Heroica: Glory Amongst the Stars - Mission #7: My Bleeding Hart

[The Legonater]

9 hours ago, KotZ said:

"Hmm, alright then." Varen said as the authorities came in. Clearly didn't have much time. "You sure you didn't heart anything? Would some credits jog your memory?" He asks using Persuasion atteempt. "Either way, I'll let you know what I find in the end."

Varen Persuasion Attempt DC 3 - 1, 3, 3, 4, 1 (One success)

Varen's sweet-talking falls on its face, as the woman recoils. 

Simon was a friend, I'm not about to bribed over his memory. I've told you want I can, if you find him, I would appreciate it. Until then, someone needs to talk to his family.

12 hours ago, Kintobor said:

"What is the likelihood the pilot made that journey and not go around the area?" Zaria asks Jace, but she figured someone else might've overheard something to corroborate, or even make her information irrelevant.

I suppose if they had reason enough to be hurried that might be a risk they would take... it's definitely a start, if nothing else.

3 hours ago, Zepher said:

"Thank you, Kirwin. That was a smart decision. As for what I learned, very little, sadly. The Starblazers admitted to roughing up some of Hart's people, but that appears to have been when the ship was in port - not when our missing associates arrived. They also said their leader Viper was taken by the ship in retaliation. I don't know how trustworthy they were, but as I said to Alexa, I don't think they would have any reason to intentionally lie about Viper's status as missing. I don't know if they'd be forthright in their dealings with crews looking for the ship, however. They appeared initially hostile to me. They did mention our ship left quite quickly. That is all I learned."

So Valencia was in a rush? Antagonized by the local gangs? Interesting...

[karmajay]

"The ship may have left quickly but it was actually in port longer then necessary for some reason. The chief mechanic was very upset over the stay and it was not any type of mechanical issue either" Kirwin says. "There was also an altercation between them and the Starblazers before they left that was witnessed by the engineers." 

 

 

 

[Zepher]

“It seems a delay here would mean they’d be tempted to cut through a dangerous shortcut to stay on schedule. It doesn’t, however, answer what happened to the other two teams. Should we poke around here some more for them, or attempt to follow the ship? What is the priority?”

[KotZ]

"Well, I tried," Varen replies to the woman. He then returns to the group.

"Alright, I got some clues. Simon the head pilot got in an argument with Illbery, the captain. Not sure what, but it seemed like over something dangerous and risks to get going from the top. Simon wasn't too keen on Ilbery's directions apparently." Varen pauses. "Wait, I came in and stated everything you guys know."

[Kintobor]

“I do not believe anyone here stated that there was a disagreement with the crew.” Zaria responds to Varen. She ponders on the information provided, placing her hands on her hips as she thinks. “So, there were a number of incidents at this station prior to the freighter leaving port by the look of things. The ship staying longer than anticipated, a fight breaking out between the crew and the Starbkazers, a dispute between the captain and the pilot… I think Illbery decided to go through the Forbidden Sector as a means of making up for lost time.” Zaria looks to the rest of the team, looking for others opinion on the matter.

[karmajay]

34 minutes ago, Kintobor said:

“I do not believe anyone here stated that there was a disagreement with the crew.” Zaria responds to Varen. She ponders on the information provided, placing her hands on her hips as she thinks. “So, there were a number of incidents at this station prior to the freighter leaving port by the look of things. The ship staying longer than anticipated, a fight breaking out between the crew and the Starbkazers, a dispute between the captain and the pilot… I think Illbery decided to go through the Forbidden Sector as a means of making up for lost time.” Zaria looks to the rest of the team, looking for others opinion on the matter.

Kirwin says "That seems like a good read from the info we gathered. I wonder if there is any other info we can collect from the port that could verify it." Kirwin looks at Alexa, "Is a Hart ship required to detail any flight path in between stations or via contact at a port?"

Kirwin looks at Jace, "Do we need to know the reason they stayed longer then intended at the port? Or do you feel you'll get your answer once we find the ship?"

 

[The Legonater]

55 minutes ago, karmajay said:

Kirwin says "That seems like a good read from the info we gathered. I wonder if there is any other info we can collect from the port that could verify it." Kirwin looks at Alexa, "Is a Hart ship required to detail any flight path in between stations or via contact at a port?"

