CHAPTER 2: MISSION BRIEFING — MARINAGUA

Throughout the briefing, Virel remains silent, content to observe rather than contribute. The underlying assumption that the missing crew are likely dead and that recovery of data outweighs recovery of people does not surprise him. It is familiar logic.

The coldness of it sits uncomfortably close to old memories, what he thought he had left behind. He had told himself he was going to start fresh and yet here it was again, unchanged.

He shows none of it. Outwardly, he listens, attentive and composed, but the thought lingers as he files the detail away for later: if this is always how decisions are made, escaping it may have been an illusion from the start.

At that moment, Bohdie set aside his frustration and focused his mind and movements to collecting the equipment he felt he needed for the mission. Including his normal carry and his ‘go’-bag, that equipment draw is listed below:

Loadout
* EDC
- IH-Thermal Pocket Imager
- Local-Net Phone (IH issue)
- Burner Phone (IH issue)
- CommDots
- Starman Deluxe
- Utility Tapetool
- IH VisionPak
- Small Torch
- Micro IFAK
- Combat switchblade folding knife (Kershaw Launch 13 analog)
- Hand Comp (Personal)
- Hand Terminal (IH issue)
- AS-11 blouse, trousers, combat shirt, jacket as needed (IH issue)
- Tactical boots (IH issue)
- Tactical Belt w/ Pouches (IH issue)
- Tactical Gloves
- Hydration Pack
- Leeloo Dallas multipass
- Wrist Watch
- IH Wrist Comm

* Go Bag
- 1 Set (sanitized) Marine Utility Uniform (Highlander pattern)
- Knife, Combat
- Sword, Short, Dual Purpose (Gladius/machete analog)
- Medium electric torch
-


* Backpack (Armory items)
1 x IH-4 Carbine (TL10) 6.5mm Carbine
10x 30rd Carbine mags (300rds)
440 rds 6.5mm Ammo, Boxed
1x IH-10 Pistol 10mm Pistol
5x 15rd pistol mags
150 rds 10mm Ammo, Boxed
2x Chem-Frag Grenade 5D Hand Grenade
2x Chem-Smoke Grenade Smoke Grenade
2x Chem-Flash Device Flash/Stun Device
1x IH-10 Plate Carrier +8 TL10 ceramic composite plates, -1 DM
1x Ballistic Helmet +8 NV mount, side rails
2x Combat Uniforms — Climate-adapted, desert/urban variants
1x Tac Gloves / Goggles — Protective gear
1x BarricadeFlex Combat Shirt Field Wear AS11
1x Trekweave Field Pants
1x Stormpath Duty Jacket, Field
1x Hexline Utility Belt Gear Modular pouches
1x Trailshift Tactical Boots Gear Reinforced sole
1x Starman Deluxe
10x Electro Markers TL12 IR/UV/Visible beacons
1x Tapetool TL12 Multifunction adhesive tool
1x Micro-Drone Deployer — Recon aid
1x Standard IFAK
1x TRX12 Field Transceiver

If everyone else has a Transceiver, then Bohdie will take one too. Call it a player oversight, not a character one. I’ll edit my post accordingly.

BOARDING THE IISS AZURE VOYAGER — CAPTAIN HALSSON

The Azure Voyager — Introduction and Boarding

The Azure Voyager is a compact fleet courier designed for speed, endurance, and autonomy. Built to move rapidly between dispersed naval formations, it combines a minimal crew footprint with robust redundancy and extended jump capability. Its external profile reflects this mission: sleek, purposeful, and unmistakably utilitarian, with no excess devoted to comfort or ceremony.

In spaceflight, the Azure Voyager’s wings are folded downward along the hull in a vertical configuration, reducing its profile and protecting control surfaces during high-energy maneuvering and jump operations. For atmospheric flight and landing, the wings rotate upward into a horizontal position, providing full lift and stability. When landed at a starport or prepared surface, the wings remain level, presenting the vessel in its flight-ready configuration.

Boarding is conducted via a standard entry gangway aligned with the ship’s upper hull. With the vessel settled and secured, the gangway extends to the Crew Deck airlock at midships of the ship. This arrangement allows crew and passengers to enter directly into the crew level rather than passing through engineering—a deliberate design choice reflecting the courier’s emphasis on rapid embarkation, security, and controlled access.

Once aboard, personnel immediately find themselves within the tightly arranged Crew deck where the galley is the usual small and functional Like all Scout ships. Those of the Scout service will recognize it. With the galley being forward immediately to the aft or right is the ships locker and then the ship's two mass ton storage.

Those with Imperial MArine of Naval service will recognised that this ship is non standard to the Adlestien Fleet Courier with a redesign crew deck adding more rooms, removing the low berths and larger three crew rooms into the 3 single staterooms and two double staterooms. It is evident due to the artwork on two of the single rooms that the Engineer lives in one and the Astrogator lives in the other. No indication that the Captain lives on this deck. That leaves the double rooms available and a single. After five minutes someone figure out the last single room has a fold-down bunk that can convert the single stateroom into a cramp double.

