Elite roleplay: Off station

OFF STATION

Your ship, deep space, anything that is not happening inside the Citi Gateway or Ingaba...

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27 Oct 2022, 7:45pm
. I'll let you .. do what ever"

It would be obscene. I couldn't do it.

I buzzed her immediately: "Don't post anything. Mail him directly. " I'm on my way. Where are you?"

I found a pair of boots in the locker. Gross. Too bad.

Offering her a fortune in the full knowledge that there was a real chance of her not living long enough to collect was too far. The other thing - well, maybe. Let's see what happens after I tell her ...
27 Oct 2022, 8:13pm
While typing a quick post for the Board, Willow answered a ping from Descartes.

Descartes"Don't post anything. Mail him directly. " I'm on my way. Where are you?"


With her finger hovering over the send button, Willow answered, wondering if the 500 million bubble had been burst already.
"I'm like, at the reception on your ward. You could shout and I'd hear you"

"Sup?"
28 Oct 2022, 12:06pm
By the time I made it to reception I was out of breath. This is going to take longer than I'd thought.

"Sorry for being so dramatic. Help me back to my room." Gasp. "Think about it before you make a decision. Don't you wonder why it's worth so much?" Stop for breath. "How about posting a cryptic message on your board." We were back at the room. I lay down.

"Wait for him to contact you. Can you verify its him?" I fumbled around for an 02 mask.

"I'll let you know where to find my ship when it arrives." I was done.
28 Oct 2022, 1:57pm
She looked like an unwell child, disorderly and helpless. The oxygen mask counterpointed her blue-purple face nicely, and her short light-gold bed head went well with the vivid gash across her face.

Letting Descartes go to bed dressed was one thing, but allowing her to pass out in bovver-boots on the sheets was quite another. Willow braced herself on the foot of the bed and stared the difficult process of liberating Descartes feet from new boots.

"Allow me to answer in order if you will. I don't care Because it is a lot of money" said Willow struggling with boot one.

Willow was a platform kid that spent most of her life on space ships. Platforms didn't even rotate, so simply dealing with gravity was an effort for her; unaided physical excursion doubly so.

"I was going to be cryptic; it's the only way they operate"

The first boot came free sending Willow back a few steps. She held it up for a moment claiming a small victory over physics.

"I always have to wait for them to get back to me, and if they don't know how they opened your somewhat.." she paused, huffing and panting with the second boot "..unique pod, its not the one we want"

With a satisfying 'pook' the second boot came free, and Willow gathered up its partner and put them back in the locker.

"Anyway, you are in no fit state to oversee proceedings. Get some rest, recover, and we'll order your contract over whatever sort of hot beverage they serve here. Rest in peace Descartes" said Willow turning off the light as she drifted out backwards, silhouetted against the bright hall.


Last edit: 28 Oct 2022, 2:06pm
28 Oct 2022, 3:01pm
'Rest in peace Descartes'. Did I look that much like one of her cadavers?

Peace did not come. A nightmare of flames, choking, suffocating. I woke drenched with sweat, entangled in a sheet. Did she relieve me of my clothes as well as the boots?

DE-30M. Mamba, Ramp 22. Give me twelve hours from sending. Buzz me when your on the ramp.

I persuaded the Medics to let me leave with a lightweight Oxygen rebreather and helmet. Called up some personal transport and left in the loose jumpsuit and boots. Left the rest behind.

Dumping the jumpsuit in the first airlock I dressed in my own shorts and vest, retired to my pilots chair in the cockpit. It felt as comforting as an old friend. Drifted off to the sounds of 'Madam Butterly' after plugging my helmet into the ships systems.


Last edit: 28 Oct 2022, 3:09pm
29 Oct 2022, 4:41pm
Resting in comfortable famliar surroundings worked wonders. The low gravity this close to the axis of the massive slowly rotating station helped. The oxygen rich mixture flooding my hemet would be helping the wound on my head to heal more quickly. It would take a long time. Reconstruction could wait.

Sending the Willow notice that my ship had arrived and where to find it I looked forward to meeting her, no longer feeling at a disadvantage. I would be more civil towards her.

