??/??/2013 - Tel Bollin (4)
Refuel and Run
In the morning Grant has a massive hang over but does a thorough job of registering their salvage claim. Ben asks Lockerbie about the salvage, no news but he points out they want the ship for prosecution of the pirates, so they won’t get the ship right away. He now realises that was why they sent fighters, it was never to help their salvage claim. It could be months or years before they get the salvage. Given this, the crew decide to leave the Resolute and go to refuel at the gas giant, then come back and run the blockade.
At Ghatsokie’s gas giant, Ghatsokie-5, the big giant turns out to be too volatile and Sloane heads for the next one, Ghatsokie-6, which he manages to scoop fuel for their journey back to Gauda Prime. Sloane does some computer calculation of the predicted location of the Resolute and what angle to return to Endregaad on. The ship’s transponder is disabled. They calculate their journey, thrust hard then silent run towards Endregaad.
They approach as close as they can but are detected and warned away by the Resolute. Sensors show no ships in their local area right now, so they ignore the warning, turn the engine thrust to maximum and rush towards planet fall. Sloan shows off his piloting skills, getting the Red Queen into the atmosphere ahead of any Pursuit Ships. They find a mountain range to hide in, not far from Tel Bollin, and the searching fighters do not find them.
Hiding on Endregaad
Ben tells them naval tactics would suggest wait at least 24 hours for the search to finish. They go outside, where they need oxygen top-ups as the air is a little thin. They see the stone in the mountains are beautiful. They load ATV up with supplies, food and water. Cyrus points out they only have four seats - when they get Mika he will have to use the boot.
They have 20 doses of medical spice each, and Cyrus has the other 140 doses. They take their first dose. Cyrus has an allergic reaction to the medical spice and has to take anti-allergic medication to off-set the effect. He only has 6 full doses of anti-allergic medication. He decides to ration it and take a half measure each day.
So ends their second day in the Ghatsokie system, first day on Endregaad.
In the morning, they take off and head closer to the Capital, Tel Bollin. A piloting error exposes the ship to scanning beams briefly, but the Resolute does not respond. They put down near Tel Bollin, board the ATV and set off for the city, taking their second dose of medical spice.
Tel Bollin
As they approach the capital city, they see there is a dusty haze over the city. It smells of burnt flesh. They pass through the mostly derelict outer-city with the odd survivor moving around. When they reach the central Town Hall then ask for directions to the Skydove Freight offices. A shaking, drugged up local points them to the big building.
They reach the Skydove Offices and see the door is open and the windows smashed. They enter and see the place has been ransacked. They go through the building, looking for any clues as to the location of Mika Hunt. On the top level they find “FALLEN WARRIOR” written on the wall in paint. They also find paperwork details of the Geode Mining Syndicate as well as a basic paper map of Tel Bollin.
The Mining Syndicate
They head for the Mining Syndicate. The guy behind the barred door, an infected miner, asks for medical spice in return for help. He tells them Mika Hunt is at the Skydove Freight offices - which Grant says they have been to. He says an employee of Hunt’s came here looking for him, and said he would leave his location at the Skydove offices. Finally, he says for them to tell Mika Hunt the Geodes for credits offer is still on.
They realise the Fallen Warrior is a bar which is on their map. They head towards it, passing the relief effort at the sports centre and see Merlin as part of the staff. They discuss whether to talk to him but decide against it.
As they move towards the poorer sector of town where the Fallen Warrior is, they are passed by a hover-bike gang. One of the bikers throws a bottle at their car, smashing on the window. Sloane, driving, is forced to swerve and catches the bike, causing it to crash. Sloane quickly drive away as the bikers open fire, smashing the ATV’s back window.
The bikers give chase but Sloane manages to lose them. However, they are utterly lost in the poor sector of Tel Bollin. They ask directions from a prostitute, but when her pimp wants 100 credits, they drive off. When they eventually get to the Fallen Warrior, they see a familiar looking set of hover bikes parked outside.
The Fallen Warrior
They park the ATV round the corner, arm up and enter. The place is smoky, dark and smelly. The bike gang are sat in the middle of the room. The party get drinks and retire to the corner, the bar woman telling Cyrus he must have a drink or leave and advising them to avoid the gang. Ben sees a guy in the corner wearing a Skydove Freight coat.
Ben goes to the toilet, intending to talk to this man on the way back. As Ben leaves the horrible toilet, a biker bumps into him and despite Ben’s apologies, starts a fight, going into a rage. A fire fight ensues, with the party hurt by shotgun fire but the biker gang are mainly killed. The barwomen joined in towards the end, shooting the head off one of the bikers with her shotgun.
They make peace with the bar woman, offering her the money and kit remaining of the bikers and moving their bodies out. Sloane checks all the bikers are dead and kills those that are still alive.
Ben gives the guy with the Skydove Freight jacket a drink and talks to him. His name is Nikto and he works for Mika Hunt. He was asked to organise supplies and head out to meet Mika at Temple Valley, where Mika had gone to investigate the cause of the plague outbreak. Sadly he caught the plague and the supplies were robbed from Skydove Freight, so he is stuck here. Sloane notices on the bikers there are drug capsules that smells just like the drugs he smashed that belonged to Merlin.
Ben offers to give him some medical spice and transport him to Temple Valley. Nikto agrees enthusiastically. Cyrus uses medic packs on himself and Sloane.