White Star : Star Rogues episode 8

 White Star: The Orpheus Cycle, part 2

game played: 5/27/2024

Stellar Coyote

Players:                                                             

Selina - Yuug Star Knight Apprentice

Mark - Max Arden, Aristocrat / Free Trader

Deborah - N0-VAK-33, Robot Bodyguard

Having departed Argon station our party travels to the Brinn system hot on the trail of a ship called the Orpheus Cycle. Yuug's Master is believed to be travelling low on this craft and Max wonders why he really keeps "losing" his young apprentice.

Location: 2 Cycles (days) later

Red Shift - Kelron Sector - Brinn Alpha station - Vector 14/29

Brinn Alpha / GC station

Max: Stellar Coyote to Brinn Alpha control, requesting permission to dock on repair level.

Brinn Control: Stellar Coyote, sensors show minor rad scoring, what happened out there?

Max: Had a run in with a trio of Rills*, we got real lucky and shook them.

Brinn Control: Confirmed, you are clear for docking in repair bay 12. Align to vector 4.5 and slow to standard by 0.5. Control will lock and bring you in.

Max: Thank you control, Coyote set for vector and lock-on.

Yuug: I sense cheese toasties nearby. . . . 

[ After docking, Max gets a repair crew to take care of the damage caused by the Rills. Our trio then heads to the promenade level and stops at a Starbeans Cafe, then Stay-Fresh Snaks for Yuug. Finally Max gets N0-VAK to stay with Yuug at a Holovid Cinema while he runs down info on the Orpheus Cycle. ]

Max: We just missed the Orpheus by a few hours. Seems they picked up a cargo heading to Janaris II. I've taken on a cargo for the Recreational facility as well  on that planet so we can head in the same direction without drawing any unwanted attention. If there isn't anything either of you need, we should head out.

N0-VAK-33: I am ready to depart.

Yuug: You need to refill your pantry on the ship, and some space-cheese would be good too!

Max: Refill the pantry!? There was enough basic onboard for two sectons when we left Argon station! You owe me kid!

Location: 36 Centons later

Red Shift - Kelron Sector - Hyperlane to Janaris system - Vector 16/29

Spaceship wreckage

[ Console starts beeping. ]

Yuug: What's that sound, is the ship gonna explode? I'm hungry still.

Max: No, the ship isn't going to explode. Looks like we're picking up a distress beacon. I have to drop out of the Hyper-lane. Everyone strap in, I'm shutting down the E-drive.

Yuug: Why are we stopping? Are we at Janaris already? Where's the rest of the space-cheese?

N0-VAK-33: Upon detecting a distress beacon a ship is required to respond and give aid if possible or at least survey the situation and report it to the authorities as soon as possible. We may need to provide medical or mechanical to those in need. 

Max: Well, we can't take on any passengers, but we'll do what we can.

[ The group see's the wreckage of a ship drifiting in space. ]

N0-VAK-33: The damage looks severe. Do you think they were attacked?

Max: No, pirates don't blast the ships they hit, you don't want to risk damaging valuable cargo. This looks more like a really bad malfunction of some kind. See how the rear end is ripped open, looks like an internal rupture or power overload maybe.... 

Yuug: Hey is that someone in a spacesuit out there!!! Looks like they are holding onto something, a crate or a box I think. 

[ The body and the crate are brought onboard the Coyote, and it is discovered by the markings on the spacesuit that this is a member of the Orpheus crew. The crate contains what appear to be drugs of some type and both are stowed in the cargo hold. ]

N0-VAK-33: I have scanned the wreck and found no other survivors. Oddly there are no other bodies among the wreckage either. It is possible they have drifted beyond or sensor range.

Yuug: Oh Master, what happened?? Where are you?? If he were dead, I would feel it, I know I would!

Max: I don't think your Master's dead kid. Something happened here and the question is what exactly. Well, we've done all we can, better get back on course for Janaris. There is a GC outpost there we can lodge our report with.

Location: 36 Centons later

Red Shift - Kelron Sector - Janaris system - Vector 17/30

GC Outpost comms

GC Outpost: Your report has been logged and you may continue your journey to Janaris II. We have already contacted Resort Control and they are expecting you. Docking ring secure and you are clear for maneuvers Stellar Coyote.

Max: Setting course for Janaris II Resort, speed standard x1. Stellar Coyote out. 

N0-VAK-33: Yuug is convinced his Master is alive. He is still in the meditative trance he says will lead us to him. This is highly unusual.

Max: I hope the kid is right, and his Master and the rest of the people that were on that ship are alive. But the GC didn't seem overly concerned, and that was weird. They took the body and the crate, reviewed our data-scans and gave me no hassle. This just seems like something is really off. 

