"That's...[I]REALLY[/I] old." said Taylor, a hint of laughter in her voice. Ancient! "...well, like I said, you'll eventually get it."
"Eventually... so," Amelia claps her hands together, "What's the sack, jack? We're headed for some salvage, right? I heard the announcement, but the rest I was too busy playing this dumb game..." she twirls her hair.
"Yeah, we're gonna stop by the Albitsky belt and try to salvage some uranium and such from some old human stuff floating around there." said Taylor, summing it up. "By the way, you got paid so you might want to check your account." she added.
János, hearing Bucky's message, took a moment to think over the question. After realizing there shouldn't be anything that would lead to someone going to the Brig, he replied.
"Sure!" the message said.
[QUOTE=Damian0358;49870113]János, hearing Bucky's message, took a moment to think over the question. After realizing there shouldn't be anything that would lead to someone going to the Brig, he replied.
"Sure!" the message said.[/QUOTE]
"Awesome! Come on down to the main hold and I'll teach you how to tear a ship apart and how to fly a rocket skiff."
Bucky sets aside some tools and a skiff to teach John with while she waits for his reply or appearance. After a few minutes she sends out another message to the rest of the crew, perplexed by the lack of volunteers.
The message reads: "Chief Engineer Bucky here. I need volunteers to help salvage when we arrive at the belt. Service guarantees a round of drinks on me!"
Taylor motioned over her shoulder, standing in the doorway of Amelia's room as she looked at Amelia herself. "Bucky needs volunteers. Up for breaking things or flying a skiff?" she asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly.
János did as he was told and went down to the man hold.
Amelia looked at Taylor, then back to her console which showed, "lol game over loser" she smiled then looked back at Taylor, "I think I'm done breaking things. I'll join you!" she gets up and puts on her green sweater. "Oh yeah hold on a sec."
After fitting it nicely she opens her account on her laptop. "Oooo 5 million credits~" she thinks to herself. She smiles with glee, then gets up and takes a deep breath.
"Lead the way, Taylor! Let's take get some salvage!" she smiles again, her hair is all nice and neat all the sudden and her eyes are fully awake.
Taylor nods, and they head down to the engine room to see Bucky.
The warp from Gorgon to the Albitsky Belt didn't take long. The craft dropped out of warp, revealing a massive array of glittering rocks and debris in orbit around a dull, red dwarf star. In the past, these asteroids were drilled for their mineral content, but due to the large amount of ice crystals floating in deadly clouds throughout the belt, and the presence of more profitable mining opportunities elsewhere, the human explorers abandoned their attempt to colonize the belt and moved on. They left behind loads of old mining ships, scrap materials and installations, and would later use the area as a dumping ground for hazardous materials. Today, it's a largely-forgotten memory outside of salvaging circles.
Vakarus felt something of an eerie presence among those drifting rocks. It was different from the sense of haunted-ness that other members of the crew felt. This was something more real. He used his psionic powers, amplified by the antennae of the Muramasa, to search the belt for something.
CH Estimate:
1/25
[B]Actual: 11[/B]
Roll Failed.
There was almost no use. There was so much noise among the debris that even a computer would have difficulty keeping track of it all, let alone to try to pinpoint a superstitious feeling. Rask, also uneasy, monitored the local warp field for any changes. The ship's computers all seemed to be in agreement: the crew was totally alone. Everything was very quiet aboard the bridge, until Yanim turned on the comm.
"We've reached the belt," Yanim said. "Everyone who's going to salvage, go ahead and get a suit. Bucky is in charge of the away team, but I'll be coming along." She looked to Rask, informing him that he'd be left with the bridge. Rask shrugged.
Bucky gives her team a quick rundown of what to look for, what to leave, and how to not get killed by flying space junk. Once the artificial gravity is off, and the atmosphere pulled out of the bay, she sets out with everybody.
Bucky herself doesn't wear much in the way of a suit. Just a jumpsuit and jacket with gloves. She wears a helmet which seals at the neck. On her back she straps on an EVA thruster pack. She seems to be taking full advantage of the fact that she doesn't require oxygen or atmosphere to survive. The lack of bulky spacesuit means she has greater freedom of movement and dexterity.
