Month: September 2022

While Wayne seeks solace at the bottom of a bottle, Lara ferries the others to Afterglow. They pay a visit to the legal worker who authorised the writ, A’avu Tenivo, Junior Minister of Frescos of Aquatic Sheyan Molluscs. A’avu says she was blackmailed into signing by Arnold West of Transtate Industries, who claimed he would have VoidCorp’s ambassador send a report back to Catalog stating that her family had helped her flee the Stellar Ring. This would result in their contracts being reviewed (and likely terminated). She later provides images of Arnold West from the building’s security system, which the crew recognise as none other than Jeff Lakons…

Gus calls in some (more) favours from the Inseers aboard Afterglow Superport, who match the images to an individual that visited both the vacated October Corporation office and the VoidCorp embassy. The crew pick up A’avu to get her offworld. Gus sends a message to the Insight embassy with deliberately broken encryption, leaking that they were after Jeff Lakons. An Insight grid pilot notifies her that there has been no increase in activity around VoidCorp’s embassy fortress, but that he has matched the security images to a VoidCorp embassy staff member – Deputy Ambassador OP823 23KIK (Jeffrey Rogers) – and that there is an outbound flight booked under that name in 16 hours.

The crew notify Commandant Griswold, who redirects them to a military ship entering orbit. A’avu is left aboard and a squad of marines is placed at their disposal as they make plans and return to the station. Gus asks Insight to delete the VoidCorp delegation’s entry from the passenger manifest shortly before boarding. This gives the marines a pretence to step in and escort the ambassador away.

Once Rogers is in custody, the Commandant makes contact. The mayor has agreed that all charges against the crew be dropped in light of their willingness to bring VoidCorp’s plot into the open. A’avu will testify anonymously before a military judge as a vulnerable witness. A trial will be arranged before a military court, although he suspects things will get political before that happens. He directs Apple to jab Cinque with a hypospray.

All sides agree that this incident never happened. There was a convenient failure in the station’s security camera system at the time the operation was carried out. The Commandant says he would not be opposed to working with them again, but suggests that they don’t return to Dewi any time soon. Gus makes a note to try to get A’avu’s family out of the Stellar Ring.

Lara ferries the crew to the Sparrow, which had been waiting in orbit around Arles for the past two days. Reunited with Mayhem and Yala, they make starfall for Lucullus.

Mulling events over while in drivespace, Gus realises that the individual they met initially was right-handed, whereas the one the marines arrested may have been left-handed…

Putting investigations of smugglers and ghosts on the back burner, the crew leave Mikoa to meet Jeff Lakons in Dewi. The October Corporation are owed millions by the moon-state of Lousanne but the mayor, Bastone Apple, refuses to acknowledge a writ of summons. He is holed up in a private compound just outside the abandoned city of Old Clearmont in the Cembria Highlands. Bounty accepted, they leave Afterglow Starport aboard a modified shuttle, piloted by Lara “Lightning” Harmeen.

After some orbital reconnaissance, a night assault is decided upon. As plans derail, Cinque and Gus turn the compound’s turrets against the defenders. Just as they the mayor is captured, several Dreth ships arrive. With things unravelling, the crew produce the writ of summons, but Apple protests his innocence. Commandant Griswold takes everyone into custody until he can get some straight answers.

The following day, he reveals the writ is spurious, although issued by someone within Torpoint’s legal system. The October Corporation is apparently a shell company; its only assets in the system being an empty bank account and the shuttle, which was imported last year for Transtate Industries. He tasks the crew with tracking down Lakons, reminding them that they stand guilty of multiple crimes against the state, so their performance will determine their fate. As further incentive, he reveals that Cinque was injected with nano-capsules while undergoing medical treatment for injuries sustained during the raid. These will release a neurotoxin in 96 hours. Conrad requests that a body-double for Apple accompany them, which the Commandant arranges. The trooper, codenamed Apple, might actually pass for the mayor at a distance. With the clock ticking, Lara flies everyone back to Afterglow Starport and the investigation gets underway.

