Azura Initiative - Rico Swave arrives at the Capital
28 Apr 2022Tyy'sun Eson
(A collaborative RP between Rico Swave and Tyy'sun Eson with Eson depicting the ambience and NPCs of the capital of the Azura Initiative. Our Discord) Communications System Direct Link
Link Established: Signal Level Strong
Message Follows
"This is Commander Rico Swave, on board Paragon's Retreat AKA the Capital. I have come a long way from Sagittarius A* and I have finally arrived tonight. I'm awaiting clearance into the station. Hoping to have a warm cup of tea and finally rest my eyes. I'm a newcomer to Azura, yet only visiting; and hoping to make all that jumping worth while."
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A voice over his comms invites him to depart his ship, "Cleared Cmdr Swave, morings in place. Refuel complete. Welcome to the capital of Azura. An info carepackage has been forwarded to your ship computer. Guest clearance A established." The concourse of Paragon's Retreat is of a standard carrier layout, but citizens, Tribunal staffers, spacers from abroad and various guests mill about everywhere and activity is high. The tastes and sounds of many cultures mix in the commodities market and a humble if ambitious tourist industry has sprouted. Explorers plying their discoveries and guides offering discounts on fares can be heard between the station wide announcements over loud speakers conveying news and information. Although it is rough and tumble compared to the highest class resorts and population centers in the Sol Bubble, every element of civilization's fledgling needs can be found represented amongst the diversity. One commonality though between all these people is their determination and bravery in operating on so distant a frontier.
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"Roger that, packing up and disembarking now." He replies, sending a copy of the info into his SmatGlass feed, turning off his ships systems, and getting up from the pilot's seat. He starts by stretching his arms and legs then heading over into his onboard bedroom in Hawk's Eye. He grabs a rolling suit case, packs his clothes, and changing out of his flight suit. It wasn't long before he was ready to leave his mighty ship. He had a small remote on him that has and encrypted lock and unlock code for his ship with a biometric unlock. He slipped it into the back pocket of his jeans as he opened the airlock went walk down the stairs attached to the front landing gear. He stands and looks up at his Krait, touching the dude if the it's landing gear. "Best tin can I ever bought; brought me from Odin's Hold, to Sag A in once piece, even to the Great Annihilator? Aren't you a trooper... Huh?" He notices the patches of disintegrated paint. He refuses to repaint the chrome because it proves how far his ship has gone. He leaves the hanger with a smile, feels nice to walk on normal gravity again. He takes the elevator down to the main floor, luggage rolling behind him.
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“News from the bubble?” “Word from Sol?” Not all instances of people flocking to the Azura Initiative from the Sol Bubble are tales of bravery and heroism. Sometimes the destitute and desperate make their way to such a frontier. Tattered and half functional flight suits house the withered and hungry bodies of men women and children who seek news from their homeworlds and loved ones still embroiled in whatever catastrophes they fled from. These are the first to greet CMDR Rico Swave who have no shame in catching tidbits of information and charity from explorers and travelers entering from the hangar bays to the main concourses. More than one questionable product or service is offered the pilot as well, and he would be smart to keep his luggage close for this first leg of his walk into the capital. Beyond these first greeters then come the more reputable vendors who have managed to gain a positive reputation in the corridors and bulkheads leading to the market district itself. Often discounts and deals can be found just outside the primary markets in alcoves and tented display carts with run down robotic kiosks advertising wares. Often a scam or a slit throat can be found as well for those without sense or any streetsmarts.
Once well into the interior of the capital carrier, however, things get much more quality controlled and civilized, with AzCorp peace officers patrolling every so often and a more professional veneer to everything. The roughest folks here are the colonials themselves in their wide brimmed helmets and frontier garb. But often their soft and friendly voices betray the hard stern exteriors of their helmets, those who bother wearing them indoors. It just so happens a delegation from Pamantesc is here now browsing the market stalls. Beyond the markets there are the spacers, the haulers and explorers who tend to congregate in the bars near the shipyard and Universal Cartographics. More than one of them notice Rico Swave moving through the ship and a few nods of respect are offered the explorer when he is recognized by his flight suit and any decorations. Most likely though, for now, Rico just wants a place to put his things and lay his head. A centralized computer system offers services and Rico can book any number of suites from economic, business and luxury to meet his needs.
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"It's been a while since I came from the bubble. Last things I heard were something about disagreements between the Empire and Marlinist colonies. Miss. Lavigny Duval trying to take them in and 'support' them... I actually am coming from a to Beagle Point; quite far from all the chaos. But hey, at least the Thargoids are back in check now. Nothing much from that." He says to everyone asking for news. He then yawns and continues walking further inside, seeing the scenery change. He notices the computer system offering rooms, taking a look at the choices, he felt like luxury would fit his style. His Orca let him take that luxury with him, at the cost of a smaller jump range. He wondered if the room could fill the gaps of which his Orca could do best... Once he booked the room for about 2 weeks he awaited the computer's response.