I was impatient now, wondering if her hacker had discovered anything as he poked around in other people's data banks.
29 Oct 2022, 5:46pm


There were a few things in the galaxy that are always beautiful to look upon, and a ship perfectly equipped for its job was one of them. Willow looked side-long at the Bramble Barb. The high-viz colour scheme looked wrong under the lights here. It should have been Green and White, but it looked kind-of-green and pink.

Light will as light dose, so paying it no further mind, she wondered to the boarding lift. Just as she was about to step on, she got a message on her pad from Descartes saying her ship was in, and she was feeling well enough to talk. With a final look up at her ship, Willow headed back to the elevators.



After a few elevator changes and a bit of a walk, Willow arrived at Descartes. Now there was a ship. It didn't matter what paint job, or customizations it had, Willow never tired of enjoying a Mamba. Standing at the entry, Willow activated the coms and asked the important question.

"Like hi, it's Willow. So permission to come aboard I guess"
29 Oct 2022, 9:05pm
Maul laid flat of his back staring up at the lights changing color overhead as he took another hit of an inhaler that had a small smiley face plastered on the side of the canister that was accompanied by the name of the product; "OH-Go". A discrete and concentrated double does of onion head for those on the go. Just another perk of staying in an anarchy system for Maul. Sure, he missed home but there was steady work here and he didn't have to worry about pissing off the neighbors.

Maul ripped his stare from the lights that decorated the ceiling and glanced around his temporary living quarters. It was basically a bed and his computer. "The essentials" as he liked to call it. His attention was suddenly on the giant red notification symbol that had appeared on his computers holo screens.

"What the shit?" He grunted on his way back on to his feet and off the floor.

It was a message from The Network.



"Greetings Gh0uli3,

The client from your most recent job has asked to make contact with you. Would you like to accept?

Please note that making contact with a client is highly unadvised. 92% of all Operators who have agreed to sharing personal information with a Client have been targeted/harmed/tortured/murdered/arrested within a week of the share date.

We do not take responsibility for your death!

If you would like to proceed please input your passphrase below.
"



Maul read the message a couple of times. No one had ever reached out to him after a job before. It goes against the whole purpose of using The Network as handlers...which just made him all the more curious.

He poked the input box on the screen and reluctantly typed out his passphrase; "When we lose our principles, we invite chaos." He was a mess now compared to the day he decided on that passphrase and deep down he knew it.

He stared silently at the holo screen for a few moments before a quick shake of the head and another hit of OH-Go to clear his mind. He was interested to see what this client wanted so badly that they'd put their personal information on the line to risk it.

He tapped submit and waited for a response.
30 Oct 2022, 8:02pm
I got a buzz from Willow, checked the exterior cams and she seemed to be alone.

"Come up Commander, leave your boots in the first airlock."

The cockpit on a Mamba is surprisingly spacious for a fighter. I was still in a helmet weaning myself off the over-rich mixture. Indicated a couple of jumpseats, I sat almost opposite her.

"So, heard anything interesting?" My voice still sounded coarse and wheezy inside the helmet.
30 Oct 2022, 8:15pm
"Like sure, I got the person that helped me help you on this pad waitin on a response" said Willow enjoying the cool between her toes.

"You know, Mambas are just the best, right? asked Willow, looking at her pale reflection in Descartes mask.

Something about the helmet occurred to Willow. She didn't mind the injury, but maybe Descartes was sensitive about it now she was feeling better.

"Hay, you're not ashamed of your cut, are you? Like, it's nothing to worry about, you know? Plenty of surgeons and treatments can get that gone if you want. I mean, I can't hide it, but I can do your make-up to hide the bruising, and make the cut less angry if you like?"
30 Oct 2022, 8:50pm
"The Mamba does it's job well. I'm not. ashamed of anything." I still had the old scar on my cheek, barely visible now. The new one would also fade, given time..

Looking at her make-up, my next answer needed to be more tactful, less blunt. I found her very attractive, but that pale hollow-cheeked look was not for me. I decided that not answering her last question would be best.