Kirwin looks at Jace, "Do we need to know the reason they stayed longer then intended at the port? Or do you feel you'll get your answer once we find the ship?"

Well, pilots are supposed to log their ship hours and such, but that stuff usually doesn't get submitted until the delivery is finalized.

If we have a direction, I say we go for it. I'm sure the bookkeepers will forgive us if we don't wind up learning their exact motivations - and if all goes well, hopefully the crew can tell us themselves.

[Zepher]

“I agree. I don’t like not knowing what happened to the teams you sent before, but hopefully chasing one mystery will lead to the resolution of both.”

[karmajay]

8 hours ago, Zepher said:

“I agree. I don’t like not knowing what happened to the teams you sent before, but hopefully chasing one mystery will lead to the resolution of both.”

"Hmm...although why would those teams have gone missing if the case is just that a delay caused the freighter to leave late and take a riskier path? That makes the circumstances seem a bit more...shadowy?"

[Kintobor]

"Shadowy or not, we seemingly have a destination to head to, and one fraught with peril and danger no less!" Zaria smiled. She had decided the feeling settling into her was adrenaline and the thrill of the unknown and not the potential for being ejected into the void of space. "If our journey takes us into this Forbidden Sector than Varuth will guide us through it safely."

[Zepher]

"I am not certain the Starblazers were entirely forthright. If their Viper was taken, they may have retaliated. But that is conjecture, not observation, not fact. If they have indeed been hostile towards the previous parties, I can only hope that returning Viper to them may put them in our debt, and they may help us uncover the truth. I apologize if I was not as aggressive as you'd like, Alexa. But I didn't see any reason to fight them in the moment, especially as we don't know for a fact that they've hurt our friends, and that fighting them didn't seem likely to reveal if they had or hadn't. If things had gone poorly, I assure you, I was ready to defend myself and you. As were the others. I will say again, Kirwin, and Zaria too, thank you for being prepared to come to my defense."

[The Legonater]

Sensing a consensus, Jace begins leading the group out from the diner and back to Actaeon. The half-dilapidated walls of Port Charon put the crew slightly out of ease, as they consider the dangers that lay before them.

4 hours ago, Kintobor said:

"Shadowy or not, we seemingly have a destination to head to, and one fraught with peril and danger no less!" Zaria smiled. She had decided the feeling settling into her was adrenaline and the thrill of the unknown and not the potential for being ejected into the void of space. "If our journey takes us into this Forbidden Sector than Varuth will guide us through it safely."

That's the spirit. Keep vigilant with those prayers, I can't imagine this trek is going to be kind to us.

2 hours ago, Zepher said:

"I apologize if I was not as aggressive as you'd like, Alexa. But I didn't see any reason to fight them in the moment, especially as we don't know for a fact that they've hurt our friends, and that fighting them didn't seem likely to reveal if they had or hadn't. If things had gone poorly, I assure you, I was ready to defend myself and you. As were the others."

Alexa rubs at her neck with her cybernetic arm, working out knots of stress.

Hate to say it, but I think you're right. I'm impressed you were able to talk your way out of that one, most Starblazers I've ran across don't much care about niceties. It is more fun that way, but admittedly a little less productive. 

[Kintobor]

Zaria nods to Merei. "Of course. I would expect the rest of you to come to my defence if need be, but I also have a power khopesh. I am obliged to put myself between most of this group and the enemy as a shield wall, so to speak."

7 hours ago, The Legonater said:

 

That's the spirit. Keep vigilant with those prayers, I can't imagine this trek is going to be kind to us.

"It may not be kind, but for myself at least I enjoy the challenge." Zaria replies, smiling earnestly at Jace. "There are a lot of places that are hard to reach and difficult to travel to, but sometimes we need to overcome these obstacles in order to reach our destination." Zaria was ready. This was a challenge she'd face head on.

[The Legonater]

18 hours ago, Kintobor said:

"It may not be kind, but for myself at least I enjoy the challenge." Zaria replies, smiling earnestly at Jace. "There are a lot of places that are hard to reach and difficult to travel to, but sometimes we need to overcome these obstacles in order to reach our destination." Zaria was ready. This was a challenge she'd face head on.

Speaking of, let's head off.

