Jammers Summary: Chapter 3, Turn 19
----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere... *********** = Later...
Gathered in the STAR's bridge/helm room, the Company of the Silent Star continues to divide their loot from the scro vessel.
Billy takes the magical crossbow bolts and brown gemstone earring as his share of the loot.
"Hmm.. well, anybody want the studded leather?" Kain asks as he looks over the treasure. "Maybe when we get back to Bral I can trade it for something better fitting and less smelly," Kain smiles as holds up the armor.
"As for the.. ah.. desk, if we could find out what it does and it turns out to be useful..." Kain shrugs. "Might as well keep it then, so.. ah.. otherwise we could sell it or give it as a gift to Lady Moune."
"Hon my world, giving a gift hof value his more hesteemed than giving a gift that you yourself don't want," the invisible minotaur replies. "But perhaps Lady Moune will be happreciative nonetheless."
"Yeah, it would prob'ly mean more," Kain shrugs. "But if it comes down to keeping my skin intact or keeping Lady Moune happy, I prefer my well-being. I figure I'd like to wait a few years at least before.. ah.. venturing back to Westgate, and I do mean to return to my homeland some day."
"I don't know about that," Italapate shrugs referring to Deigatt's words.. "In my culture giving gifts brings prestige to the giver, and, true, the more valuable the gift to the giver, the more prestige. But, one also considers the value to the recipient. If the gift is something the person really wants, or needs, then the gift has value no matter how the giver feels about it. If a desk is something that Moune would enjoy, and we have no use for it whatsoever, we still gain the prestige of the giving. Only when the recipient finds no use or value in the gift, is there no prestige in the giving."
Deigatt lifts one of the potion vials into the air, holding it far enough haway from him so that it doesn't disappear. "Let's hentrust these potions, the spell books, hand the wizard's scroll to Holland for the time being. The coins, harmor, hand hextra weapons we can store hin the hold. Can you make use hof the priest's scroll, Raken?"
Leera steps forward to take the mentioned items. "Since our esteemed Invoker is occupied on the helm, I'll take charge of the items for now. I'll see what I can learn of them...."
Holland says, "Sounds like a good idea, Leera can tell us what she finds out later."
Leera gathers up the potions, spell books, and scrolls. She heads down to her bunk to investigate the lot.
Raken nods and takes the scroll. He opens it and silently scans over its contents, a smile broadening on his face. "Ah," he says, "this will be most useful. It is a spell to create a backup helm for emergency use. We will definitely wish to hold on to this one; someday, I might even have the skills and knowledge to make it more... permanent. Euroz probably stole it from the elves or even from members of my own priesthood" He carefully slides the scroll back into its tube and secures it to his belt. "I'll have to find a more secure place to squirrel this thing away," he says quietly.
Looking at the arquebuses Billy turns to Seguld and taking a deep breath asks, "HowSafeIsItToKeep ArquebussesLoadedAndHowLongDoes TheChargeStay ReadyForFiring?" Billy pants and then adds, "If we could keep them loaded, you could line them up and fire them in quick succession, maybe having someone else loading for you to speed things up... Whaddaya think?"
Kain chuckles softly as Billy attempts some fast-talking of his own. "If it'd work I think it's a good idea," Kain nods and runs a hand through his hair, looking to Seguld to see the gnome's reaction.
Seguld nods his head to Kain. "Yes, IAmAlreadyConsiderin'It." With a quick glare Seguld adds to Billy, "I'dSaveYerMockin','CauseItAin'tFunny."
Billy looks hurt. "Sorry, Seguld. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I only make fun of people I really like..."
As the discussion of the loot begins to wind down Kain says, "I'll be topside if anyone needs me. That's where... ah.. I should be anyway." Carrying the studded leather, Kain leaves it by his bunk before going back on watch.
"All right, Seggy," Italapate says, finding the gnome studying the myriad firearms the company has procured. "Now that I got myself my own pair of guns, maybe you can teach me to load these things." He pulls one of the guns from his belt, grinning broadly as he looks it over.
"YaGotIt! ButLet'sGoTopside, JustInCase." Seguld responds. Gathering the firearms and a load of shot powder Seguld hobbles to his ballista post and sets the weapons aside.
Holland comes up from the helm, where he's just been relieved, and picks up two of the remaining three star wheels and twenty charges, "Since no one else has signaled intention, I will take two of these."
"Ain'tNeverSeenAMageUseOne, ButFeelFreeTaUse'm." Seguld says as he shrugs his shoulders. Seguld then adds, "I'llTakeTheOtherPistolFerNow, AndUnlessAnyone objects, I'llTry'AnSetUpSomethin'LikeWhatBillySaidWit'TheRifles." Admiring the enchanted one he adds, "ButI'llTradeMyOl'RifleFerThis'n."