"OK. Maybe ask him a vague open-ended question about activity in the Coalsack. Off the grid stuff. Off the record. Illegal."

In the back of my mind, I couldn't help thinking about spending time with this interesting young woman. Hell, I could only be a few years older than her, despite my appearance. Too long alone. In truth, lonely. I wondered how much I should tell her.

"I'll get my pod transferred here."

"The offer still stands. Have you given it serious thought?
30 Oct 2022, 9:15pm
"Ok so, it's like this" said Willow talking to her own eyes in Descartes mask "Getting killed is easy, you know? Like, you go to the wrong station without being ready to counter an interdiction, and you may as well cross the vail your self rather than give some railgun asshole the satisfaction" said Willow with complete indifference.


"Like doing anything is going to get you killed out here, but getting paid real well for it is hard, right? So like, no thoughts required, you know?"

A message about the chance of finding out about traffic out here, and the possibility of getting logs from Nav-Beacons and the closest stations or carriers to the Coalsack was sent to the mystery hacker. That looked like a real enquiry without giving too much away.

"So .. .. do you have tea? Or maybe like a full-bodied red? Like, we should celebrate the shockingly narrow chance of someone finding you out there" She asked, activating the text to voice function on her pad for Descartes.


Last edit: 31 Oct 2022, 6:31pm
31 Oct 2022, 5:13pm
Maul was already staring at the screen when the clients message came through.

"Coalsack?"

His intrigue grew that much more. Maul had been there maybe twice and both times were uneventful to say the least. Now someone is wanting him to poke around the nebula to find something or someone.

He quickly sent a message back.

"Yeah, nabbing detailed T-logs from some Navs is possible. I gotta a ship fit with the tech to breach them and can zoom out that way asap. Should we meet IRL to discuss pay or what? Not too keen on pro bono freelancing, ya know?"


Last edit: 31 Oct 2022, 5:20pm
31 Oct 2022, 6:48pm
'do you have tea? ' Willow asked.

"Lemon, Green or Ginger?" I laughed. Time for a cosy chat?

"I'm not proud of everything I've done... some things... unethical... maybe illegal." No need to expand on that.

"And don't be impressed by my 'Admiral' label. It's legal, offical and honestly earned. It carries no rank, no power, just the necessary qualifcation to buy a Corvette." Get to the point.

"The thing is, chasing money is a mugs game, like searching around Sag a* to locate 'the mug;'. The first million is the hardest, after that.... still, no point in turning down a genuine offer."

"Like the ship of Theseus, my Corvette has been with me since, forever. So many components have been renewed and modified it's no longer the same ship. I knew it inside out. Every vibration and any new click. Could buy a new one, then would be forever wondering what had happed."

I was sounding bitter and sad, I know, but...

"Let's wait and see what your contact finds out, however likely or otherwise. Then we can make a decision."
31 Oct 2022, 7:37pm
“Oo lemon please, that’s always nice”

“So like, it’s easy to say it’s a mugs game when you got the wonga for a new Corvette just hanging around, but I live job to job you know? And a good payday will let me buy and equip an Anaconda, hell if I work my ass off, maybe even a Cutter or Corvette of my own” Explained willow following Descartes to the drinks.

Willow smiled at Descartes “Yeah so, I guess thank's for giving me the chance to be a mug for the last time. I’ll raise a glass to that”

She played the text to voice message from the Hacker so Descartes was up to speed while she played host.
Maul Montresor
"Coalsack?"

"Yeah, nabbing detailed T-logs from some Navs is possible. I gotta a ship fit with the tech to breach them and can zoom out that way asap. Should we meet IRL to discuss pay or what? Not too keen on pro bono freelancing, ya know?"


“You see this makes sense to me, you know? Said Willow pointing at the pad “coz I don’t think your Theseus is gone. There’s something about your pod that doesn’t say Emergency Escape, right? It says leave her here and pick her up later”

“I mean, I think you were put in that pod for some reason, and I think this hacker can help us at least trace the last steps of your ship if I’m wrong. What should we say?”

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