"Oh, there is no danger of that."  the scientist says dismissively.  "The closest the moon gets to the giant is one hundred and fifty thousand kilometers.  Well above the atmosphere."   
This message was last edited by the player at 16:08, Sat 25 Nov 2023.

1107.325 0010hrs UST(+8ADC) - Snobol Moon Research Station

While discussions are taking place in the lounge, Tanja guides the ship across the southern pole of the moon. She aligns the ship with the docking entry portal that is a kilometer offset of the moon's magnetic south pole.  The moon rotates around its axis every four minutes and forty five seconds, so she has to work the gravitic arrays to get the ship to move at the same speed and rotation as the portal.  At the correct rotation, the ship glides through the ice portal and a static stasis field.  The moon is so small, that it has nearly negligible gravity at 0.1 gee.  The interior of the cave is lit with industrial lights along the path inward, eventually coming into a large cavern.  The ice walls inside the cave are a deep blue color with the lighting, while outside the moon's surface was more of an orange hue with light reflected from the gas giant.

Ahead a large platform can be seen coming into view.  Beyond it walls and windows.  The platform is a raised structure from the ice with steel beams supporting it.  Inertial dampener modules beneath a grated flooring can be identified as the ship rises on approach of the platform.  So, there will be gravity.  The ship settles onto the platform gently.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:27, Sat 25 Nov 2023.

Settling of the ship against a hard body alerts Karma that the ship has docked.  She brings up a screen and regards the information.  "Normal atmospheric pressure, breathable mixture, and gravity. We will not need the vacc-suits."  she says.  "Iris, Close holo-vid."

The circular opening in the table closes, shutting off the holo-vid screen and Karma stands.

"Well doctor, it appears we have arrived at your destination.  We will contact them and let them know you have arrived.  Expect to be off loaded shortly.  Stand by."  Karma says to the scientist.  She then makes her way to the bridge.  She finds Tanja shutting down the M-drive engines and gravitic arrays, as the ship is sitting on its landing struts.

"Nice docking Ms Skorskald."  she compliments. "Alert them to our arrival."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Sat 25 Nov 2023.

"Aye firmative, Cap." Tanja replies. "There was no Comms from the station on approach, though. It's odd. I'd have thought the station would have sensors and would have directed our approach. But nothing."

She flicks her Comms,

[COMMS Station]"Snobol research station, this is the Empress Katerina. We have docked and powered down. We have a passenger ready to unload. Respond please."

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:36, Mon 27 Nov 2023.

"I don't like it captain. In all of my years in space, no comms from a station has NEVER happened before. Should we ready for a boarding party just in case? Or am I just paranoid? Lock down just in case?"

Lex feels the thud of the ship as it docks.  He listens for comms regarding new priorities from the captain.  None come.  Lex assumes all is nominal and continues his work in and around the maintenance bay.

"Lockdown Captain? Prepare to repel boarders?" Harry is in near panic! A station had never failed to acknowledge arrival before! Ever!

He looks to the captain and prays she understands the gravity of the situation!

"It could just be a downed transmitter," Tanja says calmly to Harry. She'd mocked the new "uniform" Levi had insisted that they wear, but was now thankful that they were all wearing something more protective than just cloth.

"Do think we ready small arms at the least, when we're ready to disembark. Just in case."

"Patience Mr McStubbin." Karma says in response to Harry's outburst.  "Give them time to--"

"Yes, yes, erm, Empress Katarina this is Snobol research station. We see you are docked. Crewman Daqor Klarr is on the way to meet you in the transport lobby. He will be there shortly."

Karma gives Harry a 'see, I told you so' look. She then thinks on Tanja's suggestion.  "That might be prudent Ms Skorskald. Harry and I will escort the passenger into the transport lobby."

She looks over at Harry expectantly. "A laser pistol and a vibroknife should suffice."

As Harry goes to the ship's locker, Karma moves to the reception airlock and opens the doors. The cold air of the ice cave hits her. She crosses her arms reflexively as her body reacts to the cold, straining against the dispersion suit fabric. She grabs her jacket she had brought to the airlock earlier and puts it on.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:12, Mon 27 Nov 2023.

