2345. The Starjammer exited jumpspace in the Double system, 799,200 km (2.67 light-seconds) from the mainworld.
2351. Ronald established contact with High Fargo starport, announcing arrival from Solomani space. The starship had returned to Imperial space after 680 days cruising systems in the Solomani Confederation and beyond.
The far side of the Double mainworld. This arid hemisphere is uninhabited except for a handful of small mining settlements.
0014. Juno announced that she had received 17,606 messages for the crew, which she filtered down to 8 xmails.
0154. The Stajammer encountered a 30,000-ton robotic fuel blimp, outbound for the innermost gas giant, Mandan.
0238. The Starjammer reached High Fargo, the orbital component of the Double starport, and was directed to Hangar 18.
0346. An inspection team from the Imperial Starport Authority came aboard, led by Chief Inspector Kaudu Ipda. As a Law Level zero world, Double did not conduct separate planetary customs or immigration inspections. Chief Inspector Ipda reviewed the Starjammer’s registry.
The Imperial team carefully checked the crew manifest to verify the identities of all crew members, who were also subject to a medical exam from an SPA quarantine officer.
Captain Cryo declared the entire ship subject to customs, including the 20-ton ship’s boat salvaged from the wreck of the Speedwell.
The SPA team then began a thorough inspection of the entirety of the Starjammer.
0700. The SPA quarantine officer issued a clean bill of health for the Starjammer and the crew.
1011. Lieutenant Maya Sigrun, a young Imperial Navy officer with the Liaison Office, came aboard. She pored over the ship’s log and interviewed Captain Cryo and XO Wayne. She asked probing questions about starship encounters in Solomani space as well as all interactions with Solomani Confederation officials.
1304. Lieutenant Sigrun debarked the Starjammer.
1323. Chief Inspector Ipda issued a customs clearance, noting that the ship’s boat was subject to a Cr204,660 Imperial tariff, equal to 6% of the estimated salvage value of MCr3.411. Howard paid the tariff from the ship’s account. Howard also paid the initial berthing fees and arranged for refueling and resupply of the ship’s life support systems.
1400. Sonny and Captain Cryo debarked the Starjammer to attend an appointment with Sir Dawid Mofren, the Imperial legate to Double.
1533. Sonny and Captain Cryo returned to the Starjammer.
1700. The crew met in the lounge on A Deck to discuss the contents of Lot 47. Howard explained that the vault contained several million Solomani credits in large denomination notes, which would be fairly easy to convert to Imperial credits.
The stock certificates, also worth millions of credits, were divided into registered and bearer instruments. While the registered certificates were essentially worthless, the bearer certificates could be redeemed for the value of the stock. While a few of the associated companies, such as Austal Asset Management, had been dissolved in the years following the Rim War, other companies were still being actively traded. As an example, Howard noted that the vault contained bearer certificates for over 3,000 shares of the Solomani biofirm ConTech. With ConTech stock trading at over Cr450/share, those certificates alone were worth nearly 1.5 million credits.
The vault also contained millions of credits worth of old insurance policies. Daren noted that most of the companies originally holding the policies had been consolidated or absorbed by the Anise General Insurers corporation following the Rim War. Anise General Insurers had since grown to become one of the largest insurance providers in Magyar sector.
Howard explained that as the Rim War had ended over a hundred years earlier, most beneficiaries were likely deceased, though with anagathics, cryosleep, or cloning some might still be alive. Tracking down the beneficiaries or their descendants would be extremely difficult, particularly since so many records had been destroyed during the War. Brogue suggested that, given the large size of some of the policies, some entrepreneur might be willing to conduct the research necessary to match the old policies up with potential claimants.
Finally, the vault contained dozens of data crystals. Many of these crystals contained only personal ephemera, such as family holograms, old correspondence, outdated financial records, and so on. A handful of crystals were encrypted and appeared to contain highly sensitive information, possibly of a personal nature.
The crew then discussed how to best dispose the proceeds from Lot 47. Various modifications to the Starjammer were proposed and rejected before the crew began to hone in on adding stealth capability to the ship. Richy explained that most stealth tech used synthetic polymers that could be sprayed in a very thin coating to the entire exterior and once cured would permanently bond with the hull. The material absorbed radar and lidar beams and masked heat emissions.
Refitting the ship with the most advanced materials would cost hundreds of millions of credits, making this option really only suitable for military vessels. But Richy noted that a lower tech material, like the Ling-Standard Products CloakTech-X, would cost a tenth of that and still be useful against most ships the Starjammer would be expected to tangle with. After consideration Sonny asked Richy to arrange for refitting the Starjammer with CloakTech-X after the overhaul.
