Sand Pit - Part 3

The Skylark’s crew fights their way to the pirate base jail and rescues the captives only to be afflicted by a horrendous pun for their efforts.

This note is from our December 4, 2016 session and was mostly written by Carl and Kay with additional material provided by myself. Doctor Meredeth’s story was adapted from Callahan's Crosstime Saloon by Spider Robinson.

We used Roll20 online virtual tabletop to connect with each other since we are now scattered around the country.

Continued from: Sand Pit - Part 2

Date: 136-1106 Imperial.
Location: On the planet Keng in the Regina Subsector.

Midnight
We were in the hospital area, but found nothing particular to help Medicus more than we already had. (He lost his arm, as you will recall).

Fig Newton managed to bring Medicus's around long enough to give us helpful instructions on his own medical care.

Fig noticed that the drugs in the hospital were old and many had expired 10 years ago; fortunately Medicus's medical bag contained what we needed.

We wanted to get the flock out of there, and discussed getting us all back to the pirate ship, Hevvekii, and flying it back to the Skylark. The Skylark 2 was 16km away over treacherous terrain, and with Medicus seriously wounded, trying to fly the pirate ship that distance would be easier than on foot or with our grav belts.

En route to the ship we planned to pass through the jail and let the prisoners out. They could come with us if they wanted to, or head off on their own. Or even take over the place if they wanted to.

From listening to their comm chatter, we believed that there were three remaining pirates to deal with before we left.

Kipenzi asked Aakakun Ihaet, our newest prisoner, if he could fly their ship, so we would not have to flail with it, but he was a gunner/grunt only. He said that of the remaining people at the base no one knew bupkus about it. He also told us that they had no doctor, and we had apparently killed their only medic.

We couldn’t take him with us so we drugged and tied him up so that he wouldn’t be causing us any problems.

The plan was to first hit the jail and free the folks there, then deal with the rest of the pirates.

As we left the hospital, we heard some of the pirates on the radio:

“We are getting out of here Gruhiav, meet us at the power plant.”
“What about the prisoners?”
“Bring the scientist. Kill the rest.”
“I am not going out there.”
“OK, we will come there. We need to stay together.”

They were heading to the jail to kill the prisoners and take the scientist.

We moved briskly.

Using the map we found of the base, we decided to go through the main hanger area, a straighter path than using the concentric rings.

We went the way that seemed best, found some bad air. Our breathers set off alarms. We flailed with the door, but the power was off.

We heard some gunfire through the radio, and then we heard gunfire at a distance from our truck. Then "F*** I just killed the cleaning bot!"

We passed a sign at the hanger door that said "No Lights, and this means you" It looked recent. We ignored it and proceeded in to the hanger. Looking up, we saw stars overhead; the landing stage was open to the sky and clear of debris. We could land the Skylark here if we needed to.

Pressing on, we hoped to get to the jail before the slaughter started.

As the truck goes forward we see a sign on the ground ahead of us "Wet Paint". Looking back we notice tracks behind us, Oops. As we approach the front door with sign "keep closed", we open it.

A new voice came on the radio, asking what is up:

Reaper: “What’s going on?”
Anov: “Reaper? Is that you?”
Reaper: “Yeah, What’s going on?”
Anov: “We thought you were dead. The base is under attack.”
Reaper: “Who’s attacking?”
Anov: “We don’t know”. “What about Aaplaebrul and Sig?”
Reaper: “I don’t know, I just woke up. Think it is the Imperial Marines?”
Anov: “Probably not, this isn’t their style. You got weapons?”
Reaper: “Just a sawed-off and my cutlass. Maybe it’s the Vargr, I heard 40th Squadron has something big planned.”
Anov: “Maybe. Wake up Aaplaebrul and Sig and get ready to bug out. We are going to grab the scientist and meet you there.”

We kept on heading to the jail, ready to rock and roll.

From the front door of the hanger, it's a straight corridor down to the jail with only two intersections.

Sam opened the next door, and he and Kipenzi heard someone say "Get ready" Looked like we beat them to the jail corridor. Sam looked around and they saw him too.

There were two guys, (Anov and Dearborn) one with shotgun, one with laser rifle.

Everyone who was not unconscious except Kipenzi got out of the truck and took up firing positions. Kipenzi maneuvered the truck against the wall to provide cover for Medicus. Keeping one hand on the wheel and one hand on her gauss pistol.

Gunfight ensued, around corners and in hallways.

Kipenzi told everyone to charge out and give covering fire, and stayed back waiting for a target to show up.

Leon was the first one of us to actually hit someone. Good shooting Leon! Sam took the second one down.