The result is a vessel that boards quickly, moves efficiently, and wastes no volume—every compartment, hatch, lift and ladder serving a defined operational purpose. The Azure Voyager is not designed to impress at a distance, but to depart swiftly, arrive intact, and deliver what it carries without delay.

Once aboard her ship, Captain Halsson wastes no time and meets everyone at the Galley lounge area for an informal brief.
"I’m not taking the slow route," she says plainly. "The Azure Voyager can make six-parsec jumps. Commander Mervik wanted us on Marinagua as fast as possible."

With her IISS wrist comm she pinches her fingers on the wrist device and then makes a motion as if she is throwing something into the space above the dining table. This results in a holographic image of her jump plan.


Captain Halsson:
Halsson eyes fixed on the holo-table's 'chain' of jumps. "The Senior Administrator Kessel is treating this like a lab experiment. I’m treating it like an ambush. He wants 'maximum overlap,' which is just a fancy way of saying wasting time. If you’re a pirate, a hostile local, or something worse, and you just bagged a Scout ship on this route, what do you do next? You wait for the IISS to send another ship along the exact same breadcrumb trail. That is being predictable, and slow. If Dominicus is alive and in trouble, she’s spent four weeks waiting already—and Kessel wants us to take another twelve just to reach her."

She meets the team’s eyes.
"Commander Mervik stepped out and Kessel finished the brief. That wasn’t an accident—it was bad timing."
She pauses and continues,
"My orders, as I understand them, are to recover a Scout team that’s already four weeks late. Every additional week favors whatever went wrong."
A pause.
"I’ll answer to Mervik. You answer to me. Your mission remains the same—site security and recovery."
The ship hums as pre-flight checks begins by her crew already at their seats.
"I need you to secure yourself. My crew has already started up the Powerplant and the M-Drive is ready. Once I get to the bridge we are heading to orbit and then to jump point as quickly as possible.

She looks at Chaala and then the others in the eye, then back to Chaala and asks,
"Okay Security Team lead, any other questions? Remember there are no stupid questions..."

Her voice trails off leaving time for anyone to speak up

Chaala smiles. "Our orders are clear; to support the Scout mission. You are the Scout in command and I have no problem with your logic or your orders."

"We're all professionals and I trust you all to act like it." She turns to each of her teammates in turn. "Bohdie, you're point on Intel, Jeem on Tactical, Virel on Diplomacy and Interaction, and Doc on Medical. Keep me informed but you don't need my say so to act if the situation calls for it."

Captain Halsson smiles;
"Looks like you have everything under control. I will leave you to it. We take off in a few minutes so have everyone strap in."

With that, she leaves the galley area and walks to the lift. She taps her wrist and the lift takes her up to the command Deck

Jeem taps his forehead with two fingers in acknowledgement of Angushlii's position and words.

Narrator's voice:
"Our story continues"

SEGMENT 1: DEPARTURE FROM PAUTHO ORBIT - Clearing the Inner Traffic Shell

Captain Halsson keys the forward comm panel, voice calm, precise.

"Pautho Control, Azure Voyager. Clamps are free. Proceeding outbound to designated jump vector at one-third thrust. Request traffic handoff."

The response comes back clean, layered with a second voice.

"Azure Voyager, Pautho Control. You are cleared from the inner shell. TRC Security confirms corridor integrity. Maintain assigned vector. Safe flight, Captain."

Halsson acknowledges with a short nod.

"Copy, Control. Azure Voyager outbound. Appreciate the coordination."

She toggles ship-wide comms.

"Mallor, bring us out at point-three G. Keep it smooth—we’re still inside the traffic envelope."

"Aye, Captain," Edrin Mallor replies from the helm. "Point-three G set. Vector stable."

"Engineering," Halsson continues. "Havel—confirm power flow and maneuver drive status."

Amara Havel’s voice answers immediately. "Engineering green across the board. M-Drive steady, no load anomalies."

Halsson glances once at the clock.

"Good. Let’s leave politely."

---

SEGMENT 2: OUTER BUOY TRANSIT - T+00:33 | Approaching Jump Boundary

A tone chimes softly.

"Azure Voyager, Pautho Control. You are clear past Buoy Seven-Two. Assigned departure lane Echo-Four. Full acceleration authorized. Proceed to jump boundary under sensor flight rules."

Halsson responds without hesitation.

"Pautho Control, Azure Voyager copies Echo-Four. Full burn authorized. We’ll keep our signature clean."

She shifts her attention forward.

"Mallor—bring us up to two G. Straight and steady."