Gus disappears upon receiving a message during breakfast, taking the remaining crystals with her. Moments later, there is a news segment about a hidden colony of mind-walkers discovered by traders operating under the Hatire banner. The Galactic Concord has urged caution as representatives of the other stellar nations turn their attention to Mikoa B. Already, there is talk of Administrator Wayne Rice delaying the Lighthouse‘s departure if necessary.

Gus reappears and explains that Insight, along with the Borealis Republic and the Regency of Bluefall, is backing a bid by the Orion League to offer the colonists citizenship and guarantee self-governance. This is spearheaded by Senator Bruce Hale, a likely presidential candidate, who would love to return to the Stellar Ring with good news. The Sparrow heads over to Mikoa B1 with secure comms equipment to set up a remote dialogue.

The colony’s council – Boris Kalavych, Zuzka Endrova, and T’vilian – agree to the proposed meeting. While the exchange starts off well, it is interrupted by a few armed youths, who object to the colony’s isolationist ways. Conrad talks fast to diffuse the situation, leading to a tense peace. Negotiations are moved to the Lighthouse.

After some concessions are secured by the Nariac Domain, the Hatire Community, and the Thuldan Empire, they join the Borealins, Insight, the Regency, and Concord in backing the Orion League’s proposal. Just as agreement is reached, Ambassador VK532 04MIN (Marcus Hammond), who had been conspicuously absent, barges in. He announces that VoidCorp have claimed eminent domain over the entire system, based on a previously-forgotten exploration mission pre-GW2. Chaos erupts. The meeting is adjourned.

Gus reveals that the crystals are regular X3Ds tumbled through a mass reactor and planted by Insight before the Lighthouse’s arrival with the intention of causing VoidCorp trouble. The Inseers weren’t aware of the hidden colony. She leaks a report to VoidCorp revealing the crystals are fabricated (though not their origin). In short order, prices begin to fall as large quantities are dumped onto the market.

When negotiations resume, Hammond seems unexpectedly upbeat. He says VoidCorp will magnanimously relinquish its claim on the system, in return for mining rights to the gas giants around Mikoa B. With this condition added, the modified Orion League’s proposal passes unopposed.

Two days later, delegates gather at the Colosseum, from where a formal announcement of the Mikoan Accord is to be grid-cast. The crew help foil an assassination attempt by a lone CFN gunman. Councillor T’vilian is shot but survives and the announcement goes ahead after a slight delay. The Lighthouse starfalls on schedule.

Mayhem stays with the Sparrow while the others board the Lighthouse to meet Galindria Sunfire in The Corner. They tell her about stumbling across the colony on Mikoa B1. Unfortunately, there is not much any of them can do about whatever happens after the Nariac patrol vessel reports back.

Employee NQ771 SKD9B, aka Sato Klaude Dexter, delivers a friendly warning about the perils of working for Insight. Shortly after SK leaves, a sesheyan hesitatingly introduces himself as Eju Pe’tarah, Minister of Sculptures of Extinct Sheyan Arboreal Rodents. Claiming to know Meganbit, he has been asked to relay a bounty to Wayne, for a corrupt official who hides behind his position. They are asked to contact Jeff Lakons of the October Corporation once they arrive at the superport orbiting Torpoint in the Dewi system.

After the Nariacs investigate further, rumours begin to circulate about 3Ds growing underground on B1. Concord and Insight contract Wayne and Gus, respectively, to fetch samples for examination. During collection, they discover some of the colonists are using their abilities on groups of newcomers to avoid detection.

A portion of Insight’s report, which found transmissivity on par with consumer grade X3Ds, is leaked, prompting every available trader to beeline for the crystal caverns. VoidCorp publicly advises caution while (allegedly) working overtime to secure exclusive supply contracts in the background. Speculation drives up prices. A few altercations occur both aboard the Lighthouse and in space between the system’s two stars. A visiting VoidCorp assault ship altruistically offers to patrol the route.

Concord contacts Wayne with another job offer. The crew meets Wesley Woodsworth, a low-ranking Concord admin, and sign on as temporary security personnel. They spend the day being sent to deal with various incidents – a trade dispute in Sendir Park, the hijacking of the Donath right out of Low Dock by a cadre of freebooters, and attempted sabotage by a group of Concord Free Now operatives.