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~"Suite 23A Recommended. Holosuit | Full service bath | AINetainment System and Subscription | Breakfast and Dinner | Concourse access"~ The computerized voice offers up the suite for a premium and offers baggage handling as well as a deluxe ship interior cleaning service. One interesting option for dignitaries getting luxury accommodations is to make a sizable donation to the Azura Initiative in exchange for a private dinner with Tribunal members.
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Rico accepts the offer from the computer, letting them do every service except luggage since he only brought one suitcase. He waits for the directions to the room to be sent to his SmartGlas, once received, he heads up to the suite, rolling his suit case to the door, then opening the suite with a electronic key that was sent to his glasses as a code to open his door. He enters and puts all his stuff down on the bed, he takes out some clothes then heads to the shower. Once out, he admires to look of the room.
After looking at all the details, he nods a thinks it's worth the cash. Feeling a little hungry, a cooks up something quick and easy. Once done he makes some long distance calls to friends in the bubble, inviting them to enter the room via telepresence and explore. Most are shocked by the view while others like the style of the room. He chats with them for while before cleaning up his dishes and then heading to sleep exhausted from all the jumping.
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Many hours later a beep at the door signifies room service. A display screen showcases the breakfast menu and any other services one wishes to order. A message has been left in Rico's in-box:
Explorers Guild Meet at Universal Cartographics. <Timeslot> Paid survey work announcements and Discovery exchange Entry Fee at the door. Lunch included.
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Rico wakes up, yawning and stretching towards the window as he hears the beep. He gets up and looks at the menu ordering a full breakfast meal and then seeing the message that was sent to him from Universal Cartographics. He reads it, thinking about what they were offering. After reading, he decides he will go there to see if he can get some more info on hat they are looking for. While waiting for his breakfast the be prepared he freshens himself up, including take a shower. Once the food arrives, he eats. After that, he hires a maid server to clean the room while he is out nd then heads over to the UC department.
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Normally Universal Cartographics on Paragon's Retreat is a rather sterile environment with the quiet business of star charts and a stuffy receptionist, but today is a meet-and-greet between explorers and they have wasted no time in mucking up the brochures while lounging about the place. Trading stories and killing time between announcements of snacks and refreshments and turning in datasets, the spacers generally laugh and carry on with relative calm and mirth. Someone like Rico would be accepted with hardly a second glance and should he wish he could soon be swapping tales with the most storied of them.
Noticeable and centered within the lounge is a kiosk detailing astrophotography work for the exploration ward under a Dr. Richard Fluiraniz M. the Initiative Scholar. It would seem many of the datasets for surveys across AI space are incomplete and without accompanying visual media and a premium is being paid in appreciation to pilots who volunteer, the promise of potential future work, and some modest earnings per photo.
Perhaps more unsettling if not more profitable is the out of uniform but still obvious AzCorp security agent socializing his way through the crowds of spacers and who ultimately approaches Rico while extending a datacard. "Rico Swave? Nice name, pal. If you are looking for work there is a kush job for outsiders like you in research this week. Cash up front and no questions asked. Kind of makes me wish I wasn't from around here, money like that.." the officer smirks, evidently imagining himself some sort of operative but failing to pull it off. Guess this is what the highlight of a day in capital security looks like.
The datacard reads:
Apply to: Research Head Dr. Beatrix Burbarry
SCG Solace Lab 03
Pilot | Lab Assistant |Misc
50,000cr / week
Temp w/ 1 week minimum
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"Thanks." RIco responds. "Dr. Beatrix? Long time since I've seen a name such as that. People have such strange names now-a-days in the bubble..." He continues, reading the data card. "Alright, where should I meet them? Are they here?" He asks the guard, unsure if where to go next.
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The guard was turning around prepared to consider the matter closed but turns back at Rico's questioning, "Oh whats that? Yeah who knows with people these days. Probably a fake name." he chuckles with a funny expression before reaching out and taking the datacard back, "Says here SCG Solace.. thats ol jeh-anders-memorial, don't know what you'll be doing there buddy but if you are a pilot like this here says, Im going to wager you'll fly there." he hands the datacard back. "Swut I'd do.." he nods in confidence and with a wink before turning around and heading back into the crowd.
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"Thanks for the help!" He says as the guard disappears, looking at the datacard once more then starting to head over to the hangar. Once getting to hanger, he boards his krait launches and Flies off to Jeh Anders Memorial.
