Chapter 1: First day on the job

[Mysticsage]

"Oh yeah, Does Jerrus 5 have one of those fancy orbital shipyards? some of the Fed class starships on earth were not really made to be landing planetside. We studied some of the mechanics and fuelling at the academy during general training."Trevor said as he continued to follow along more than happy to chat.

[pringerbeam]

     The captain resumed his march down the main corridor and scrunched up the pouch in his hand.  "Yeah, major orbital dock out there.  The O'Cahn Conglomerate runs the show and has a decently cheap docking fee so lots of folks use it for maintenence and meeting up.  Also helps that they don't crack down too hard on people running their own deals too hard."  The two of you reach the end of the corridor and the captain opens up the double wide door to the cargobay.  The cargo bay is filled with goods.  Crates are stacked nearly to the ceiling everywhere except for a space near the cargo bay doors on the starboard side of the ship where your car sits with the rest of your belongings.  Several members of the crew are milling around double checking the ship's inventory.  The captain shouts out.  "Remember, the comlinks, spices, and exosuits get dropped off here and we got to make room for those plasma rifles and the alloys.  Make it work boys."  You hear the crew murmur assent.  "Oh yeah, and the car.  That'll be out of the way too."  The captain looks at you.  "Sorry, almost forgot about you there."

[Mysticsage]

"I ask that you be careful with her," Trevor said with a smirk, "I had to get her rebuilt for Fed standards they won't let you use a civilian car unless it's fit for all the races. She has a fresh coat of paint and everything it would be a waste of good credits to have to do it all over again once I get to the station. Though carrying her along did give me an excuse to ride along with you guys versus taking a standard ass boring transport."

[pringerbeam]

     "I get the sentiment.  Classic ride like that is hard to part with.  Careful though, some of these Confederation stations are nothing like the colonies back in the Sol system.  If you aren't careful that ride could get jacked, cop car or no."  The captain checks the time on his comlink and turns back around to start walking back down the main corridor.  "Got to get to the bridge, we're about to drop out of FTL."

[Mysticsage]

"Right behind you boss" said Trevor as he followed behind the captain to the bridge.

[pringerbeam]

     The two of you make your way back to the front of the ship, just past the astronagivation room.  The bridge is small and cramped.  Two more crew members sit in two of the three chairs arrayed before the main viewing window.  The captain takes his seat in the remaining chair, bigger and more comfortable looking than the others, and flips up a small screen out of the armrest.  "You can catch the view over there.  I'd hold on if I were you."  The captain motions with his head off to the corner behind him where there appears to be the life support control system.  There is no seat at the readout panel but there are safety rails framing the panel.  The captain pulls a hardwired microphone off the back of his chair and flips it on.  "Alright this is your captain speaking.  We are dropping out of FTL in less than 2 minutes so prepare yourselves."  He hangs the microphone back up.  "Alright Sam, how are we looking for approach?  No lollygaggers around the dropout site?"  One of the crewmembers, presumably Sam, swivels his chair around to answer.  "No FTL wakes heading for our destination.  Should be good unless someone is stalled out."  The other crewmember on the bridge anounces out without turning from his post.  "Guess we are about to see.  Dropping out of FTL!"  The crewmember grabs onto the rail along the edge of his console.
     In what you are pretty sure was nowhere near 2 minutes the ship shudders then lurches hard, hard enough to throw anyone standing and without one of the plentiful safety rails.  Sam, apparently not using his safety belt, is caught unawares and is bucked out of his chair and sprawls out on the floor.  Through the main viewing window you see a bright flash and concentric waves of light, like water flowing up the windshield of a speeding car, flow around the unseen FTL field to give way to the glimmering stars of space.  The stars stand still for a moment before sweeping diagonally as the ship turns.  The stars give way to a deep blue which fills the view from the freemerchant and in the middle of it a metallic cylinder, with eight arms projecting out from the middle like spokes from the hub of a wheel.
     "Whew, always the best part of the ride!  Well, there you have it greenhorn.  Bluelight Station."  The captain spins around in his chair and sweeps out his arm to the station before looking down at Sam, groaning on the floor.  "Oh come on Sam, you're embarassing yourself in front of the Greenhorn.  Get your ass back on the comms station."  The other crewmember snickers from his seat.

