Taking a swab, she cleans his forearm. With a small smile, Sia looks at the syringe on the table next to the bed.

"This is going to burn, love. Your blood will feel like its boiling. But then it will fade and you will drop into a deep sleep. By the nature of what we are doing, you won't dream. And waking up is going to be unpleasant too."