1017. Captain Cryo announced to the crew that he has resigned his position, effective immediately. Cryo explained that, with his Navy pension, he had more than enough income to retire and was ready to do something different.
1232. Richy reported that he had met with the starport’s Ship Services Department to schedule the Starjammer’s annual maintenance overhaul and the installation of an improved stealth coating to the hull. The overhaul was scheduled to begin on 156-1104 and end on 170-1104; installation of the stealth coating would begin on 171-1104 and complete on 183-1104. Application of the stealth material was estimated to cost MCr30.0.
1600. At the end of the afternoon watch, the crew of the Starjammer debarked for The Double Trouble, a starport bar, to fête Cryo’s retirement.
2124. Wayne informed Sonny that he was studying to take the Limited Master’s Exam and would like to be considered for the vacant captain’s chair.
0323. Boone, Ronald, and Brogue, the last crewmembers unaccounted for, returned to the Starjammer.
0700. Howard presented Cryo with his final salary payout as well as six vouchers for High Passage as severance.
1200. Brogue and Sonny headed to Crazy Saiful, Small Craft Dealer, to sell off the Speedwell’s ship’s boat. Saiful proved to be a canny and persuasive negotiator, purchasing the boat for MCr3.4.
1405. Daren reported that he had successfully cracked one of the data crystals, which had used outdated Solomani military encryption. The crystal appeared to contain a paymaster’s list, detailing a series of covert payments to individuals and businesses on Austa (Magyar 2503 C796ABE-B), a former Solomani world captured by the Imperium in the war.
Daren cross-referenced the list against more recent databases and discovered that while some of the recipients had died or emigrated to the Confederation over the last century, many more had stayed behind and their descendants still held prominent positions in Austa society.
Sonny surmised that the list belonged to Solomani Security, the sprawling intelligence arm of the Confederation. The wartime government of Austa had been notorious for its repressive and exploitative treatment of the Vilani majority, and the list probably recorded payments to Solomani informants and collaborators. Brogue suggested that the public release of this list might compromise or embarrass many influential families living on Austa—and that such families might be willing to pay and pay well to keep the list out of public view.
Howard pointed out that SolSec would probably not like to see such a list made public, either.
1426. Daren reported that reading the data crystal appeared to have triggered the transmission of an automated message of some sort. None of the data crystals seemed to be emitting a location beacon.
0700. Howard paid the remaining crew their monthly salary.
0756. Boone, Ronald, and Richy boarded a shuttle bound for the surface of Double, where they planned to take their two week vacation.
0800. Sonny turned the Starjammer over to High Fargo’s Ship Services Department for the annual maintenance overhaul.
0911. Sonny, Daren, Wayne, Howard, and Brogue took rooms at the TAS Hostel on High Fargo. While Wayne planned to spend his vacation studying for the Master’s License exam, Howard intended to study for the medical boards to finally get his doctor’s license.
0900. Howard began the medical board certification examination.
1200. A newly-issued Travellers’ New Service bulletin began to circulate throughout High Fargo starport, reading as follows:
102-year-old Starship Wreck Found in Solomani Space. [Tolson/Clown (Magyar 2106 A432ADH-E) 149-1104.] In 1000, as Admiral Miiri Kemper’s Imperial fleets began to press into Magyar sector, high ranking Solomani Party officials on Austa/Anise (Magyar 2503 C796ABE-B) evacuated their loved ones from the fighting of the Solomani Rim War. The Speedwell, a Type M subsidized liner bound for Tralp/Voyager (Magyar 1913 D968998-8), was hastily loaded with family members and personal effects. But after jumping from Austa the liner was never heard from again and presumed lost.
Recent reports claim that the missing ship may have been discovered in the outer system of Desolation/Eery (Magyar 1506 B401200-E), an obscure system just inside Solomani space. While still unverified, these claims could represent a remarkable find for historians of the Rim War, as well as potential closure for the many living descendants of those passengers who disappeared aboard the Speedwell. The loss of the Speedwell has been the subject of considerable speculation and litigation over the last century …
0800. Wayne began the Limited Master’s License exam.
1640. Wayne completed the Limited Master’s License exam.
1113. Starship Services notified Sonny that the Starjammer’s annual maintenance overhaul was complete, no major problems had been identified, and all components were operating within specifications. The ship was re-certified for safe operation.
