LogStormlight-Jacko-2

Game log for the 2020/12/07 session of Impulse Drive: Stormlight, as taken by Jacko

Franco decides to begin scanning the derelict to try and figure out what might await the crew when one of the drones flares up to life, coming up on sensors in the shuttle. Janus freaks out, telling him to toss the scanner out of the airlock. He was already suited up so one quick airlock operation later and the scanner is floating through space before it's obliterated by a beam shot from the drone.

Janus wants more info herself so she starts up the shuttles passive scanners. She's able to determine that, though the drone dropped off their sensors before, it's definitely still out there. These things are military grade, no doubt about it.

The crew heads into the derelict, sans Janus, and there're signs of explosive decompression and lots of damage. Kyruss takes Drix' scanner and fires it up once they're inside, discovering that the derelict has been thoroughly filled with holes. He also figures out that the drones aren't quite what they seem and might even be T'Selek tech. There's a hole above them that might lead directly to the bridge as well, which would only require a short space walk on the outer hull.

Frando and Kyruss pontificate about the Duzan making the space walk while Kyruss covers him. Drix seems to be familiar with the layout of freighters like this one and will look for a computer hookup. Franco begins heading off with his mag boots on Kyruss' direction but this freighter is coming apart in unexpected ways and he almost loses his footing before managing to reattach and continue on. Drix and Ember split up, the paladin heading for Engineering while the violent teenager looks for the Cargo hold.

Drix isn't as familiar with the layout as he thought, soon getting lost due to the obstacles and damage he finds. He eventually manages to find his destination but it takes him quite some time and he's not sure what route will lead him back. Ember has a much easier time of it and finds the cargo hold mostly empty save for some extra large farming machine chained to the deck, mostly. It's in pieces. This freighter was clearly on an inbound run hoping to load up.

Franco finds the ship's voyage sensor log in the bridge and works to free it, packing it up before retracing his steps back to Kyruss. Ember decides to head back to the hole where Kyruss is holding fort, leaving the cargo bay and its sad farm tools. Drix is in Engineering but he's turned around and uses his scanner to try and suss out where he's at. He exits the compartment via a blast hole and finds himself on the outside of the freighter and he's sure he's not on the right side. The rest of the crew is assembled at the hole by now and they realize Drix has been missing for a while. Kyruss will head after him and track him down. Ember mutters under her breath that it might be best to just leave Drix here. Cold as ice.

Kyruss wanders into a very thoroughly destroyed section of the ship and pieces start coming off. So do the 'secure' footholds he tries to clamber for and he drifts deeper into the ship, finding himself in an unfamiliar part of the freighter. Drix thinks he might've seen some movement in his periphery but he isn't sure while he's walking along the ship. He decides to check it out and moves quick to try and catch up to it but he manages to slash a hole in the leg of his suit. *hisssss* He manges to tape it but hears Kyruss radio him that he's in trouble in the hold. Drix turns about then, moving to help him out of this jam but his suit is leaking too much and he has to turn about.

Kyruss decides a gun can solve his problem and starts firing his shotgun to use the recoil to reorient himself. It manages but it blasts a few holes in some pressurized containers and plumes of foggy gas are ejected, blinding Kyruss. Drix sees the jets and feels the ship move, and radios Janus to let her know that the situation is getting dire. Franco and Ember feel the ship moving and decide to board the shuttle. Janus moves the shuttle along the hull with the RCS thrusters, taking more time but staying hidden and they eventually see Drix.

They move for the gas plume to try and find Kyruss and contact is made but the insectoid pushes off and gets caught by the plume, bounced hard off the bulkhead and floating (flying, spinning) in space. Janus decides that Kyruss can sweat it out for a bit and picks him up on the way back to atmosphere and the Stormlight.

The freighters data record (VDR) shows that the ship was on their standard approach and was set upon by the drones within seconds. Kyruss recognizes more signs of T'Selek tech at work in the operation. interestingly, on the voyage previous to this one, the freighter jettisoned a series of... something but the details are missing. This freighter might've been the one that dropped off the killer drones that destroyed it. And they deployed it at the request of... Sally Three Hands. There's some shenanigans afoot.

The crew heads back to Hole In One to speak with Sally and a meeting in space is arranged between the two ships. Janus and Sally get to talking amidst their respective armed guards. Sally seems surprised of the news the crew has brought her but she'd like to get some payback on whoever is fucking up Monday's Paradise. Kyruss offers to go after a bounty for her.

Sally is disappointed that her goods are floating in vacuum and her ships wrecked but she offers a token payment to the crew. The crew is less than impressed but decide to push their luck by joining Sally planetside and cleaning things up with Vinny Star since he'll know we're coming. The crew will split up, taking the shuttle and Stormlight separately. Vinny and most of his crew will be at the docks waiting for the Stormlight but his warehouse will likely be very under defended. Kyruss and Franco land the shuttle outside of radar range and hustle to get eyes on the docking area.

Eventually the Stormlight lands with Janus maneuvering to make it look like they're being sneaky, even if they're not. Janus, Drix and Ember exit the ship, mentioning they need to be quick. Vinny can't resist and makes his triumphant monologue, except his head explodes two syllables in when Kyruss takes his shot. Ember lashes out at the remaining four gangsters and though she doesn't land many hits with her blade, two take off running while the other pair try to take cover. Janus and Drix open fire with shotguns, blasting the two that stuck around to pieces before the smoke clears.

Franco calls up Cutter, his mole in Vinny's gang, and tells him that Vinny has been permanently retired and Cutter should fill the leadership void. Cutter isn't too keen but Franco is convincing and Cutter decides to do it anyway. Franco advises him to paint his face red.

Janus wonders aloud if robbing Vinny's warehouse isn't the next move the crew should make. Kyruss has some bounty work that needs finishing up so he heads to the cantina and finds his mark can be returned for the bounty in the Tiberius system, which is an urbanized settlement in the Sierra Nevada sector.