[ The Stellar Coyote arrives safely at the pleasure resort on Janaris II and Max gets the cargo unloaded and collects payment. In conversation with the Dockmaster he makes a discovery the only reinforces his prior suspicions. ] 

Max: There is something going on, and I don't like it.

N0-VAK-33: What do you mean? 

Max: The Dockmaster told me the Orpheus was never logged to make a delivery here. The Coyote is the only cargo hauler they were expecting. I don't like being mixed up in "situations", and this is quickly becoming a very mysterious situation.

Yuug: [ coming out of his trance ] Master!! Max, Novak! I felt him calling to me!! He's here on Janaris, in a tower of ice with a bunch of robots and others from the Orpheus!!

Max: Whoah kid, slow down. What do mean he's here on Janaris?

Yuug: I can sense him, he's here on this planet. I can lead us there!

N0-VAK-33: Perhaps we should humor him. If we go where he wants us to, we will either find his master and the missing crew. Or we will find nothing and be able to move on from this "situation".

Max: Alright kid, let's see where your senses take us.

[ The Coyote leaves the port at the Janaris Resort and keeps a low flight path as they let Yuug act a humanoid compass guiding them ever closer to the location of the missing victims of the Orpheus. ] 

Yuug: Oh! We are close, I can sense my Master clearly!!

Max: There's nothing out here but ice-covered mountains! I'm picking up no beacons or power readings within a thousand kliks of us.

[ Suddenly the ship is rocked as a tractor-control beam targets the Coyote!  A hidden docking bay in the side of a cliff becomes visible as a cloaking shield drops. ]

N0-VAK-33: A hidden base, no wonder we deteceted nothing on our instruments.

Max: I don't think whoever is in there is going to be very nice either.

Yuug: They won't keep me from my master, I'll show them what it means to mess with a Star Knight and his apprentice!!

As soon as the Coyote was settled in the landing bay of the hidden base, our trio burst out o the ship taking thier captors by surprise! A quick but intense battle was fought against three very strange Bio-Robotic creatures. Throughout the fight the "Bio-cans!" as Yuug called them, kept screaming "Obliterate!" in high-pitched voices. Max having a dislike for robots in general had no problem using his firearm to handily dispatch these things.

Bio-Can

Yuug's master was quickly located as well as the "Real" cargo of the Orpheus Cycle - Ten low berth pods and their occupants. It seems the Bio-Cans were going to use them as test subjects for some experiment they were about to do when the Coyote arrived.

Not wanting to linger and possibly draw GC attention. The group loaded the Low berth pods on the Coyote and they plotted a course from Janaris back to Argon station.

Location: 5 cycles later

Red Shift - Kelron Sector - Argon station - Vector 14/33

Master Vitis

Master Vitis: We are in your debt Mister Arden. I thank Illuma Yuug met you and N0-VAK, or things may have ended quite differently for myself and those poor people.

Max: Please, call me Max. I'm sad the crew of the Orpheus were all killed, but at least we can now get the other nine victims safley back to thier loved ones. What will you and Yuug do now? I'm afraid if the GC get word of you both you'll be hunted down quickly in this sector.

Yuug: What are we going to do next, master? Is it time for a new trial? Can we get some toasties with cheese before we move on? When will you teach me a ....

Master Vitis: [ holding up his hand to silence the apprentice ] I have booked us passage on a ship leaving Argon within the centar. Yuug and I have a mission that lies elsewhere. I hope you and N0-Vak stay well, and follow the path of the White Star.

N0-VAK-33: Farewell Master Vitis and Yuug. If you ever have need of me, here is my private FEED-COM. May your journey be pleasant and fruitful.

Max: Goodbye you two. By the way Yuug. you still owe me for a quarter ration of Basic! As for you N0-Vak, thanks for help. For a robot you aren't half-bad. Maybe I'll see you around.

N0-VAK-33: Perhaps you will Max, perhaps.

[Returning to the Stellar Coyote, Max takes stock of his venture so far.]

Max: Okay, enough "situations". I need to get down to some serious trading. The ship needs some upgrades and I think it's time I invested in a Mech-bot too. But first, a little game of P-zak down at Theta-Blooms.

THE END. . . for now

*RILLS: see the White Star & Quadrant 44 page for more info.

Epilogue: Secret base in the Ice mountain on Janaris II.

GC Operative: The ship is registered to a Maximillan Arden out of Tellian, a Free Trader. Shall I have the outpost send word to stop him at his next port?

Blue-Man: No. I am taking over from this point forward. The young Arden has twice now thwarted my Dark-Masters endeavours. There is somethnig more to him that I first thought, and I must know what it is. Wipe this place, there must be no trace of what transpired here. Also alert Talamacus that a Star Knight is active in this Sector, I think he'll be very interested in that.