"Acknowledge Two Gee," Mallor confirms. "Acceleration smooth."

Halsson glances to the navigation display.

"Mallor, you and I will confirm vectors on the fly. I want no surprises."

---

SEGMENT 3: VECTOR VERIFICATION - ~T+02:07 | En Route to Safe Jump Point

The Azure Voyager hums more deeply now, the planet of Pautho reduced to a distant curve of light behind them.

Halsson studies the plot, then speaks quietly.

"I’m seeing a minor drift on the secondary vector—nothing dramatic, but it’s flirting with tolerance. Your read?"

Mallor adjusts his display.

"Confirmed. Minor stellar lensing from Pautho’s outer debris field. I’ll compensate."

"Do it," Halsson says. "Feed the correction to the jump program."

"Aye. Jump solution updating… synced and stable."

Halsson opens the engineering channel.

"Havel—status on the jump drive charge."

"Capacitors are climbing clean," Havel answers. "We’ll be at full charge inside fifteen minutes. No harmonics, no bleed."

"Copy. Keep me posted."

---

SEGMENT 4: ONE HOUR TO JUMP - ~T+02:33 | Final Preparations

Halsson switches to ship-wide comms.

"All hands, this is the Captain. One hour to jump. Secure loose equipment. Strap in anything that looks like it might want to become a projectile."

She pauses, then adds dryly:

"That includes people."

Acknowledgments ripple through the ship.

---

SEGMENT 5: FINAL CROSSCHECKS - ~T+03:03 | Thirty Minutes to Jump

"Final crosscheck," Halsson says, voice steady but carrying ship-wide. "Helm."

"Vector locked. No traffic conflicts," Mallor replies.

"Navigation."

"Jump solution green. Drift margins within tolerance."

"Engineering."

"Jump drive charged. Lanthanum grid standing by."

Halsson nods once.

"Crew to standby. Reduce non-essential systems."

---

SEGMENT 6: JUMP INITIATION - T+03:33 | Jump Execution

"Engineering," Halsson says quietly, opening the channel so the bridge can hear.
"Dim the lights. Shed non-essential power."

Across the ship, illumination drops to a low amber glow. Consoles mute their brightness. The hum of the drives deepens.

Halsson rests one hand on the command console.

"Jumping… now."

She executes the final command.

Outside, the lanthanum hull grid ignites—starting at the bow.

A geometric lattice of pale blue-white light races along the forward hull, segment by segment, flowing aft in a smooth cascade. The grid locks into place as it reaches engineering, encasing the Azure Voyager in a luminous skeletal outline.

The ship seems to stretch—space thinning, reality tugging.

For an instant, gravity misbehaves.

Everyone feels it in their stomachs—a sharp, inward lurch, breath catching as the universe folds sideways.

Outside, the stars do not streak.

They blink out.

The Azure Voyager vanishes into Jump Space.

On the bridge, Halsson exhales once.

"We’re in jump," she says. "Secure the ship." She looks at the controls, and Mallor sees a slight smile creep across her face
"Happy to be back inthe black Ma'am?"

He pauses before answering
"Always"

The long silence of Scout space settles in. Whatever waits at Marinagua, it will not be waiting idly.

The former Marine doesn't need long in the armoury, likewise not long in his room. As he leaves, there is nothing of worth or sign of him left, the bed made, the bin cleared.

Personal Equipment, well-worn and fitted (all up to TL12):
- Three Sets of Combat Fatigues
- Tactical Boots
- Combat Belt (GBRS/Ronin-style)
- Holster (Safariland-style retention)
- Plate Carrier (Crye JPC/AVS Equivalent)
- Admin Pouch (device carrier etc.)
- IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit)
- Transceiver (Squad Grade) as a backup
- Commdot (Subvocal, Bone Conduction) as a backup
- IR/UV Lighting Kit
- Datapad (Old & Scarred)
- Multi-Tool (Leatherman-style)
- Trauma Shears
- Field Tape
- Utility Knife
- Weatherproof Notebook + Graphite Stylus
- Personal Hygiene / Travel Kit
- Soft Duffel Bag - Very worn.

MainWeapon & Ammo, IH-Armoury:
- IH-7 Rifle with VisionPak & 4 extra Mags
- IH-10 Pistol & 2 extra Mags
- Grenades: 2 x Antilaser Aerosol, 2x Chem-Smoke. 2 x Chem-Frag
- Extra-case w/ addtl 6 x Antilaser & 6 x Smoke
- Extra-case w/ addtl. 90 x bullets IH-7 and 30 x bullets IH-10

Other equipment, IH-Armoury:
- AS11 Soft Armor
- Ironhand Polo, 3
- Tapetool Utility Tape
- Lock Disable Device
- Micro-Drone Deployer
- TRX 12 Field Transceiver (main)
- INH Wrist Comm (main)
- BurnerPhone