Searching the bodies, Sam found 1500 Credits on them, plus ID and weapons, the would come in handy if we needed to arm some of the prisoners.

We opened the next door and proceeded. Still more bad guys out there someplace.

We arrived at the jail. Only one guard behind a desk, later ID’d as Cpl. Isriigrner Gruhian.

Fig's laser carbine malfunctioned. Sam called for surrender but Gruhian shot at us.

Another brief firefight ensued. Gruhian was slow and got hit and went down behind the counter.

We looked around the area and looked for the prisoners. Found a processing room of some kind and some cells. The archaeologist, Dr. Eneri Meredith, was in one of them. In the next few cells were his assistants Andrea Horsh and Leha Je'lan who seemed more of a bodyguard than an assistant, and four local tribe women.

We let them all out. Total of seven prisoners. The local women spoke a Vilani dialect that that only Dr Meredith could understand.

Sam checked around, found lockers, storage and one really sturdy door, possibly their armory. He tried, but couldn’t get it open.

The female prisoners wanted weapons and to stay for revenge and then to get home. We told them about the pirate in the hospital.

The archaeologist and two assistants came with us to the hangar. We hoped to be able to fly the ship out to get Medicus to the Skylark.

The ship’s control panels are now locked down completely. Was not that way before. Must have been done remotely or automatically. Any people who came in would have let the prisoner out. We asked him how to bypass and he said the captain (the late captain) had to do it.

Sam searched the bodies thoroughly; Leon checked out rooms that Fig and Kipenzi hadn't fully examined. They found more money and stuff.

No way to start the ship, so we left the Archaeologist and his associates in our camouflaged air/raft, and used the grav belts to carry Medicus back. Sam stayed with them as protection.

At the Skylark we got Medicus into the autodoc.

137-1106  1400
Still a couple hours before sunrise.

Kipenzi, Fig and Leon brought the Skylark back to the base. The plan was to land it on the rim of the canyon near the air/raft. Kipenzi set the ship down and eased it into place. We used the cargo lifters to get the air/raft loaded into the cargo bay.

On the way back to the starport we talked with Dr. Meredith about what he was doing there. He was tracking down an anomaly and it turned out to be the pirate base and they captured him and his assistants when they landed.

Many planets have artifacts and installations left behind by the Ancients and other cultures that were here before Humaniti settled this part of the galaxy.

He told us about a discovery a few years back that occurred in the Foreven Sector:

“In the year 1101 a scout service survey team discovered a planet whose sole inhabitant was an enormous humanoid, three kilometers high and made of something very like granite. At first it was mistaken for an immense statue left by some vanished race, for it squatted motionless on a vast rocky plain, exhibiting no outward sign of life. It had legs (two), but apparently never rose to walk on them. It had a mouth, but never ate or spoke. It had what appeared to be a perfectly functional brain, the size of a fifty-story condominium, but the organ lay dormant, electrochemical activity at a standstill. Yet it lived.”

“This puzzled hell out of the scientists, who tried everything they could think of to elicit some sign of life from the behemoth--in vain. It just squatted, motionless and seemingly thoughtless, until one day a xenobiologist, frustrated beyond endurance, screamed, ‘How could evolution give legs, mouth and brain to a creature that doesn't use them?’”

“It happened that he was the first one to ask a direct question in the thing's presence. It rose with a thunderous rumble to its full height, scattering the clouds, pondered for a second, boomed, ‘It couldn't,’ and squatted down again.”

"Migod," exclaimed the xenobiologist. "Of course! It only stands to reason."

At that point, Kipenzi almost shot him.

1700
Back at the starport, Dr. Meredith and his associates agreed to not rat us out, so we planned to meet with the daughter, get our 40 KCr reward and get the flock off planet fast before local law enforcement could involve us in a lengthy investigation.

2100
Launched the Skylark from Keng Starport and checked the radio beacons on the Annic Nova to verify they were still there and broadcasting that we had claimed it and that it carried a dangerous plague.

Accelerating away from Keng at 3G

138-1106 0000
Jumping out for the Rethe System on our way to Rhylanor where Medicus can get a new arm and Fig can get an annual refit for his prosthetic while he is there.

Once in Jump Space, Kipenzi realizes that before we left we should have sent word to Oberlindes that we haven't found Harry Liimuri, but we think he's either at Shionthy or the starport in the Oort cloud of Keng and that we've had to halt our inquiries as our medical officer and pilot just lost an arm and we're going to a real civilized world to patch him up.

We should send that out as soon as we get to Rethe.

Continued in Back to Rhylanor.

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, Trade War, The Bloodwell and ANNIC NOVA