LogStormlight-Jacko-6

Game log for the 2021/01/11 session of Impulse Drive: Stormlight, as taken by Jacko

The crew finds that Hole In One is in real bad shape. Bodies, blast marks and more mark the path to landing control and Drix finds it looking like the last holdout of a siege. There doesn't appear to be anyone left alive, certainly not in the main facility, but it's possible folks have retreated to more secure holdings elsewhere. Franco looks over the bodies to see if he recognizes anyone and finds Cutter's corpse but that might be a good thing.

Janus gets a call from 'Sally Three Hands' but it's actually Cosmo and they explain that things went hot after Vinny Star was taken out. He mentions something exploded in their warehouse and took out quite a few people but things were hot and heavy by then. Their adversaries had military weapons AND training which strikes him as odd, and they got to Sally.

There're other ships docked, including a surface-to-atmo transport carrier and another smuggler ship that Sally intended to use to escape. Janus wants to scavenge everything not tied down but the rest of the crew is feeling squirrelly, especially knowing that there are still some of Sally's people on the planet aside from the mercs. Kyruss, Franco and Ember decide to check out the transport hauler while Janus and Drix will take the Stormlight into orbit to keep it safe.

Arche is hoping the crew will extend his ticket to Hole In One to literally anywhere else. If he'll help them search the transport then he can tag along. Janus gets a hold of Sally's crew and asks them what they're willing to pay for passage off the rock. They don't have much but they're willing to give literally all of it in exchange for a ticket.

The cargo hauler seems to be more or less in one piece but someone's monkeyed with the fuel system. That might cause some lethal; fireworks if their ride is too bumpy. Some of the bulkheads are in bad shape as well but Kyruss and Franco are keeping their eyes peeled as they take off. It's a bumpy ride but Franco gets it into orbit and the crew is able to shift cargo from the hauler to the Stormlight. They decide to take their profits and run, heading out from Hole In One with no additional passengers and moving for Tiberius with the relatively cheap cargo on board.

There's a large contingent of Long Watchmen waiting for the ship, again, and so Ember stays hidden in the ship. Strekred is back, again, with his fellows and they move to stand in the way of the crew. Drix takes the lead, addressing him directly and reiterating that they have an abomination on board. Kyruss is fed up with these spurious 'lies' and points a pistol in Strekreds face. He tells the man to leave and he resolutely says he can't do that. Strekred gets shot in the face and a lot of weapons are drawn.

Drix tries to fall back and gets shot for his efforts as the Watchmen move into a formation of some sort. Kyruss gives Franco some covering fire with his assault rifle and the Infiltrator lets off a few shotgun shells, bringing one Watchman down. More shooting erupts from Kyruss as he moves around the Watchmen, gunning one down while Drix tries to back off to the ship once more.

Franco rushes in with his nano blade and rams it home into another Watchman. Kyruss keeps the attention of the remaining Watchman and Franco soon ends him. The two wait for the local authority to arrive, which is surely happening, and Franco tells Janus she needs to contact the authority that isn't the Long Watch. Franco and Kyruss are fine relinquishing their weapons but Drix isn't about that life. He uses his mystic powers of suggestion to convince them it's fine if he keeps it.

The cops arrest Franco, Kyruss and Drix and take them for processing. Janus decides to sell off the cargo in case there's a need to pay for legal representation. She hits the constable station and presents herself as an eye witness, claiming that they've harassed her in the past. The officer doesn't seem to think there's much to be done besides a full investigation.

Drix is visited in the lock-up by a woman in decked out Long Watch gear who identifies herself as Sister Agatha and she's got a bevy of decorations and medals on her uniform. She reveals she's been studying Drix and is fascinated by Watch-on-Watch violence. Agatha questions Drix, asking if he believes the Long Watch has lost their path and if he's renounced their goals of genetic 'purity'. He agrees to all of it. She asks why Benevolence has contacted her about assisting in transporting a cargo of modified embryos out of the sector.

Drix goes on to explain his recent encounter with an avatar of Benevolence and wonders what other schemes are going on, for they must be many. Agatha tells him that the Long Watch provided many of the funds used to settle this part of space but has lost its way.

Agatha enters Francos cell and he's incredulous. He tells her that he won't accept legal representation from the Long Watch and he'll wait for another lawyer, thanks. She leaves him to dwell on it and goes to see Kyruss, who believes her to be an assassin, probably. Agatha explains that she needs his help to clean up the mess and that she's a Federal Marshall. Kyruss is happy to do have her represent him, and Drix, so long as they can meet with her together. She agrees and pulls Drix into the cell.

Agatha tells the two that Benevolence is in the middle of a larger conspiracy revolving around the tampered embryos and the AI is playing both sides. Agatha would like to spring Drix and Kyruss, after deputizing Kyruss, if they'll agree to it. Kyruss seems amenable but he wants to talk to Franco before agreeing to anything. The Bounty Hunter tells Franco they're being recruited to help expose the corruption in the Long Watch and Franco is on board.

Falsified records are made to show Kyruss has been a deputy marshall for some time and Agatha fast forwards the processing of the three. She seems convinced that Jericho will target her and so she needs to take her leave. Before getting them out, she passes them the contact information for Edern Trembath, the man attempting to transport the embyros.

Janus returns to the ship and brings Ember up to speed before Drix eventually returns to the ship. Franco and Kyruss have business to do, however. Drix explains to Janus what happened and how Benevolence may have overreached itself and turned the Watch into a revenue generating operation instead of adhering to their time honored codes. Drix is still getting used to the deception of things and Janus reinforces the idea that she can't lie to law enforcement if she truly doesn't know what happened.

Kyruss hits up the bounty board looking for work while Franco contacts his handlers, letting them know his focus is shifting to the Long Watch and not Alnair, though he will of course remain under the impression that Alnair is a person of interest. The two make their way back to the ship and Janus would appreciate a heads-up the next time he wants to start a fire fight. Kyruss fills her in, defending his actions, and advises that Ember needs to be included in further decisions. They need to get in touch with Trembeth fast.