Jump Space, heading to Fornice

[LC Rains stands at the bridge’s forward console, eyes fixed on the swirling kaleidoscope of jump space through the forward viewer. He adjusts his jacket, though it doesn’t need it, and lets out a slow exhale.]

"Well… the good news is we haven’t dissolved into a fine mist, the inertial compensators haven’t spontaneously become abstract artists, and the nav beacons still think we’re on schedule.."

[He leans back in the acceleration couch-chair, speaking ]
"Now, until proven otherwise, we’ll operate on the quaint assumption that we’re still pointed at Fornice. If anything goes wrong in jump space, we won’t know until we arrive—or don’t. At which point, our itinerary becomes… improv theatre."

[He swivels to the comms panel and keys in a quick log entry.]
"Bridge log: Jump entry normal, bubble integrity nominal, trajectory lock verified. No anomalous readings. Confidence level… cautiously smug..until I talk to Tamm and Bronz for their report.."

[Looking around the bridge]
"Alright, keep your eyes on your boards. And if anyone starts feeling that unique combination of vertigo and existential dread, let me know—it could be jump sickness, or the first sign we’re about to get very lost."

(Responses from any of the crew??)

---

Actions of LC in the First Four Hours into Jump

[In the first few minutes LC hits the Ship’s Comms, and asks on the Passenger Status]
I tap into the crew channel, voice even, deliberate.

"Said-Ma, Kayla — how are our passengers settling in? Let’s make a good impression. Break out the high-class snacks from the sealed tin, not the ones that taste like cardboard. And make sure Decherrek gets something decent too — nothing that comes out of a dispenser tube."

(Responses from Kayla or Said-Ma???)

LC then looks at Tharrok and Leilani:

"Let’s put together an emergence checklist. Assume we might be a little off when we drop — I am working on a worst case that most of us get sick and Kayla is the only one left. I want it simple enough that anyone with can run it....even me..(LC smiles at Leilani). Just in the event we get sick, I want all bases covered. While this maybe a checklist in the book that all Merchies must know how to do to get their certs, I want to make a list of what you think needs to happen. "

(Thoughts or responses???)

LC then pulls up a blank form on his datapad and start listing the stages.

"First step, immediate coordinate verification from three sources. Then grav drift check, then signal to nearest System Control relay. Life support check before anything else. Print it large, laminate it. Idiot-proof, in case we become the idiots."

LC then passes the datapad across for them to review.

LC waits a moment, for thier feedback, but then says;

"Damn, I am such a bad Captain, I need to check-in on our passengers and see how they are doing."
He looks at Tharrok and Leilani -
"You two know this better than I do and I trust you."

LC then smiles at them and heads off to the second deck to the passenger lounge.

At the passenger lounge LC make the rounds — polite nods, a quick smile where required — and check the presentation of the snacks. I pause by Decherrek’s room,

"Everything to your liking?"

Responses from passengers OR Said-Ma or Kayla?...or Decherrek??

[about the third hour into Jump LC will conduct a Engineering Check-in]
Engineering smells faintly of warm metal and someone’s strong coffee. LC leans against the nearest rail, watching the power plant displays for a moment before speaking.

"Alright, give it to me straight — this cracked trispacial controller. Are we looking at a bubble integrity problem, or just a hit to the plant’s pride? I need to know if we’re riding a thoroughbred or a three-legged donkey right now."

LC fishes a stylus from his Jacket pocket, taps it against the datapad as Tamm gives his monotone feedback and/or Bronz gives his blunt commentary.

"And if you’ve got mitigation in mind, now’s the time. We’ve got 168 hours plus or minus in Jump to keep her from coughing herself inside-out."

responses from Tamm and Bronz on their assessment???

[In the 4th hour — Quiet Word with Decherrek]
LC catches Decherrek alone in the companionway, away from the passengers. Hands in pockets, LC keeps his voice low.

"You’ve been around long enough to smell trouble before it starts. Between this plant issue and the string of ‘incidents’ we’ve had lately — what’s your read? Bad luck, or is someone giving us a slow bleed?"

LC waits, watching his dead-eye Drone expressionless face, but actually is looking at his whole body, wings or tail doing anything out of the ordinary that could signal that something is a-miss.

Response from Decherrek??

Also during any of this time, LC will talk to the crew if they approach him.

At the end of the 4 hours LC plans to have a crew meeting to round out the actions and counter action of the crew with their plans for the 164 hours left in Jump Space.
"Hopefully we don't emerge in Zhodani controlled space, but I believe Fornice is in our future." LC smiles at everyone in the crew lounge

[LC swivels in his chair to look over at Tharrok, one brow arched and a slow grin forming to match the Vargr’s own.]

"Ah, well, if vertigo and existential dread are your default settings, then congratulations — jump space is basically your natural habitat. If I start seeing you relaxed and optimistic, I’ll know we’re in trouble."

[He leans back, the grin sharpening to something between conspiratorial and mildly dangerous.]

"Though I admit, you do wear existential dread well. It’s almost… accessorized."

[Later, as Tharrok highlights his ‘Spacer’s Rules’ on the emergence checklist, LC studies the datapad and gives a short nod.]

"Sound logic. I like it. Breathing before timing before finding out where we are — means we’re alive long enough to be lost. Which is the preferable order of events in my book."

[He flicks the datapad back toward Tharrok, eyes now sliding over to Leilani at her station.]