1511. The Travellers’ Aid Society contacted Wayne to inform him that he had passed the Limited Master’s Exam, allowing him to serve as the master of a starship of less than 1,000 tons.
2138. Boone contacted Sonny to report that he, Ronald, and Richy were having so much fun that they wanted to extend their vacation another two weeks. Sonny explained that additional shore leave could be granted but that it would be unpaid. Boone asked if he could receive an advance on his pay. The transmission was abruptly terminated.
1147. Sonny reported that Starship Services had begun the application of stealth material to the Starjammer’s hull.
1328. Howard completed the medical board certification examination.
0523. All of High Fargo shuddered from a massive explosion. Sirens and alarms sounded throughout the station as crew from Emergency Services and Starport Security responded.
0531. The TAS Hostel messaged all guests to ask them to remain in their rooms until further notice.
0533. The small military garrison of High Fargo starport was placed on high alert. The garrison, which consisted of a single platoon of 75 Imperial Marines drawn from the 3,411th Line Regiment, was normally assigned to the 131st Subsector Fleet at Seloo (Magyar 2102 A4319BA-E).
0800. Most emergency alerts throughout the starport were canceled. The TAS Hostel notified all guests that they could leave their rooms.
0912. Brogue reported that the explosion had occurred at Crazy Saiful’s, and that Saiful and his entire extended family were believed dead.
1630. The Kobayashi School of Medicine informed Howard that he had successfully passed the boards and was licensed as a ship’s surgeon with the ability to practice medicine, including writing prescriptions, handling most ailments, and dealing with other doctors.
1929. Dr. Howard Barrera celebrated his new medical license by treating himself to dinner at The Vantage, a high-end restaurant offering premium views of the Double mainworld below.
2130. A man approached Howard’s table to congratulate him on passing the boards. He casually placed a hand on Howard’s shoulder. Within a few seconds Howard began to feel dizzy and complained he was having difficulty focusing.
2136. Starport Emergency Services responded to reports of a man collapsing at The Vantage.
2227. Sonny was notified by the management of the TAS Hostel that Howard had been admitted to the Starport Medical Bay.
2250. Sonny, Wayne, Brogue, Daren, and Killzilla, Daren’s security robot, arrived at MedBay. Dr. Arzikar Leu, the attending physician, explained that Howard had been admitted unconscious and in acute respiratory and cardiac distress. While the trauma team had been able to stabilize Howard’s vital signs he was in a coma.
Dr. Leu then began to question the crew about Howard’s drug use. As Double was infamous across the subsector as a destination for drug tourism, Dr. Leu clearly expected to hear that Howard indulged in any number of illicit drugs such as Soma-6, Happinesce, or Glitter.
The doctor’s demeanor changed when Sonny suggested that Howard may have been poisoned, perhaps by the Solomani. Ashen-faced, Dr. Leu quickly punched in revised instructions for Howard’s toxicology panel.
0104. Dr. Leu reported that the tox screen had come back clear for all drugs except alcohol, but noted that Howard’s symptoms were consistent with exposure to Nuroced, a deadly nerve agent favored by the Solomani military and nearly undetectable. While Howard remained unconscious he appeared to be responding positively to aggressive anticholinergic countermeasures, the standard treatment for Nuroced poisoning.
0235. An unassuming man dressed as a surgeon arrived in MedBay and began heading for Howard’s room. Sonny, who realized that this did not represent a shift change, began approaching the newcomer. In response the man drew a gauss pistol and began firing.
MedBay erupted into chaos. Medical personnel ducked for cover and alarms rang as gauss needles, accelerated to hypersonic speeds, zipped overhead. Sonny and Brogue drew their own gauss pistols and returned fire as Wayne racked his shotgun and Daren blasted away with his huge revolver, hitting nothing. Exasperated, Daren threw down his gun and ordered Killzilla to lay down a beat, maximum volume, while he began to freestyle lyrics dissing the would-be assassin.
In the course of the gunfight Wayne was hit and Brogue seriously wounded. Killzilla blasted the assailant with laser fire and in response the man drew a monomolecular sword and attacked the robot, slicing through its armor before being gunned down himself.
0251. An SPA security team arrived on the scene. While Brogue and Wayne received medical treatment, security interviewed Sonny and Daren.
0300. Imperial Marine guards were posted to MedBay.
0900. Assistant Chief of Security, Lan Giero, arrived at the TAS Hostel to conduct follow-up interviews. Giero revealed that the man killed in MedBay had arrived at High Fargo four days earlier on a packet chartered out of Justice (Magyar 2007 C842897-8) and was recorded on a station security feed in the vicinity of Saiful’s shortly before the explosion.
