Zilan Wine, Conclusion

 

Where the Travellers finally take on the load of wine and find unexpected trouble after delivery.

This note is from our January 4th, 2015 session and was mostly written by Carl with edits and additional material provided by Kay and myself. The picture of the Skylark docking was done by me in Sketchup and rendered in Kerkythea.

Continued from: Zilan Wine, Part Two.

Date: 238-1104 Imperial.

Location: The Fireau et Fille winery on the planet Zila in the Aramis Subsector.

238-1104
Finally the time had come to load up the wine and get out of Bureaucracyville.

The winery manager and the legal team were the main house doing final preparations and checking the paperwork. Sam and Lisa were supervising the workers loading the wine onto the Skylark's cargo bay. Gvouzdon was on the bridge controlling the Skylark's turrets. Also on the bridge was Medicus on sensors keeping eye out for anything unusual and watching comm. The rest of the crew were spread out around the winery with laser carbines at the ready.

About half way through the loading, the winery security scanners detected an incoming aircraft crossing the property line about 5 km out. Medicus confirmed that and tried unsuccessfully to make contact.

A call came in from the new arrival: “This is the district 14 sheriff’s department. We detected a spacecraft landing on your property, do you have a permit?”

Yes we did.

The legal team told us they would try to delay things till we were gone.

The incoming ship landed short, behind an outlying building, and made no further contact. Shortly after that a call came in saying "It is a felony to impersonate law enforcement". The actual sheriff was on the way, by land vehicle.

Sam and Lisa tried to hustle the loading. Kipenzi, Leon and Fig maneuvered to be in a better firing vantage if needed.

A minute or so later, a mortar shell came in. Fortunately it was little off target, landing in the field nearby, it still got our full attention. Kipenzi and Fig had good lines of sight, and took out one of the mortar crew and the mortar itself. In what we hope becomes a trend, Kipenzi nailed it!

However, one of the attackers also nailed Kipenzi. She was atop the water tower, so it was a lucky shot. Lucky also was the ballistic cloth we all wear, soaking up most of the damage and her grav belt kept her from falling.

The second mortar shell - ACK, two mortars!!! - hit the Skylark dead center but did no serious damage. Lost the running lights and a little comm and camera gear were damaged. Fig started moving to get a line of sight on the second mortar. It was positioned behind the outlying building but the trake fields allowed him to shortly reach a firing point and still be in cover.

Some more firing ensued and the attackers decided to make a run for it. Shot the air/raft several time in an attempt to disable it, but they were able to take off. They shot one of their own wounded to prevent his capture and interrogation.

Leon confirmed that the hull was intact and the jump grid was undamaged, we were good for jump. The loading was finished and we got our passengers on board as soon as possible. At the stroke of midnight imperial time, the paperwork we had sweated and bled over [quite literally-Kipenzi]was in effect, we departed.

[The authorities wanted us – i.e. Skylark - to hang around for questioning, but our response was that because the mortar shell hit the ship (it hit the top of the air/raft bay door) and as we were carrying 20 tons of radioactives, we needed to get the ship away from the vineyards before a possible environmental disaster occurred - not necessarily but better safe than sorry. Also the authorities were going to fine us 20,000 credits for leaving the scene, but Fireau’s legal team were challenging it as we left. – Kipenzi]

On our way out, we sent our video of the fight to the spaceport for forwarding to the authorities. Those button cameras and streaming to the ship have come in handy often.

Into jump, heading to Aramanx. At least we can stay in the orbital station this time... more famous last words, as it happened.

247-1104
Out of hyperspace into the Aramanx system, with our game plan of:

1. Get the wine where it belongs
2. Get the Skylark repaired and restock our ballistic cloth and other essentials
3. See if the Bears we worked with a few weeks back are still around. Hire them for security for the wine.
4. Leave Aramanx, for ANYPLACE ELSE !!!

Rethink that last one, we still have the missing Meson Guns hanging out there someplace

We were looked over by a police vessel who noticed our damaged ship on the way into the station, but got the OK to go on and dock at the station.

Lisa and Boris arranged for an auction of the wine. While she is setting things up, she is approached by a Tukera representative, one Lorn Denveldt, who offers her Cr. 50,000 per ton for the shipment. Lisa, determined not to allow Tukera to buy up a stockpile of this vintage, refuses.

Sam sold the radioactives that had languished unloved in a Zila warehouse for those many lonely weeks. We restocked our fuel and life support.

The bears were still in station, and Lisa hired them as security, guarding the wine.

As we had promised ourselves, we spent some time trying to learn some of the bureaucratic byways of this system.

251-1104
Four days later the auction was held. Although the auction was limited to representatives of specific companies invited by Fireau (with Tukera decidedly excluded), Lorn Denveldt showed up at the assembly hall. Denveldt had been appointed to represent three of the merchants Lisa did invite.

As the auction opens, bids begin at Cr. 1500 per bottle and rapidly rise to Cr. 2250 per bottle. Then the various local merchants begin dropping out. When Denveldt bids Cr. 2500 per bottle, it looks very much like Tukera will carry the day after all.

But fate intervenes at that point. From a vantage point far back in the hall, a familiar voice raises the bid to Cr. 2600 per bottle. Denveldt counters with Cr. 2650: this is raised to Cr. 2750. Denveldt goes to Cr. 3000. The opposition goes to Cr. 3100. At this point Denveldt asks for a chance to halt the auction while he consults with his superiors to get additional money authorized. Lisa does not all this and Denveldt, not capable of raising any higher without outside authority, goes down in defeat. The other bidder came forward.

