Chapter 4.3 Signals in the Wake

Bohdie listens but shakes his head. "It'd be great if we had some sort of fleet armada or something. Or, really, the luxury of time to really fill in all the blanks. But sometimes, you just have to roll the hard six." Bohdie takes a deep breath and lowers his voice. Softening the edge in his voice, he says, while looking Chaala directly in the eyes (empathy, not adversary), "Look, I understand what you’ve been through and how that can make even the most risk-craving person take pause. But in the Intelligence field, there are times when you’ve got to put it all on the table. I get it. You weren’t expecting to have to make this decision. You may feel you’re not ready. Here’s a little secret I’ve learned… nobody is. Now, you’re in charge. Unless you’d like to designate someone else. As a member of this crew, I will back your play, whether I think it is the right one or not. But one of the immutable laws of the universe is the law of diminishing returns. We’ve already past that point when we are talking about lives on the ground.

Bohdie takes a breath and swallows hard. "I've been hesitant to bring this up because, frankly, there’s been nothing I’ve been able to uncover either way… but has anyone considered that they could be in the hands, not of the Alejia, but of the Niparoo people? And we already know they are definitely in the Intelligence business. What information could they have gleaned from those poor souls down there? What kind of programming might they be imparting? As long as they have been out of touch…". Bohdie’s voice trails off. The expression on his face, pain shows briefly before he pulls it back together and masks further emotion. He sits back in his chair, eyes fixated on Chaala, not in an adversarial manner, but as a man waiting for a sporting decision.

Virel looks toward Bohdie and gives a small nod.

"Yes. Any decision is better than none at all. However, there is another option we seem to have overlooked: the Harrier itself. The people on the ground are already aware of that vessel’s existence. Landing it rather than the Voyager may be an option worth considering. At the same time, the Voyager could remain mobile and continue orbital observation trying to locate the rest of the crew, while a smaller team addresses the situation on the ground and continues from a diplomatic standpoint."


A slight pause follows.

"Yes… perhaps moving the Cutter creates more complications than bringing down another ship already connected to the situation."

He turns back toward Bohdie and Chaala.

"But I think the larger point has been made. We need to make a choice and begin implementing plans to recover the rest of the crew, even if new information emerges while we are doing so."

"You know, I hadn't thought about the possibility that the Niparoo could have them. I think it's unlikely, though. They have less to gain, and more to lose, by messing with Scouts and they had other opportunities elsewhere. They could be connected to the Alejia polity that has them, but we've seen no real interaction with the Alejia, which continues to ask the question of what they're doing here at all. They have had several large ships through here in the time Dominicus has been out of contact. If the Niparoo have physical custody, odds are they're off world by now, but, again, I doubt it. We may, eventually, have to deal with them. It would actually be easier if they do have them. They're a commercial interest at their core and we know how to negotiate with that."

Chaala nods to Brodie. "As for the ship and landing, let's hear what Verik has to say. I'm still leaning towards using the Cutter. We might even put Harrier in a more visible orbit and give the impression that she's been away and returned and is recalling her boat. Will mean we can keep Voyager a hidden asset while presenting a reasonable story. If Verik indicates that moving the cutter presents any significant risk, we go with Brodie's plan. We'll have to allocate crew to both ships, since we need to have a deadline after which Harrier heads back to Pautho if we're unable to check in."

Verik does not answer immediately. The delay is long enough to suggest he is thinking, but not long enough to feel evasive. When he does speak again, his expression remains composed, though his tone has become more practical than conversational.

"I can make those inquiries. Quietly. But understand what that means here. I will not ask the question in the form you just asked it. That would draw attention to the wrong thing. I will ask it as a matter of traffic handling and local expectation—whether an offworld auxiliary craft currently under observation can relocate without creating a political misunderstanding."

He pauses slightly, allowing that distinction to settle.

"As for how it will be viewed, there are two different answers. If the cutter lifts without context and returns to its original position, some will read that as the offworlders testing limits. Others will ask who authorized the movement and why it was necessary. It may not be treated as hostile, but it will be noticed. Everything at the starport is noticed."

Verik’s gaze shifts briefly, likely toward some unseen display, then returns.

"If the cutter relocates to a commercial pad adjacent to the Star’s Mercy, that tells a different story. It places the movement inside a known commercial pattern. It suggests you are arriving under observation by an established operator rather than maneuvering independently through local custom. That does not make you invisible. Quite the opposite. But it makes your visibility easier for others to interpret."

His tone remains even, but there is a clear preference underneath the words.

"The original location carries history. Returning there preserves that history, including all the questions attached to it. Landing near my berth creates a new context. Not a neutral one—no such thing exists here—but a cleaner one."

A brief pause follows.

"Now, regarding the earlier offworlders."

Verik’s expression becomes more guarded—not closed, but careful.

"I can tell you what is generally understood among those who pay attention. The offworld party did not simply vanish, and they were not treated as common prisoners. That distinction matters here. They became entangled in a matter of custom, standing, and tribal obligation. Their presence has been useful to several parties and inconvenient to several more."