"Alright, Lieutenant — ex-Navy brain, steady hand, better training than most of us. You’ve seen more jump emergences than the rest of this merry band put together. What’s missing from this list? Assume we might be doing it with half the crew down and the other half vomiting into their helmets."

Quote
"Alright, give it to me straight — this cracked trispacial controller. Are we looking at a bubble integrity problem, or just a hit to the plant’s pride? I need to know if we’re riding a thoroughbred or a three-legged donkey right now."

The smell of strong coffee emanated from Tamm’s bulb of kafe, curling through Engineering and cutting through the usual J-space tang.

"We had a small power bleed when Jump was initiated," Tamm replied to LC, keeping his eyes on the diagnostic holo. "We should be fine until Exit. Right now, Tamm can’t determine if these failures are deliberate or just bad equipment—Tamm wouldn’t be able to tell the difference anyway."

He took a slow pull from the bulb, watching a cascade of green and amber indicators flicker across the display.

"Tamm will conduct an investigation while we’re in J-space," he added. "If it’s sabotage, whoever did it knew exactly where to poke without setting off too many alarms. Tamm will review the maintenance logs for inconsistencies. Maybe something will show up."

Somewhere deep in the ship, a hollow clang echoed through the frame. Tamm’s gaze flicked toward the sound, then back to the holo.

"Or maybe," he said quietly, "the ship’s just trying to tell us something."

[LC leans one shoulder against a bulkhead, the smell of kafe mixing with the faint ozone tang of Engineering. He watches the holo a moment, eyes tracking the shifting green and amber like a man reading a court verdict he already knows will be bad.]

"Alright… so we’re not riding a three-legged donkey. More like a thoroughbred with a limp and an attitude problem. Comforting."

[He glances toward the source of the hollow clang, expression unchanged.]

"If it’s sabotage, that’s one thing. If it’s the ship talking to us, that’s worse. Ships never have anything nice to say."

[His gaze shifts between Tamm and Bronz, a dry edge in his tone.]

"Alright — if you’ve both been over the logs and the gear already, then we chalk it up as one of two things: deliberate and subtle, or just the plant’s personality shining through. Either way, we ride it out."

[He straightens, the hint of a grin playing at the edge of his mouth.]

"Until then, I’ll keep telling the passengers everything’s fine — and try not to look like a man betting against his own ship."

Bronz met LC’s remarks with a flat, unreadable stare. His mind went back to the last "accident" with nothing found, despite his gut telling him otherwise. After a long moment, he said quietly, "Sabotage. Now, who would’ve thought…"

He started to turn back toward Tamm, then paused and looked at LC again. "…Any chance it ties to that cargo we’re hauling? Not saying it does, probably something else, but for a drive fresh out of maintenance…" He let the sentence trail off.

Then he turned fully to Tamm, pulling up diagnostics alongside him. He began going through the reports and output logs, methodically cross-checking readings, his eyes scanning for anything — no matter how small — that didn’t belong.

[LC meets Bronz’s stare with one of his own, a slow tilt of the head as if weighing the words before answering.]

"Fresh out of maintenance and acting up… could be coincidence. But I’ve seen too many ‘coincidences’ in my time to keep believing in them."

[He shifts his gaze between Bronz and Tamm, voice taking on a deliberate weight.]

"In your experience — could this sort of fault be planted by the last skip-jumper crew? Day-zero vulnerabilities, waiting for the right jump to wake up and ruin someone’s week?"

[A faint grin pulls at one corner of his mouth, though it doesn’t reach his eyes.]

Any responses by Tamm or Bronz - even get the stare from Bronz of acknowledgement?

"And as for our cargo… if this is tied to what we’re hauling, it’s either very valuable or very unpopular. Either way, I’d like to know before we come out of jump in the middle of someone else’s welcome party."

[ Later after the 'maintenance session LC goes to the bridge where Tharrok is at. He glances toward Tharrok at his station, tone lightening just enough to make the question sound conversational — though the edge beneath it is still there.]

"Tharrok — you’ve seen your share of patched-together drives and suspect maintenance. What’s your read? Could this be the sort of ‘gift’ a previous crew leaves behind for the next poor sods who buy their ship?"

Responses? Any sudden tail switching that stops... when the question is asked?

[LC studies the Vargr’s expression — the way his ears set, the subtle shift of his posture — like a man reading footnotes in a contract for hidden clauses.]

"Good enough not to get caught is exactly the kind of technician I don’t like thinking about. Means they had skill, access, and intent — and a long enough view to leave their little surprise for someone else to discover."

[He leans back slightly, letting his eyes wander briefly to the jump readouts before returning to Tharrok.]

"You’re right, I’ve danced with the unusual before. Usually ends with me wishing I’d picked a simpler profession, like juggling knives while blindfolded. As for why us? Could be deliberate, could be we just bought someone else’s bad luck and it’s still circling the drain."

[A thin grin touches his mouth, dry as vacuum.]

"Either way, I’d rather assume we’re being singled out. That way, if it’s coincidence, I’m pleasantly disappointed — and if it’s not, we’re already braced for it when the next shoe drops."

LC thinks reflectively then adds
"We need to talk to Decherrek about this"

Later on day two of the Jump LC will get with Decherrek, and the crew to discuss the previous Skip-jumper crew and the series of unfortunate series of events surrounding the Miss Fortune...and the person Decherrek wants the crew to help chase down. .