The victor of the auction was none other than Marc Hault-Oberlindes, Baron Feri; as he issues Lisa a draft for the Skylark’s cargo, he comments that it was worth any price to see Tukera discomfited – especially when this plainly threatened their monopoly on Zilan wine exports. The total price for the wine was Cr. 542,500 per ton times 30 tons, 10% of which will now go to Skylark.

With Sam and Kipenzi at the auction, Medicus and Fig sat in the ship scanning the crowds with the buttoncams that Sam and Kipenzi wore. Checking for matches with our facial database, and some updates of newly found people of interest, was the order of the day for them.

252-1104
A new day, and new opportunities on the horizon. At mid-day, Lisa missed an appointment with Sam. Kipenzi called Boris, and learned that they had no security set up for either of them. All of their hired security had been watching the wine.

Lisa missed all of her appointments that day.

We contacted Oberlindes to see what he could do.

Medicus was able to hack the station security camera system and get the station's video records. It turns out that Lisa had gone down to the planet on a shuttle with three other people. One of them we recognized as Jelika Chan - the engineer of both Mammoth class ships involved in the Meson gun heist. Clearly she is more than just an unreliable engineer, but then we already knew that.

The shuttle went to the commercial shuttleport in Ulfrey, the capital of Klavisur, one of the nations planet-side. It is a large nation on Lostow, with 217 million people.

Largest nation on the continent of Lowestowe, Klavisur is a powerful state which dominates the northern hemisphere of Aramanx. With a population of 217 million people, Klavisur’s constitutional monarchy is one of the most liberal governments on Aramanx. The nation has attempted to remain aloof from the tangled web of alliances and the rising threat of world war which have gripped the planet over the last few years; the isolationist policy has also carried over into the country’s dealings with off world interests. Although there is regular contact with the starport, there are few diplomatic ties. Klavisur is the only nation on Aramanx which is not a member of the Imperium.

Clearly they have some affiliation with big corporations and now theft and kidnapping.

The visa indicated that Lisa went down with her husband, Loren Denveldt - and his visa listed him as being a native of Klavisur.

Checking the security footage closely, Medicus notice that Chan (? real name) was Denveldt's BOSS, not a minion.

A ransom demand of 20 Million came in that afternoon.

253-1104
At Aramanx, Jellica Chan was known as Arion Jamail, and had been here about 3 months. She came in from Junidy, and was listed as "management security".

Oberlindes set up a courier ship to take the ransom demand to Zila. Boris was sure that Mr Fireau would pay, taking out a huge loan on the winery to cover it. He asked us, as did Oberlindes, to do anything we can. How nice, they DIDN'T say 'make it legal' :) :)

254-1104
More contact came in from the kidnappers. They would wait 3 weeks for the ransom, but not a day longer.

Sam had an idea while looking at the video of the demand. Looking at reflections in shiny objects in the room and the angle of shadows, he realized that there was a window in the room opposite Lisa. Knowing the approximate time of day and the alignment of the sun, he was able to use his navigation knowledge to figure out the latitude of where Lisa was being held on the planet.

Checking a map, there was only one likely location: Zenfalen Island.

Library Data Zenfalen Island

Zenfalen Island lies some 85 kilometers off the eastern coast of Klavisur and has been controlled by that nation since the first rise of divergent nationalism over 500 years ago. A tiny island, Zenfalen has never had much significance, being by and large a haven for fishermen. In recent years, the island became the property of Lord Magistrate Vernor, a powerful and wealthy landholder well known as the leader of the Progressive Party in the kingdoms Grand Council. The Lord Magistrate maintains a small villa at the eastern end of the island, although he rarely uses it. It is usually reserved for important guests, and is frequently used by offworld visitors who wish to conduct business with the Lard Magistrate. It is believed that Vernor’s fortune and political influence derive from the backing of various offworld corporations, who stand to profit if Klavisur is brought into closer contact with off planet interests.

The villa supports one town, Falenza, population 3,150. A supply ship calls at the island once a week on its way to the Granstol Archipelago, site of a cluster of extensive fisheries.

They wanted Gvouzdon to deliver the money! [AND they specifically referred to him as the envoy Gvoudzon – they knew his pirate designation as a go-between, Kipenzi] Clearly his part in the brooch, or possibly his former affiliation with Vargr pirates, has not gone unnoticed.

Sam’s response to the live comm message to the kidnappers was that we would pass along the message to Fireau but that they (kidnapers) should arrange to communicate with the Fireaus directly because we were not involved. Sam then bought a new cargo and we’re ready to lift off now - so the kidnappers are probably having a heart attack when they realize the Skylark crew is not the sentimental sort. We’ll be lifting off from the station in less than 24 hours and taking Gvoudzon with us. Of course, we’re only going to lift off the Skylark so we can get to the area where we think Lisa is being held and try for a rescue. But the kidnappers should be sweating if what they really want is the Vargr and brooch. – Kipenzi

We went to a bar that evening and Gvoudzon asked around for a pawn shop. Only two on the station, so he headed off to it, with the other crew members following as backup. Gvouzdon pawned the duplicate brooch we made on Aramis with the embedded tracker.

Our initial musings at that point were:

1. We see who notices or cares about the broach that Gvoudzon pawned.
2. Air/raft down if possible (logistics and legality still dubious at the time of this writing)
3. Rescue Lisa.
4. Capture Chan/Jamail.
5. Have coffee with Baron Feri.

Continued in Kidnapped on Aramanx.

See Also: Dramatis Personæ, Skylark 2, Campaign Starts, The 2nd Adventure, The Chamax Plague, Horde, Shadows, Research Station Gamma, Twilight's Peak, Prison Planet, Leedor on Aramis, First Call at Zilla.