"Alright, Taylor and Ameria on Skiff 1 head to your first designated hulk. John on Skiff 2, head to the nearest wreck to the Muramasa. I'll be taking Skiff 3 with Yanim to the bulk freighter about 5 kilometers out. Keep on comms and report every 5 minutes. Good luck scavenging, everyone." She says as the teams glide out of the bay doors toward their respective flying scrap piles.
Taylor gives her an 'OK' hand gesture, then turns to Amelia in the pilot's seat. "Take it slow, now...don't want both of us to be smeared all over the side of one of these rocks or hunks of scrap. Lets try that thing there." she says, before pointing at a hunk of junk nearby covered in bits of ice and rock.
"Yes, ma'am!" Amelia salutes, then attempts to glide the ship to where Taylor was poining while she whistles.
((It's time for me to sleep. You can use Amelia as an NPC if you want. Goodnight!))
And yet, something truly eerie is indeed inside the cluster of asteroids, within the field of debris.
A starfighter from older times, surrounded in frost and perfectly preserved against decay, drifts all alone in the void between worlds.
This ancient relic is within distance of the Muramasa. Who knows what the crew is able to salvage from it?
((Here we go.))
Taylor and Amelia's skiff slowly drifted out to the hunk of junk, and they began the process of stripping it down and looking for valuable materials. Anything that could be used or sold off for scrap. The mass of metal itself looked like a small craft. Probably a shuttle, since Taylor didn't see any weaponry on it.
[Roll for if anything is salvaged]
She glanced over and spotted another small craft floating nearby. About forty meters from them. It looked like some sort of fighter from what she could see. "Amelia, we'll check that one next." she said, pointing to it. "Got it!" Amelia responded cheerfully.
Bucky performs a deceleration burn and ends up just a few meters away from the hull of the bulk freighter wreck. She takes a moment to assess the hull, and then gets cracking on finding some salvage, and a way to get in.
[roll for salvage and finding and entrance into the wreck]
Taylor:
CH Estimate: 4/5
[B]Actual: 2[/B]
Roll Passed.
The shuttle was made mostly of high-quality aluminum, and its underside was coated in a truly outdated silica tiling heat shield, most of which had been destroyed over years of asteroid hits. Inside however, the craft was still highly intact, and a cursory glance revealed that it was insulated with decent-quality aerogel, which was still highly useful for the creation of space suits. Using hand tools, Taylor and Amelia easily stripped a 12 kilogram plate of aluminum from its upper hull, and removed several more kilos of the insulation underneath. Unfortunately, the craft did not contain a reactor, and instead operated purely on traditional fuels.
Strapping them onto the skiff, they proceeded to the next mass, a well-preserved fighter craft from an unknown war. Despite its age, it was an unusually-advanced design. It didn't appear human in make, either, further increasing the mystery of its origin. More than anything else, however, the two salvagers were drawn immediately to the rear engines. They were atypical for a starfighter, containing not just components for spaceflight and atmospheric performance, but also something else... something that might be a warpdrive. This implied that the craft was capable of generating massive amounts of energy on its own, possible only if there was some kind of compact reactor within.
Boss had told them to keep a look out for uranium, and this seemed like a possible hidden gem.
Meanwhile, Bucky and Yanim arrived at the cargo ship and immediately sized up the exterior hull. While Bucky searched for a possible entrance, Yanim carefully scaled the side of the craft to its rear quarters, presumably where the engine would be found.
Bucky:
CH Estimate: 5/7
[B]Actual: 2[/B]
Roll Failed.
Finding a hatch on the exterior of the craft, Bucky tethered herself to the skiff and proceeded to cut away at the latches which held the hatch closed. Halfway through, she suddenly noticed a wispy aura around the edges of the door- air escaping into the vacuum. Whatever the condition of the craft's interior, this airlock was apparently still pressurized! With only a moment to spare, she kicked herself out of the way as the hatch was silently blown off the craft and into space at high speed. Still, this cleared the way for entry at least. Or so she thought; peering into the decrepit airlock revealed that a safety mechanism had engaged long ago, forming an even stronger barrier against entry.