[Mysticsage]

Trevor still grasped onto the handrail as they left FTL. Sitting strapped down in his cabin had been a different experience all together then being here on the bridge. Seeing the cascading light show on the deck took his breath away in more ways than one. Steadying himself by bending his knees so that he would not pass out from the tension that he had unconsciously been holding at the last moments. "Now that's a rush though I don't know if I could take those kinds of jumps too often." He said out loud more to himself than anyone in particular. Once he regained his composure a bit he moved forward to get a better view of the station that was to be his new home.

[pringerbeam]

     The captain smiles.  "Heh, well ships with better inertial dampeners don't have quite the same kick.  I bet those police patrol boats are a smooth ride."  He spins his chair back around.  "Sam get on the horn and start broadcasting our credentials.  We don't want the station blowing us out of the sky now do we?"  Sam pulls himself up into  his chair and puts on a headset.  "Bluelight Station, this is the Brown Tide requesting a docking bay.  We are transmitting our ship's registry and cargo manifest."  As he speaks the station grows in size.  Seeming to hear a response, Sam knods and talks over his shoulder.  "Alright, we are cleared for docking bay 6-57.  Guidance beacon is up and we are hooked into the local matrix."  The other crewmember nods and turns around in his chair.  "OK, autopilot has us homing in.  Smooth sailing from here."  He then leans back in his chair and props his legs up on the console.  The captain nods.  "Good, now we get to sit back and enjoy the view."  He pulls out his comlink and starts flicking away.  "Always got to check for messages.  Never know who has left a job offer around when you are on the move like us."   He says absentmindedly as he continues to flick through messages.
     The station continues to take up more of the view as the ship approaches.  The brilliant blue cloud of the nebula slowly roils behind it.  "Big time money to be made out in that nebula.  Lots of survey expeditions make their way out into it to find extractable resources.  I hear the nebula is chock full of asteroid fields ripe for mining oerations.  Not the kinda thing we are equipped for though, would need a complete overhaul of our sensor suite, expand the fuels reserves, not to mention the defense systems.  All that and I'm too much a fan of the comforts of explored space anyways." 

[Mysticsage]

Trevor nodded, following suit with his commlink getting connected to the station's Matrix while wondering if he should send Drake a message or not. That Behemoth of a roommate of his was large even for his species so if he was not at work or asleep he was probably slamming down some food somewhere.

The two of them had shared a room at the academy together ever since freshman year. Giving them the nickname "married" carried over from an old Sol custom when Earth had a physical navy at Annapolis for when cadets would bunk through all 4 years together through the highs and lows. They made a good wingman Drake had the physical prowess and charms were impressive even if he needed help with some of the more technical side of things, which Trevor was able to provide in spades.

Other than him, he didn't really expect much in terms of messages aside from the usual spam. Swiping to open his inbox to see if there was anything pressing need his attention. "There is a risk no matter where you go in life Boss. But feel free to rely on me to keep those comforts for you." He smirked while he continued to think, I'm going to be cop in a far away station for the sake of that peace so it takes as many people buying into those norms for that kind of thing to exist in any real sense. The key in it all is simply weighing that risk with how badly you want to do something, If there is something they taught us at the academy it was to not shy away from staring at that unkown directly because its when you flinch that things go completely out of your control.