He leans forward slightly.

"I do not have a confirmed location I am prepared to state over this channel. If someone claims they can give you that cleanly and cheaply, they are either lying or selling you someone else’s trap."

Another small pause.

"What I can say is this: the group is believed to remain alive, and the matter has not concluded because no faction has yet found a resolution that preserves enough face, leverage, and advantage for all concerned. That is why your arrival matters. You may be seen as a way to resolve the matter—or as a new complication to be used inside it."

Verik lets the words sit for a moment before continuing.

"If your intent is to recover them, then the first mistake would be acting as though this is a simple detention. The second mistake would be acting as though everyone holding a piece of the matter wants the same outcome."

His expression softens slightly, but only slightly.

"My recommendation is this: allow me to inquire about the cutter’s relocation as traffic and reception, not as extraction. Bring the cutter to the commercial pad beside Star’s Mercy, if that is the craft you choose to use. Arrive cleanly. Arrive visibly. Let the first interpretation of your arrival be that you are seeking guidance, not forcing a decision. This may take a few days, is this okay with you?"

He holds their gaze through the tri-vid.

"Once we meet in person, I can tell you more. And I can tell you what questions are safe to ask before you ask them in front of the wrong people."

Chaala again positions herself so lips cannot be read and makes sure the comm is muted. "I think a few more days is OK to get this right. We can use the time effectively, see if we can map out the changes to the communication pattern once Verik starts his inquiries. If possible, track his movements and see who he talks to. We can continue to refine the translators as well. All told, it will not be lost time and puts in a better place whichever ship we arrive on."

Wilbur is quiet for a moment.
"This is not an extraction. It's a complex negotiation with moving parts we don't fully see yet.".

Virel turns slightly toward Wilbur. "Yes… unfortunately it is."

A brief pause follows before he continues.

"And I find myself wondering what Verik truly gains from involving himself in this. The answer to that question may tell us how much we can trust him… or whether we should begin considering other paths as well."

"We can only speculate, but it seems that some Alejia groups will benefit from this being resolved. Most notably those responsible for the spaceport. I can imagine that having them in your debt would be good for someone in Verik's position. We don't know who else, but we have reason to believe that they're not the only group. And diffierent ways of resolving benefit different groups in different ways, so we'll need to anticipate being played by everyone we encounter and some we won't. We also need to be aware of who loses by this being resolved. I don't know that anyone wants it to go on forever but there are competing versions of resolved that have kept it in it's current state for a long time."

Wilbur reflects for a moment.
"If Verik is as shrewd as I suspect, he figured out we are Scouts early. Having friends in the ISS is a significant return for a free trader — nothing illegal. A recommendation opens doors in the Imperium he would never have known existed. Current charts alone are worth considerable credit.

And he becomes the man who resolved this. That carries weight out here too—both amongst free-traders and tribes. And all this with very limited risk."

Thirty-six hours pass before Verik returns on the secure channel. During that time, the traffic pattern around the Ad Hoc Starport changes in small ways rather than dramatic ones. A few short-range transmissions tighten around the commercial pad net. Two merchant-band relays cycle through repeated authentication bursts. A low-power ground station near the commercial apron goes active for several minutes at a time, then falls quiet again. Nothing suggests alarm, but the system is clearly no longer ignoring the question of the cutter.

When Verik appears on the tri-vid again, he looks rested, composed, and slightly less informal than before. The background behind him is the same compartment aboard Star’s Mercy, but there is a quiet shift in posture. This is not the exploratory conversation anymore. This is a broker returning with an answer.

"I have made the inquiries. Carefully."

He gives the word enough weight to make clear that the shape of the question mattered as much as the answer.

"The cutter may relocate. That is the important part. The movement will not be treated as a hostile act, an escape attempt, or a seizure of disputed property, provided it is handled as traffic and reception. Not extraction. Not military repositioning. Not a demonstration."

Verik pauses, allowing the limits to settle.

"The preferred interpretation is this: the offworld auxiliary craft is being moved from an old point of contact to a commercial receiving berth under recognized sponsorship. That sponsorship would be mine. The receiving berth would be the empty commercial pad adjacent to Star’s Mercy. Your approach would be announced, ordinary, and unhurried."

His expression remains neutral, but his eyes sharpen slightly.

"If the cutter lifts and returns to its original position, that will be tolerated, but not understood. It keeps the craft tied to the original incident and invites others to continue interpreting it through that history. Some will ask why it moved at all. Some will ask why it returned. Some will decide the answer before you provide one."

A small pause.

"If the cutter lifts and comes to the commercial pad beside my vessel, that creates a cleaner interpretation. Not a private one. Do not mistake me on that point. It will be seen. But it will be seen as arrival through a known commercial channel rather than independent maneuver through local space."

He leans back slightly.