Yanim, unaware of the near miss elsewhere, began to cut away at the sheet metal over the engine compartment, using electric power to heat the blade on her tail.
CH Estimate: 5/7
[B]Actual: 6[/B]
Roll Passed.
Under the panel was a rat's nest of old electrical wiring. Pushing it out of the way, Yanim pressed her palm against the interior insulation and found that it was thin, and flexed slightly under pressure. Gripping the craft tightly, she swung at it with a power socket wrench and busted it out, revealing a dark chasm into what was probably the reactor core. Turning on a Geiger counter, she estimated that the amount of radiation was fairly safe before plunging feet-first into the hole.
After about hour or so in meditation, laying in deep thought within the holds of the air-lock, slowly floating in the weightless compartment.
It's mind was focused on it's new boss, idealistic and cold. Common for most of Jag's previous employers through none the less, something thing still felt very off about the soft-carbon.
As Jag drifted silently within the small room, it saw through it's implant that others we're departing in EXO gear. Salvaging an nearby belt of space thrash, hoping to find anything of value in the cold void.
Jag decided to partake, mostly out interest to flow within the void once more. But was also hoping to find minerals usefully to repairing it's shell as it has taken some wounds from the last mission.
The bulkhead took several minutes to open, it's rusted and beaten mechanisms creaked and sparked as they forced themselves to pull the three tons of reinforce steel to open.
The void looked more pleasant then ever, Jag thought while it looked on into the stars. Taking an moment to stargaze as it's gently move out of the air-lock and into the void.
It's tentacles begin spread out behind it's torso, resembling that of an Terran squid as it begin release pockets of pressurized air through the ends of it's tentacles similar to that of an conventional thruster.
The Sanghvi then started to move throughout the space surrounding the Muramasa, much move elegantly then EXO Jumper or an starcraft as all Sanghvi hail from space itself rather then being locked to an planet.
However after an few moments, it found that it's comrades we're beginning to surrounding an rather mysterious vessel.
"Freelancer Perditus reporting.", Jag said through it's implant as it got into spotting range of the crew. "Do you require assistance with this particular vessel?" Jag relaid into the crew's radio channel.
Taylor looks the craft over as Amelia inspects the rear engine. So much ice! She drifted around to what seemed to be the window covering the cockpit, and proceeded to scrape some of the ice off with one of her tools. When enough was removed, she then shined her suits flashlight into it.
Inside was a person! Preserved perfectly! "Holy shit...Amelia! Come here!" she said into her comms. She notices Jag approaching, so she motions for him to come too. "There's a guy in there!"
"Really?!" said Amelia, excited a bit. She moves around to where Taylor is, and peers in. "There is!" she asked, studying the person inside.
Very much like Bucky, János didn't wear much of a spacesuit, instead opting for a padded jumpsuit with military-grade gloves. Even if it was just a salvaging mission, he didn't want any risks. He piloted the rocket skiff and slowly headed to the nearest wreck to the Muramasa.
Approaching the wreckage, János felt a strange sense of deja vu, as though he knew what it used to be. He shook the feeling off and prepared for examination.
[Roll examination]
Jag sees Taylor gesture, quickly moving in behind the two soft-carbons in void gear towards the wreck. Hovering next to them both while staring at the vessel.
"Despite my long history with fighters and the like, this void craft eludes even I." Jag commented as it move slowly closer to the vessel, scanning it closely before discovering the individual inside of the cockpit. Turning it's up most attention towards this one, through now cautiously holding itself still.
As Vakarus failed to locate the presence he shook his head slighlty and began watching the sensors and hullmounted cameras around the ship.
He listened to the communications of the salvage teams when suddenly Taylor reported a discovery; a person!
That must've been the presence! Vakarus opened up a channel to Taylor. "Warrior! Is the lost-one intact?"
"...Is he alive? He looks fine from what I can see...I'd rather not pop it open and kill him." she asked, glancing back at Jag. We should alert the boss about this, thought Taylor. She switched channels, and contacted Yanim.