The group piles back into Actaeon and prepares to lift off. Alexa, as they have seen her do before. Closes her eyes and dips her head towards the console before starting the engine and peeling away from Port Charon. Once they are on their way, Alexa straightens up and turns back to the party.

Well done back there folks. Feels like we have a clean shot to Valencia. Well, asides from the gravity storm and all, but it'll be a minute before we hit that. Anyone have any fun stories for the road?

[KotZ]

11 hours ago, The Legonater said:

 

Well done back there folks. Feels like we have a clean shot to Valencia. Well, asides from the gravity storm and all, but it'll be a minute before we hit that. Anyone have any fun stories for the road?

"I met this guy once. Totally drugged out of his mind. Was telling crazy stories about some massive battle for the end of the world. There was a dragon. Oh yeah I had to defend him in court. That was fun."

[Zepher]

"Hm. No stories as exciting as that, Varen. My only good story has already been told. While traveling the region before joining with Heroica I was primarily conducting research, which is interesting to me but probably isn't particularly interesting to be told about. I went to this library, I went to that library, etcetera." 

[Kintobor]

Zaria crossed her arms as she listened to the poor excuses for stories being told. As much as Zaria wanted to lament, she understood that the group around her was seemingly young, none of them over a century old. She sighed.

"Where I am from oratory storytellers are prized for their ability to craft a story. To spin tapestries from mere words is their passion as much as their occupation: you do not make a living travelling and telling stories because you wish to become rich. I travelled with a few looking for companionship on the dangerous roads, and often times I was an audience for them to practice on. Most of these stories have no known author, as they are collected in the minds of the orators and shared among them freely. Some of them are tales of tricksters outwitting demons, other times they are accounts of great battles and the heroes who fought them. However, some nights orators arrive and tell stories of chilling suspense, a reminder that their is no cheating death. This is one of the more popular ones in that vein.

Many, many moons ago, a rich merchant in Rovodan sent her servant to the marketplace to purchase food for a banquet. The merchant waited, and waited, until finally at dusk the servant returned pale faced, sweat pooling under their brow. When the merchant asked her servant what had caused them to take so long, the servant replied in a trembling voice "my lady, you must forgive me, but as I made my way through the market I was jostled by a woman in the crowd, and when I turned and looked I saw that it was Death that had jostled me, and she looked at me and made a threatening gesture. Oh, my lady, you must let me take your steed and leave this city so I may escape my fate! I will ride to Scarjavul. Death will not find me there." Zaria tries to add some inflection to the voice of the servant, a tremble to her voice, but she is no actor despite her best efforts. "So, the merchant lent the servant her steed, who dug their heels into the spurs, and rode into the night towards Scarjavul. The merchant, still in need of food, went to the market herself, and there in the crowd, stood Death. The merchant approached Death cautiously, and asked her "Why did you make a threatening gesture towards my servant when you saw them today?", to which Death replied "I made no threatening gesture, I was taken aback by surprise. I was surprised to see your servant here in Rovodan... for I have an appointment with them tonight in Scarjavul."

Zaria straightens her posture, realizing she had begun to slouch. "Sorry if that was a little too scary. I know things are tense, but it is a story I am fond of. None of know when our appointment with Death is, all we can do is make choices to stave it off as long as possible."

[Zepher]

As Zaria tells her story, Merei takes notes on it.

[karmajay]

Kirwin looks at Zaria in awe and whispers under their breath "Good story!"

When there is a lull in the story telling, Kirwin steps up and starts speaking. "I lived on a space station. By myself. For a long time." They glance around before continuing. "It wasn't too bad being alone for so long. There were a lot of things to watch and listen to. Hundreds of tech manuals also. I loved to read those things. They were helpful as well! One time, just as I was watching the final battle of the last episode of Space Miners Supreme for the 167th time, the emergency lights started blaring. As I raced to the nearest computer terminal the gravity on the station went haywire! Luckily I had a bag of snacks in my hand and I was able to throw them in the right direction so I was pushed toward the terminal." Kirwin pantomimes throwing small items as they circle around the team. "The terminal told me that a micro meteorite had somehow pierced the station walls and damaged the ships power core! As soon as I read that a timer popped on the screen and a countdown began. Loud horn noises blasted my eardrums!" Kirwin looked over at Merei. "That station was always doing weird stuff like that. Throwing up countdowns when emergencies occurred. Using the loudest announcement volume when pointing me in the direction of a pest infestation. Things like that. I think the station thought it was being funny but I guess it did help me learn more about how to repair things in a quick manner." Kirwin looked back at the group. "Where was I? Oh yeah the core. Anyway, let's just say I never scoffed at a movie where the hero fixed a problem with a countdown that shows one second left ever again!" 