When the greetings from the port comes, Harry visibly relaxes himself, glad that his paranoia had been confirmed as just that. He goes to the locker and retrieves weapons as instructed and gives Karma hers at the airlock when he gets there.

Karma straps the shoulder holster on, then tucks the laser pistol in the strap before closing up the front of her jacket.  She straps the vibroknife and its sheath to her belt.  For some reason, the pistol felt good against her side.

She closes the airlock, then moves back into the lounge, beckoning Harry to follow.

"Well, Dr Marksputin, we are ready.  If you will follow us."  she says, walking into the cargo bay.  She taps the controls to operate the cargo bay door.  A yellow flasher goes off along with a buzzer before it lets her press the green button.  The cargo door ramp lowers and a blast of cool air washes inward.

Karma looks over her shoulder at those still at the passenger lounge table.

"We will be back shortly with a lot of credits."  she says, smiling at the thought.

1107.325 0030hrs UST(+8ADC) - Snobol Moon Research Station

Karma, the scientist, and Harry exit the ship via the cargo ramp. They climb some utility stairs onto a balcony overlooking the landing zone, then follow the wall around to a hatch.  It is open by the time they arrive, with a young crewman bedecked in a utilitarian uniform with a ByChem logo stenciled upon it.  He greets them and beckons them inside.  The space within is much akin to a passenger lobby, complete with loungers, tables with vid screens, and lighting.  A high definition imaging screen on a center island displays the Belnafaer gas giant with the ByChem logo.  It pans through an orbit, passing several moons before zooming in on Snobol station.  A camera follows a path through the stations static stasis field to the landing hangar, through the airlock hatch into the lobby where they are standing.  It then zips into a transport tube and the watcher is taken for a ride through transport tubes, then out onto the tether for a ride until it ends on a platform where a ship, the Moneyspider, is docked.  There is a voice talking about something, but the volume is apparently turned down.

The image on the screen switches, panning on a view of some sort of platform, akin to the hot air balloons of Terran earth antiquities, drifting through turbulent clouds of the gas giant's atmosphere. The bottom left of the screen shows an cut away image showing an internal structure within the balloons.  The platform gets closer and closer to the viewer.  The bottom of it houses a large structure, then a ballooning shape in six huge sections.  It is called Jetsom.  Atop the thing is a tall column with equipment all over it.  The camera circles the apparatus a couple of times.  Two docking ports can be seen about halfway up the balloons, on opposing sides of the structure.  Finally, the camera zooms out of the atmosphere of the gas giant and beginning the whole scene again at Snobol.

The man before them smiles warmly and nods his head at the scientist. Then, before anyone can talk says,  "Dr. Marksputin, the captain will be so glad to see you have made it.  I have read many of your works." he says with some pride.  He cocks his head and touches an ear bud, obviously listening to something or someone before addressing the other two.

"Please, the captain wishes you all to come aboard and have dinner with him." the crewman expresses to Karma and Harry. "As an expression of his gratitude for your expedient and safe transit with the scientist.  He will also have your payment in full.  Please inform your captain of his offer and we will await your decision."
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:31, Mon 27 Nov 2023.

Karma smiles at the man. "Why don't I inform my crew now."  she says demurely and with a gratifying smirk at his wince.  Why do most species believe it is the man's position to be captain?  He must have Aslan blood in him.

Karma touches her own ear bud as the man nods at her meekly.  He and the scientist make their way to the transport tube.  The two enter, the doors close and with a swooshing noise are gone.

[COMMS / Bridge]
"Ms Skorskald, please inform the crew they are welcome to join us here.  The captain of the Moneyspider has invited us for dinner.  I will await those who wish to join us here in the lobby and then we will make out way to the ship."