*[I]"Boss, it's Taylor. We've got a perfectly preserved fighter over here. Appears to have a...a warpdrive. Its also got a passenger. Looks to be just as preserved as the fighter."[/I]*
[QUOTE]"Warrior! Is the lost-one intact?"[/QUOTE]
[I]*"Yeah! VERY intact."[/I]*
Yuga listened to the radio chatter of the salvage team, when they suddenly discovered what would appear to a preserved body. She radioed the salvage team.
"This could bode well. If he is deceased, the black market can surely offer us a pleasent payment."
Yuga mauled over the fact that he might still be alive, but the chances were surely miniscule.
"In case he is still alive, we may have other uses for him."
Upon the response, Vakarus glanced towards Neasha and Rask who were also listening to the comms. He then opened up a new channel to Abrax.
"Healer, we require your presence in the cargo hold. Our salvagers have recovered a individual long lost in the void, he is intact and sealed in a ship."
Jag move ever so slightly closer, readying it's arms in case of anything. "Doubtfully but not impossible. Through we must tend very carefully if we wish to perverse this soft-carbon." Jag stated towards them.
"Also, stay on guard. This craft may have security system or if our guest here wakes early. You can never be sure of anything within the void, Freelancer." Jag said directed towards Taylor while keeping it's eyes fixed on the individual and the rest of the vessel.
Taylor floats around the vessel, still inspecting it. She then finds a hatch on the bottom. An airlock! She looked back at the Muramasa, then got an idea. "Hey, doesn't the Muramasa have an emergency access hatch on the top of the hull that links to the main tunnel?" she asks, looking back up towards Jag from where she was. She had noticed something of the sort as she walked through the tunnel heading to the bar.
[quote]Boss, it's Taylor. We've got a perfectly preserved fighter over here. Appears to have a...a warpdrive. Its also got a passenger. Looks to be just as preserved as the fighter.[/quote]
"A cadaver?" Yanim asked flatly as she heard Taylor's sudden outburst. "That's unusual."
[quote]No, I mean [I]preserved. [/I]It looks like he's in stasis.[/quote]
Yanim straightened up as she heard the news. Looking up at the dimly-lit opening in the hull through which she entered, she wondered about the implications. Why would there be a frozen pilot in the Albitsky Belt? "Understood..." Yanim replied. "If there's a docking probe on the starfighter, use the manual override on the Muramasa and see if you can mate it with-"
[quote]Hey, doesn't the Muramasa have an access hatch on the roof that links to the main tunnel?[/quote]
"It connects to the hall between the mess and the armory," Yanim replied.
If the pilot was alive and friendly, then no harm will have been done by resuscitating him. If he was alive and hostile, then he could easily be detained and his ship could be kept or sold for scrap. If he was dead, all the better.
"What is his race? Is he human?" Yanim asked. "And you said this fighter has its own warpdrive?" She wondered if they had simply misunderstood the design because neither Taylor nor Amelia was an engineer.
Jag slowly follows Taylor towards the bottom of the vessel while keeping it's eyes locked onto the cockpit and presumably, the weaponry of the fighter as it moves.
[QUOTE]"Hey, doesn't the Muramasa have an emergency access hatch on the top of the hull that links to the main tunnel?"[/QUOTE]
Jag takes an moment before responding to the freelancer's question. Using it's implant to find the layout of the Muramasa.
"Yes freelancer Taylor, It would be tight fit but with what we have available. It would work." Jag answered, already guessing it's comrade's question.
János:
CH Estimate: 3/5
[B]Actual: 5[/B]
Roll Passed.
The craft was a standard mining vessel with a reactor but no warpdrive. The reactor was devoid of uranium, which had been salvaged by some other crew, but with a simple tug on a protective shield that covered the lower front of the vessel, János revealed the fully-intact mining lasers underneath. While old, the lasers were in such good shape that they would definitely be useful if modified into weapons, or, at the very least, would fetch a decent price on the market. He set about disconnecting them from the vessel.
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