The man’s identity papers were almost certainly faked: he was listed as Ethan Pachis, a native of Plage (Magyar 2008 C432A64-E), a poor and overpopulated Imperial world under military rule. Giero believed he was almost certainly Solomani and likely a SolSec operative.
Giero asked why Pachis would have been interested in the crew of the Starjammer, but neither Sonny nor Wayne had any idea. Giero then revealed that he had only just realized that the Starjammer had recently visited Desolation, and was’t that the Solomani system where the wreck of the Speedwell had just been found?
1746. Howard was released from MedBay. Although he complained about persistent headaches and was still a little shaky on his feet, he was expected to make a full recovery. Sonny paid the entire Cr50,000 medical bill from the ship’s account.
1231. Sonny reported that the LSP CloakTech-X coating had been successfully applied to the Starjammer’s hull and the ship would be released once the bill was settled.
Sonny announced that the ship’s account was nearly drained and that he did not have the funds to cover the stealth refit. Crew members kicked in additional money from their personal savings, but Sonny determined the account was still insufficient. Sonny asked the crew to scour Double for the most lucrative jobs they could find.
0836. Richy, Ronald, and Boone returned from their extended vacation.
1227. Brogue relayed that one of his contacts in the Cargo Department had reported the arrival that morning of a scheduled liner out of Tolson (Magyar 2106 A432ADH-E). Aboard were four women, exactly alike in appearance and dress, who debarked and quickly fanned out across the starport making inquiries about the Starjammer and its crew.
1354. Sonny received a priority message from an unknown sender requesting a meeting at 1900 in the lounge of the TAS Hostel. After a brief discussion Sonny accepted the invitation.
1755. Howard and Brogue arrived early at the TAS lounge in order to case the place. They soon realized they were beaten to the punch by a striking dark-haired woman already sitting at the bar. Dressed in a stylish black business suit, she waved them over and complimented them for their initiative, saying that she herself had only showed up at 1700.
A factory standard Modesti clone. Source: ConTech Labour Solutions Catalog (1100). Image used without permission.
The woman introduced herself as Dee and seemed to know who they were, even referring to Howard as “doctor.” Howard pegged Dee as a Modesti, a tough and streetwise model of clone produced by ConTech and often employed as a bodyguard, courier, or enforcer. The three made small talk for a bit. Dee revealed that she and her three sisters were employed by Anise General Insurers and were interested in the insurance certificates found in Lot 47. Dee reassured Howard and Brogue that her employer had little interest in violence and would much prefer to conduct a quiet business transaction.
1900. Sonny, Daren, and Wayne arrived at the TAS lounge as Killzilla rolled back and forth on patrol just outside. They were soon joined by three more Modesti clones, who introduced themselves as Ay, Bee, and See.
Ay quickly got down to business, noting that while the insurance policy certificates were essentially worthless to the crew of the Starjammer, they held considerable “sentimental” value to Anise General Insurers. She explained that the discovery of the certificates would create undesirable legal and financial uncertainty. Given the extreme age of these documents and the complicated series of post-war transactions, these policies would cost millions of credits in legal fees and take years or even decades to sort out, leaving very little in the way of benefits to any established descendants.
Much better, argued Ay, if these documents simply never were found. Daren asked what Anise General Insurers might be willing to offer in exchange for having this headache disappear. Ay offered Cr500,000 but when Daren sprung up to leave she quickly upped the offer to MCr1.0.
After some additional haggling Daren was able to negotiate MCr3.0 for the policies, though Ay insisted that the entire Starjammer crew would have to sign a non-disclosure agreement covering the policies themselves as well all interactions with Anise General Insurers.
2214. Ay and her sisters observed the crew signing the NDA. Sonny then turned over the insurance certificates. See pulled out a relatively small sheet of plastic material which she unfolded to form a small box. She placed the documents in the box, closed the flat, and pressed a button that incinerated the documents. Bee then gave Sonny a case containing MCr3.0 in large denomination notes.
After the women left Sonny noted that the payment gave the ship’s account just enough money to pay off the stealth work and make payroll.
0700. Howard paid the crew their monthly salaries and paid Starship Services the balance of the stealth work.
0800. Captain Masada announced that the Starjammer would depart Double the following day, and that all crew were to be aboard by 0600.
1059. The Starjammer decoupled from High Fargo and made for the Leriss (Magyar 2208 E9428B8-6) jump point.
1442. The Starjammer jumped out of the Double system.