[COMMS SHIPWIDE, Internal] "Attention, ladies and gentlemen, this is your temporary captain speaking. We have touched down and are secure, the real captain has made contact with the locals and has passed our scientist passenger over to them, so you can all breathe a sigh of relief at successfully delivering, and not killing, a paying passenger despite everything that was stacked against us.

We've also been invited to dinner with the head honcho as their guests, so wrap up warm if you've leaving the 'Rina as the temperature is a little on the chilly side, and nothing larger than a discrete personal sidearm.

And definitely nothing that can be thrown and goes boom. Yes, I mean YOU. Just don't even think about it. And not those either.

Thank you for flying 'Rina Spaceways, and on behalf of me and the flight crew I hope you'll fly with us again soon."

Tanja grinned at her sudden outpouring of insane waffle over the Comms.

Phillip rolled his eyes at Tanja playing on the comms, in turn he contacted Levi. [comms-Levi] "Levi, this is Phillip, you want to attend the party? I can stay and take care of the Empress if you want? Or vice-versa, I can represent Engineering and you can stay. Someone should watch our baby and keep it locked up and secure while here."

He kept an eye on all of the gauges and readouts for the engines as he waited on Levi's response.

Zbigniew decided to take this time to review the rest of the medical records of the crew and finalize his report on the incident in the Missile bay.

Levi was already heading to the engineering deck when Phillip's message came over the Comms. He paused, was about to answer, then continued, arriving a couple of minutes later.

"Leave the powerplant idling, and don't power down fully," Levi says as soon as he enters the bay. "I want us to be able to dust off at a moment's notice if necessary. There's something about this place I don't like.

If you want to dress up and head out go for it. I have a lot to do here, and will secure ship access once everyone is off or staying. Someone's got to keep working on the Katerina while we're on level ground "

He didn't want to admit that he didn't feel ready to socialise with anybody new, especially formally, right now.

"I'll keep working too then, I'm not liking it here a bit either. It might be fine, but it gives me the creeps after what just happened to us." Phillip replies.

"There's loads for us to do too. The help would be appreciated," Levi replies. "I'd like to make use of whatever grounded time we've that makes access to the outer hull easier.

Do you think they do take-away??"

Well, he thought it was funny.

Lex hears the invitation but is conflicted.  He likes social events but knows the ships is still not fully repaired.  They chose not to stay at the space station to repair the ship but to repair while continuing the mission.  This stop is very valuable in making real gains in repair and reconfiguring the missile bay area.

Levi and Phillip are in the area working.  Lex walks over to them and asks "You guys going to this social event?  I'm considering staying here.  There's a lot of work remaining and a lot of work can be accomplished if we take advantage of this layover."

"I'm not the kind to pass pleasantries at a party with strangers. It leads to pain and embarrassment." Levi responds. "I'm staying here. To keep an eye on the ship and continue working on her.

He.nofs towards Phillip. "I think Phillip has decided to stay as well, but it is your choice if you want to attend or not.

There's no rush. You can stay here and attend late, if that's your wish."

Dawn wears the dispersion suit beneath a tight fitting black jump suit and the jacket. She conceals a laser pistol in a shoulder holster and conceals a stealth knife in her back.  She greets Tanja at the crew lounge. "Looks like it's just you and me, fly girl.  You packing?" she asks.

Billianah accesses the database to check for any commercially viable sources which may be  available from the current location.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:11, Fri 01 Dec 2023.

Tanja looks at the "uniform" they are wearing and groans. She knows the reasons for the protective clothing, and is even thankful for them considering the potential for explosive decompression.

But damn they were plain.

"I'll need to grab my leather jacket or something from my room. Something to go over our spacer wear. When we get time I'm thinking of adapting the suit to make it less... Drab.

You'll be carrying?? I'll leave my gun behind if that's the case. No sense in us all turning up armed to the teeth."

In reply to Levi Stensgaard (msg # 46):
Lex placing ship readiness over the social event decides to stay onboard to continue his work. "If you guys need an extra hand in this area, let me know.  Else I'll continue working on the maintenance bay area."

[Comms/ Tanja] "I'll remain onboard continuing the work on maintenance and missile bays."