Jump Space, heading to Fornice

Hopefully...

The countdown to jump proceeds normally. 10...9...8...7....

The Nav Program has been updated for the last time. Tharrok and Leilani have the ship right on course, precise down to the split second!

Miss Fortune hits its mark! JUMP.....! Simultaneously an alarm sounds in Engineering.... Buzzz...buzzz...buzzz....

Followed by a cascade of blinking orange and red lights. CRAP!

Bronz and Tamm are right on it. The alarms and diagnostic programs point them to the Power Plant...Again!

On the BRIDGE the ominous blinking lights are quickly extinguished. Indicators show the jump-bubble properly formed. The question hangs there.... "Did We Mis-Jump?" You are unlikely to know for several hours, as the most common first indication is jump-sickness. For now everything looks normal.

Down in the engineering section....

The problem becomes obvious within just a few minutes. It's a cracked cryonic trispacial controller. Computer analysis shows a small energy bleed just as jump initiated. Might have thrown the jump coordinates off....just a little. Probably not a big problem.

But the component isn't something you carry in the spares locker. It will have to be replaced at a fully eguipped star-port. Like at Fornice.

After the initial shock of the engineering alerts, Tharrok verifies all of his instruments are operating correctly and scans the readings. "Cap’n, the jump bubble looks solid, no fluctuations. I’ll go back and review the log for anomalies before the bubble stabilized, but I suspect we’re good." He begins pulling up the data for review. "Oh, and I always feel vertigo and existential dread." Tharrok grins widely.

---

When LC speaks about making a checklist, Tharrok begins bringing up the various checklists and highlighting the parts he feels are the most important. He puts the life support checks first, followed by chronometer verification then position. "Spacer’s Rules: Breathe first, then time, then location before navigation. Comms checks are useful if we are close to anyone else, but if not…"

Quote
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…"

Tamm replied to the remark. "The overhaul sucked."ADDED: If the two Engineers are on the same task there should only be a single dice roll. If the two are doing tasks with little or no overlap then separate rolls would be good!

Tharrok looks up from his consoles and listens to LC, not just with his ears, but his nose and eyes as well. He considers the question and implications carefully while absentmindedly locking his workstation (old habit and reflex when his attention is diverted). He swivels his G-Couch around to be face to face with the Captain. After a good minute of silent deliberation, the Vargr pilot says, "Seems to me if it is, then they are really, really good. Good enough they shouldn’t have gotten caught."

Tharrok pauses for several moments. He tilts his head, looking at LC. "I'm not much on conspiracy theories, but I’m even less on coincidences. If I had to say, I’d tell that something is going on here that is more than bad maintenance or parts. But as I recall, you’ve had your own experience in the unusual. Although I don’t know why we’d be singled out for such attention…"

After LC leaves the bridge, Tharrok says under his breath… "I hope there aren’t any telepaths on the ship… I can’t help but think of one name…" He let’s his voice end there. But in his head, a voice nearly screams… Santanocheev!

Down in Engineering a minute inspection of the damaged power-plant component (cracked cryonic trispacial controller) provides a possible lead. The serial number on the component doesn't match the number registered in the Engineering Log. What should be a genuine "Ling Standard Products" device seems quite likely to be a 'forgery', ie a cheap imitation of the 'real thing'. Installed about 5 years back, about the time the original crew started having serious problems meeting their mortgage payments. And a little before they modified the ship with extra staterooms and the under-deck 'hidden' cargo area.

The annual maintenance provided by First Bank of Fornice probably should have caught something like this, Tamm thinks. But it seems really counter-productive for them to skimp on something that might cripple the ship. So what else could be going on here...?

Meanwhile, up on the Passenger Deck in the Lounge:

Said Ma has completed a routine check of the "Frozens" finding nothing amiss. She hits the kaffe dispenser and then joins Decherrek who is having a lively conversation with the middle-fare passenger Aepheon Telom. They both have stories related to 'skipped' ships and forcibly retrieving stolen properties, and are comparing notes on how to gain entry to a starship with its "anti-hijack" programming on-line...

Thessa Ting and the newly married couple "Terry and Adriana" share another table and are struggling to keep a conversation going. Seems Theodorick (Terry) is doing almost all of the talking, and that has sputtered down to some observations about possible entertainment/tourist opportunities on Fornice in the vicinity of Port-au-Prince.

Kayla Hong has cookies baking and checks on the kaffe-machine to make sure its brewing well and in necessary quantities...

No signs of jump sickness...

On the Passenger Deck: Adriana, the very young seeming 'bride' of "Terry" has said almost nothing since coming aboard. Keeping her head down, mumbling a 'hello' or a 'thank you' as required. But not volunteering any information about herself. Theodorick (Terry) more than makes up for this, keeping a steady stream of good natured banter going. Though with Thessa Ting not keeping her end of the conversation going, this chatter is beginning to strain and fade....

