Captains Log #6

Turn 1300, still at Regina Prime, after 3 months of advanced studies.

Captain, Jose and Dick are pondering about how to continue their mission. It appears that registering a new planet is not a very common event, and there are no ready procedures, so it might take quite a long time to do it.

Another complication we conceive is that because of our strange virus infection, we might end up quarantined as guinea pigs -- or worse.

*

Jose finds out some interesting details in our Vargr courier. There are various secret pockets behind wall panels. Also, there is a full-functional recycler system -- you can literally throw a human body there and it disintegrates. Even the 30-minute safety delay can be overridden.

Jose and Jack go off to purchase some handguns, bigger guns, spirits, drugs etc. They leave the Gig for customization (adding the same kind of secret pockets that our main ship already has).

A 15000-credit medical bay is installed in Dick's cabin, capable of surgical operations and anaesthetics.

Note: Our ship (Llongakol) is registered in Regina, and that's what the transponder says, too.

*

John tries to find some cooperative researchers in Regina University to carry out some research for us, about the strange virus -- how it spreads, what exactly it causes, and how come some animals seem to be immune against it.

John finds a promising contact, an eccentric, very off-mainstream researcher named Krurr, who has been doing only private-funded research during the last years. The guy is over 50 years old, and has (among other things) studied the effects on chemical weapons on certain species; very controversial experminents on guinea pigs (and students).

* What do you think about Vargrs? - Well... they are... sort of... humanoids... I think.

* What is your personal motive for doing research? - Money.

* What do you think about eating meat? - Well, certainly I do eat meat.

* Would you consider moving to another planet if there is an exciting research opportunity there? - Yes, if an excellent laboratory is arranged, and enough money.

* Do you believe in supernatural powers? - Science is my god!

Krurr first offers to perform the virus studies in two weeks for 40 000 cr.

Krurr: "Ok, when will I receive the specimens?" Captain: "He is already there with you." Krurr: "You bloody, murdering bastards!"

A heated discussion follows. Finally, Captain and Krurr agree on the following terms:

- 40 000 cr now - 40 000 cr later - Earnings on the countermedicine divided 50-50 between Krurr and us - The medicine will be named after both Krurr and Arrassag

*

The Gig is left for modifications (computerization), taking about 4 weeks.

While Krurr is performing his research, we make a return trip to Arrassag to inform about the state of affairs, and to negotiate about how to continue. We aim to be back in 12-15 weeks. Krurr promises not to publish his results or the medicine within the next 16 weeks.

Jack stays on Regina, with 200 000 cr of cash, and specific orders about how to keep an eye on Krurr. If he does not hear about us in 15 weeks, he will reveal Krurr's fishy business to the authorities.

*

Turn 1348. Leave Regina. After some time spent in local traffic, engage jump to Yori.

Dick and Jose go searching the ship for any interesting details. They find even more secret pockets, the biggest one being 1.5 m3 in size. In one of the smaller pockets, they find a small plastic bag of white powder. They leave it alone.

Turn 1524, exit from jump. 239 million km away from the gas giant where we tried to be. Fly there, taking about 2 days.

Meet some salt freighters, greet them. They have heard news about Zhodani in Roup.

Turn 1538, start refueling.

Turn 1541, refueling complete. Engange jump to Rethe.

During the jump, everybody takes again a physical condition test. Regular exercise commanded, varying in 0g, 1g and 1.1g.

Turn 1717, exit from jump, exactly in the right location. 10 hours to go. Meet a scout ship. According to their latest information, Enobe, Beck's World, Kinorb, Yorbund, and Heya are under Zhodani rule now. Captain: When is the Imperial Navy going to do something about the Zhodani invasion?

Scouts: As soon as Archduke Norris has come up with a plan and organized the counterattack. Of course this will take some time.

Turn 1723, refueling complete. A Vargr Corsair (400 ton) appears from behind the gas giant, flying towards us, all guns locked in us.

Llongakol tight-beams to Scouts: We might need some help here...

Scouts tight-beam to Llongakol: If they are alone, they won't have the courage to attack.

In the middle of a sea of noise, we hear a transmission from the Vargrs: zzrrhhccs fgrfgrdhzzcr backup zzrrrpphhggddfff

After some computer-aided analysis, the message becomes more clear: Come here and give us some backup, there is a nice ship to raid here.

The Vargr ship keeps up just behind us (100 km), and the Scouts turn to follow both ships.

The Vargrs fire five laser beams, which all miss us.

Dick fires three missiles. One misses. One hits their wing, which breaks, and starts flooding hydrogen out. One hits their bridge, which then looks like a mess. Their ship still accelerates at 3g, but with no specific direction. Also, they no longer have anything locked on us.

Meanwhile, Jose is flying the fighter, fires some lasers, hits both the leaking hydrogen, and the ship's front. It shatter into a few pieces.

The Scout ship confirms that we were only doing self-defense. They strongly advise us to leave quickly, and we warmly agree.

Before we leave, Captain fires a few lasers into the Vargr ship, destroying it further.

Then we fly for 4 hours from the merry battle ground, towards a better jump position.

Turn 1724, engage jump to Keng.

Turn 1900, exit from jump.