"There are conditions. No sudden ascent profile. No weapons posture. No evasive routing. No attempt to mask the movement. The more ordinary it looks, the less dangerous it becomes. File it as a relocation for reception and consultation. Keep the language boring. Boring language prevents exciting reactions."

Verik lets that faintly dry observation sit for a moment.

"As for the occupant, the engineer aboard the cutter is not expected to be interfered with during the move, provided he departs aboard the craft and does not attempt to transfer separately through the port. If he remains aboard, he remains part of the craft’s movement. That is simpler for everyone."

His expression grows more guarded.

"Understand something: this does not mean every faction likes the movement. It means no one with immediate standing at the port has chosen to make the movement a point of open objection. That is a very different thing, and you should treat it as such."

Another pause follows.

"Regarding the earlier offworld party, I have less to give you over this channel than you want. But I can give you this much. Their status has not degraded in the way one would expect if this were simple captivity. They remain alive, and they remain politically useful. That usefulness is one reason they have not been discarded. It is also one reason they have not been released."

Verik’s tone stays measured, but there is a clear warning inside it.

"Their location is not a thing I will state here. Not because I am withholding it for sport, and not because I lack avenues to pursue it. Because naming a place too early may make that place less safe, not more. You are not the only people listening for changes in pattern."

He looks directly into the pickup.

"If you come down beside Star’s Mercy, I can tell you more in person. I can also tell you which questions to ask first, which ones to delay, and which ones not to ask until you understand who benefits from hearing them."

A brief pause.

"My recommendation remains the same. Bring the cutter. Bring only the people you need for the first conversation. Keep your ship where she gives you options. Let the cutter’s movement say one thing only: you are arriving to consult before acting."

His expression softens just enough to become almost cordial.

"If you do that, I can receive you cleanly. I cannot make the situation safe. No honest broker would promise that. But I can make the first step legible. Here, that matters more than most offworlders understand."

Verik waits a moment, then adds one final practical note.

"When you are ready, transmit your relocation notice on the commercial traffic band. I will answer in the clear and acknowledge reception. After that, follow the assigned vector to the pad beside Star’s Mercy. Do not improvise unless you have to."

The secure channel holds steady, and Verik falls silent. The offer is still there, but now it has edges: the cutter can move, Voss can leave with it, and the next step will be visible to everyone who matters.

GM - Actions?

Bohdie breathes a silent sigh of relief. At least for the moment, the matter is not going to upset the balance of Dominicus and crew’s situation.

Bohdie takes a deep breath, "Beyond that, I’d say we go with Verik’s recommendation as the best option. At some point, we are going to have to trust someone. Even if his motivation is greed, that is a lot easier to read and deal with on a human than on someone whose language we may never fully understand."

"Sounds like the cutter is our best choice and we have a blueprint for how to move it without making more waves than we have to. We still have some things to get in order before we make the move. Foremost is who's going, but beyond that, we need to decide if we want to contact Captains Cox or Raines, who both preached caution and Raines explicitly offered guidance though his idea of a friendly gesture might not match ours. Brodie, I think this falls under intelligence gathering, so your call if and who we call before we make our official contact to start things moving. Once we do that, we transfer crew who's going down plus a pilot to Harrier and Voyager goes into hiding for the moment. They'll follow the cutter with every scope they have and I want them to see the open hull that can't land, not the top of the line courier."

Bohdie nods at the cue. Having spent a lot of time working on various projects for the potential surface missions, he had already considered whether or not to contact the other two Free Trader Captains. "There are a number of reasons that went into selecting Verik as our point of contact, including the fact that he seems to be the most integrated into the Alejia social structure and certainly has the best grasp of the laws and social mores of their society. I believe that to contact the other two captains at this point would only serve to alienate our best contact to this point.

"While Verik may stand to gain, whether financially or by additional reputation, by helping us, we should be aware, and therefore cautious, that he stands to lose at least as much. And we do not know how adversarial the situation between these three is. So my recommendation is that we actively do no more than what has already been discussed. Verik indicated we should use the standard commercial procedure in moving the cutter and announcing our arrival aboard it. Since it is the standard procedure and standard frequencies will be used, I submit that the other two captains expect this and would, therefore, accept this as appropriate notification and contact, at least until we’ve landed and gotten a chance to speak with Verik in person and in private."

Victor didn't add anything else as the tense discussion was going on. When it was agreed that there would be movement, he gave his opinion, "I agree that Verik is using this opportunity to gain as much influence as possible. But it also seems that the situation down there is at an impasse and nothing was moving beforehand. Us arriving and taking some action will start the movement. Which begs the question: what have these captains established beforehand to cause this so-called peaceful impasse? If we are questioning other captains, then we can ask why there is no movement within the Aleija even after the arrival of offworlders. What or who is keeping everything stagnant?"

Wilbur nods.
"Verik had more to say in private — and he was careful about what he said on an open channel. We should take that seriously and hold the harder questions until we're face to face.

Before we move, I'd like a fallback plan in place. Something we can execute quickly if the first conversation goes sideways. We shouldn't be deciding that on the ground."