[pringerbeam]

     The station now fills most of the field of view and its size is beginning to impress upon you.  Thousands of lights glimmer on the stations surface and the freemerchant draws closer, making a line for one of the arms.  You begin to see the movement of other ships heading to and from the station.  Freighters and cruisers move with a floating grace as frigates zip around them. 
     In just a few minutes The Brown Tide is among the bustle of ships on approach.  The station is now practically the only thing that can be seen from the viewing window.  The ship begins to circumnavigate the station, passing along the spars while other ships fly to and from docking bays large enough to house cruisers.  The ship then makes a final change in course as it homes into an empty docking bay.  With a slight shudder the ship sets down and the captain pops up out of his chair.  He grabs the microphone "Alright everybody, we've landed!  Make preparations for refueling and cargo transfer."  He hangs up the microphone and turn to you.  "Well I guess it's time for yout to get your stuff in the cargo bay.  I've got to go meet up with the dockmaster so I'll take my leave.  Good luck to you greenhorn."

[Mysticsage]

"Aye aye Capt'n," Said Trevor with a smile and a small salute before moving to leave the men to their work. "Thanks for the ride if you ever need the help of a cop for anything let me know." And like that he was gone and moving to the cargo bay his bag over his shoulder his commlink still loading. He thought everyone on the brown tide was reasonable enough, but it was worth just checking through his things and having his car scanned. Who knows what kind of idiot might want to stash contraband in a cop's car for the sake of attempting to get past certain screening checks. Just to make sure he attempted to send a note to the Harbor at the station for a full scan unit to meet him as he disembarked flashing his Academy clearance just so they realized why he was looking for some extra scrutiny.

[pringerbeam]

     The captain walks a few strides with you before taking a turn to walk down a side corridor to where one of the personnel hatches is.  You arrive at the cargo bay to find the bay's doors open to the expansive docking bay.  A motly ground crew of assorted confederation races can be seen approaching the ship carrying a variety of equipment.  Leading the pack, headed straight for the cargo bay doors, is a viguawa wearing the red uniform of an official from the Trade Council flanked by two isselessians wearing the blue uniforms of Confederation police.  The captain strolls out to greet them, apparently having made good time with his detour, and begins to talk to the viguawa as the rest of the ground crew spreads out to different parts of teh ship.  They begin to talk but the conversation quickly seems to take a turn for the worse as their voices raise. 
     "A full scan?  That'll take hours!  What am I supposed to do in the meantime?"  The viguagua bristles at this and the feathers on the top of his head raise slightly.  "Station security has recieved a tip on the possibility of smuggled goods.  We are going to need to verify your crew manifest and sweep the ship and all cargo."  The isselessian on the viguawa's left steps forward.  "Listen human, if you don't comply with the scan your ship is grounded while you take a trip down to the administration office to pay your fine."  The captain throws his hands up in exasperation.  "This is ridiculous!"  He turns around and spots you.  "Well greenhorn I hope your anal sphincter is loose because its about to be put through its paces.  Apparently, someone flagged us for a full scan."

[Mysticsage]

"Sorry captain, it's probably my fault. The internal administration system probably flagged my comm due to the Academy signature for further scrutiny. Wanting to make sure everything is above board with me joining the force and ten thousand other reasons, not discluding ego." He said leaning in close as the captain approached to complain. "you know how the bureaucracy can be at times not wanting to show favoritism."

"But hey, you have to get this baby fueled regardless right? If you want I can try to talk them into letting the harbor fuel you up while you're waiting, and you can begin digging into prices and specifics of the parts you need for the engine so that way you won't be that far behind. Plus with the dangers of the Tentacles its worth making sure you are prepared and functional with that fuel line and what not while you have the time and supplies at least for stop gap repairs with the station resources."

Rolling negotaiton
Cha 4 + Neg 4 + Influence Group 3

Rolled 11d6 : 2, 6, 2, 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 6, 4, total 42

[Mysticsage]

1 Edge reroll

Rolled 9d6 : 2, 1, 4, 6, 4, 2, 3, 3, 4, total 29

[pringerbeam]

The Captain's Judge Intentions Roll

Rolled 7d6 : 5, 4, 5, 4, 2, 5, 3, total 28