Kirwin smiles at the group. They look at Alexa. "That reminds me is there any tech manuals on this ship I can read during the trip? Thanks!"

 

[Zepher]

Merei also takes notes during Kirwin’s story. “Both good tales. One of the wisdom of many, one personal. I am glad you can view that as a learning experience, Kirwin. It is a positive light you shine. I appreciate it. Do you know how you came to be alone on that space station?”

[karmajay]

23 minutes ago, Zepher said:

Merei also takes notes during Kirwin’s story. “Both good tales. One of the wisdom of many, one personal. I am glad you can view that as a learning experience, Kirwin. It is a positive light you shine. I appreciate it. Do you know how you came to be alone on that space station?”

Kirwin looks at Merei. "Actually I don't. Waking up on the station is my 1st memory." Kirwin looks thoughtful. "The first one I can recall anyway. But I was definitely alone on there. Except for those pest infestations I spoke of. Also, sometimes non-sentient creatures some how got aboard and I'd have to find them and trap them so they would not eat me in my sleep!"

[Kintobor]

Zaria felt a sense of unease at Kirwin's story. The thought of being stuck on a space station by herself for who knows how long sent goosebumps up her arms. To look out onto the vastness of the galaxy and see the stars and planets across the void of space and not be able to reach them felt like damnation more than anything else. She moved her thoughts away from Kirwin's story and towards positive emotions.

"Well, Kirwin, I am glad you are among good company now, and not trapped on a space station by yourself." She smiled at him, giving him a thumbs up.

[The Legonater]

12 hours ago, Kintobor said:

Zaria straightens her posture, realizing she had begun to slouch. "Sorry if that was a little too scary. I know things are tense, but it is a story I am fond of. None of know when our appointment with Death is, all we can do is make choices to stave it off as long as possible."

Alexa shrugs from the cockpit.

I like a good spooky story, personally. Helps keep my mind off of whatever spookiness is in the present.

15 hours ago, KotZ said:

"I met this guy once. Totally drugged out of his mind. Was telling crazy stories about some massive battle for the end of the world. There was a dragon. Oh yeah I had to defend him in court. That was fun."

I need to hear about this dragon when you have the time.

9 hours ago, karmajay said:

Kirwin looks at Merei. "Actually I don't. Waking up on the station is my 1st memory." Kirwin looks thoughtful. "The first one I can recall anyway. But I was definitely alone on there. Except for those pest infestations I spoke of. Also, sometimes non-sentient creatures some how got aboard and I'd have to find them and trap them so they would not eat me in my sleep!"

You trapped them? By yourself?

Almost takes me back to when we met, Jace. 

Alexa chuckles a little in memory.

[Zepher]

“If you have a story, Jace, Alexa, please share.”

[The Legonater]

6 hours ago, Zepher said:

“If you have a story, Jace, Alexa, please share.”

It's nothing-

Nah, it's a good one! I was working a security detail at the Ace of Hearts, Derrick had our crew squatting hangars, keeping an eye out for something, can't quite remember what. Next thing you know the gaudy private freighter touches down and Jace here steps out with a grew of crewmates. They were shipping in some kind of menagerie, a whole-megablocks zoo of animals. One thing led to another and Jace broke 'em all out!

It was an accident!

It was a mess is what it was. Took all the manpower we had to wrangle them back up. But that wasn't even the worst part.

Then we had to talk down Derrick. He's not known as the Butcher of Alvertast for his easy-going nature.

I knew Derrick, but I'm not the people-person Jace is. Besides, it was me he was really pissed at. So I had to work my magic to feed info to Jace so that he could sweet-talk Derrick down from firing the lot of us. We've worked together ever since. 

Who could have saw that coming?

It's at that moment that the shuttle Actaeon begins to quake beneath the heroes' feet. The shaking grows in intensity, rattling the hull, and when everyone looks up they notice a deep red hue filling the space.

I think we're here. Kirwin, still want that manual? We may wind up needing some repairs after all this is over...