Adriana suddenly springs to her feet. Looking about the Passenger Lounge as though startled, she loudly announces: "Something's Wrong! I can tell! We're all in danger..." Terry reaches for her hand in a soothing gesture...

"I'm sure everything's fine, Addy." He says calmly. "Nothing to worry about. This is a great ship...."

But Adriana snatches here hand free and says loudly: "No, no its not! Everything is definitely NOT fine!" With that she turns and heads towards her stateroom...

Adriana's facial expression has gone 'stony' at L.C.'s unexpected appearance in her way to her stateroom. The initial alarm in her voice and posture have been supressed or otherwise subsided. Her head goes down and she looks at the deck, intent, as if peering beyond the grav-plates into the maze of mechanisms and ductwork below.

"I'm...uh, I'm sorry. I need to get to my stateroom. Please!"

after a pause, listening to LC...

Terry arrives behind Adriana. "Ah, Captain! I'm sure everything is all right. Addy has never 'jumped' before. I'm sure its all nothing. Nothing at all to worry about. Just some sort of space-sickness, maybe. You all right Addy? You're not going to be sick, are you?"

Adriana keeps here head lowered, looking at the deck. Mumbles "I'm...I'm OK. Need something from my stateroom. Need..."

Day 1: Jumpspace - not long after LC. Left the bridge

Tharrok sits at his bridge station as usual for the long-time space flight veteran. At the moment, however, he is annoyed… vexed, really. A month ago, the ship underwent maintenance, supposedly with a fine-tooth comb. They’ve made two jumps and so far, they are 100% for mishaps. Thankfully, they have, thus far, been minor in seriousness.

But it sits uneasy on the mind. No real solid evidence of wrongdoing or some sort of Machiavellian machinations. Just some hinky feelings and the stiffened patch of fur just under his collar. He, periodically and unconsciously sniffs the air (probably some sort of leftover behavior from his canine ancestry). Their potential dealings with the Santanocheev family on their current destination certainly doesn’t help his disposition.

Tharrok, himself, has never actually had dealings with the Santanocheev family-at least not directly and knowingly. But he knows the history of how the Imperium nearly lost the Fifth Frontier War. "Things predictably go wrong around that overbearing, tin-plated dictator with delusions of godhood," Tharrok mutters under his breath. But the thought that the Former Sector Admiral might feel some sort of animosity toward the Captain… that felt a little more concrete… he could smell that tro….

Tharrok catches a familiar scent… actually, a pair of familiar scents… LC and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Locking his work station, the Vargr hops up from his acceleration couch and nearly skips off the bridge, leaving the automatic monitoring systems to do their job. Quickly through the hatch, he catches LC just as he steps off the lift and before he gets to his quarters. Sniffing the air, he notes the two cookies in LC’s hand and says, "Now where in The Marches did you get those yummy-smelling cookies? And are there any more? I’d like to know… I want to know… I NEED to know!" Tharrok’s tongue lols out to one side and there is the slightest beginnings of a drool trail forming at the corners of his mouth.

LC: Theodorick ("Terry") does seem younger than LC, maybe a decade or so, but he seems mature and 'comfortable'. The proprieter of "Chez Terry" restaurant back on Mora. A businessman and perhaps once a chef...

In his usual optimistic tone he responds: "Ah, poor Adriana has never been off Mora before. (he waves a hand indicating everything around) "This is all strange to her. She has led a sheltered life. But she is very smart, and a quick learner. In a day or two she'll be an 'old hand'! Just like us, eh Captain!?! Old hands!"

He turns to go back to the passenger's lounge, but LC's next words stop him.
"She's not easily frightened, Captain". Terry's voice has dropped into a serious tone. But then he resumes his smiling optimistic voice: "Ah, she'll surely get a wind of those cookies I can smell coming from the auto-chef. Your Steward must have a deft hand or a secret recipe. I must know about that, of course! Share if you would, a kindness to a traveler...."

No worries David!

Thessa Ting, the courier, approaches Leilani. "There is something wrong, isn't there? I mean, no announcement has been made. Did we mis-jump? Or is there something else wrong? I'm on a schedule, you know. Any delays... I've already been delayed because of the damned Oberlinde screw-up. I'm already going to be late. Damn it!" She seems greatly annoyed if not outright angry.

Meanwhile....

'Terry' returns from the passenger stateroom passageway, looking distressed. He sees Leilani with Thessa Ting. 'Shaky' (security agent) remains seated, speaking with Steward Kayla.

"Adriana has locked her stateroom hatch and is not answering. I've tried 'knocking', and also intercom. Honestly, I'm starting to worry. This seems highly unusual. Very out of character for her. Is there something we can do?

NEW: Yes, makes sense. The Captain should be able to give stateroom lock "over-rides" to anyone he wishes, Medic and Steward of course, but any designated as "Security" might be routinely included, too.