Seguld spends the next hour, reviewing the loading process with 'Pate and Holland. He focuses on explaining the safety features. These he repeats over and over again, as slowly as possible, and does not turn over the pistols to 'Pate or Holland until he has assurances that the lessons will be followed.
After Italapate convinces Seguld that he understands the procedures, and gets his pistols back from him, he asks, "What I really want to know is... can I keep them loaded and in my belt? Or, will the shot fall out? Do I have to wait 'til I'm in battle to load?"
Seguld draws one of his older pistols and points it off into the distance. <BANG!> "Mine'reLoaded, ButTheyCouldFireAccidentally... YourChoice." Seguld smiles with a look suggesting he knows full well what Italapate's decision will be.
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The day after the battle, Deigatt's invisibility fades and he returns to sight.
Nilaroo also begins his turret building operation that morning.
With much struggling and cursing, two large gears scavenged from the scorpion are placed next to the ballista. Working deftly with his tools, Nilaroo fashions a central dowel that can pass through the centers of the gears, as well as a third, smaller gear.
Making sure that, with plenty of oil, the whole mechanism turns smoothly, Nilaroo then turns his attention to the ballista itself. With Seguld's assistance, the ballista is dismounted from the deck and the bottom gear secured firmly in its place. The ballista is then mounted on the top gear, so that the ballista and top gear turn smoothly on the two gears below. Finally, Nilaroo uses more of the scrap wood from the scro ship to fashion a foot operated stop, one that drops into the teeth of the bottom gear when stability is needed. Nilaroo tests the ballista thoroughly to make sure that it moves easily, gliding on layers of oil, before moving on to the catapult.
Billy looks on with great interest as Nilaroo makes his modifications. "Hmmm... Great idea Nilaroo!" Billy examines the gears as Nilaroo finalizes his modification. "We'll probably need an extra crew member to help with it's operation, though..."
Seguld wipes the sweat from his forehead as he leans against the railing admiring the results of his work with Nilaroo. "Hey 'Roo, WhenYaGotTime I'dLikeTaRunSomethin'ByYa." Seguld then hobbles below deck, simply saying to Nilaroo. "IDon'tDo'Pults. Sorry."
It takes three days, but when the process is complete both the catapult and the ballista have nearly 360 degree fire arcs (limited only by the sailfin).
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When work begins on creating the turrets, Talus makes himself scarce, not wanting to risk being drafted for the work effort. The young half-elf finds himself below decks in the hold, where the enchanted desk is stored. His curiosity piqued, he begins examining the desk in minute detail, searching for any clues as to the source and nature of the enchantment.
After looking the desk over carefully, Talus touches a large blue stone. Instantly, an illusion showing stars and planets revolving around a sun springs up above the desk. Within a few moments, Talus realizes the illusion is a depiction of Bralspace, and that a bright dot on the display shows the STAR's current position.
Talus gets Holland and Raken, who identify the desk as a planetary locator, a device sold by the Arcane. It depicts the current positions of all the planetary bodies within a sphere of size B or larger. It only depicts the sphere it is currently in, Raken explains, but is a great aid to navigation, especially for explorers.
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Later, at dinner, Nilaroo and Seguld talk.
"GotAnIdeaTaRunByYa." Seguld then draws out a sheet of paper and begins to make a crudely rough sketch of one of the large gears positioned horizontally atop a single post. "WhatIfWeUsedYerGearDesign, ButInEachGearPieceWePlaceARifle?" He sketches a rifle in each of six gear slots. "YouSeeThisWouldBeJustARotatin' WeaponRackTaStart, ButLaterWeC'nAddALoadin'Device. ThatWayAsLongAsWeGot PowderInIt, ThenICouldAlwaysHaveAWeaponReady."
Nilaroo gets a look of panic on his furry face as he contemplates the possibilities of such a gnome designed device.....
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Ferric spends much of his time practicing bladework with his rapier and main-gauche. Ferric also brings out the cutlass and practices with that for a time as well. Though he does not display the fine tuned skills that he has with the rapier it does seem as though he has worked with such a weapon before.
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The six day trip from the meeting spot to Spiral goes smoothly, the only sign of the violence committed being the persistent smell of burnt flesh which lingers in the STAR's air envelope.
---------------------------- <The night before planet fall>
The company gathers in the helm room to plan for the next morning's landing.
Holland explains, "We've altered our route slightly, so we will won't approach directly from the scuttled scorpion. We've also timed it, based off of our new planetary locator, so that the landing site will be in darkness when we arrive. This should reduce the chance of a Scro patrol spotting us."
Raken asks "So, any idea on who wants to join in on this little expedition and who is to stay on the Star?"
Talus comments to Holland, "About your plan to use an invisibility spell on us. I don't think that would be a good idea. The ground will hopefully be crawling with freedom fighters, and if they detect someone invisibly sneaking around, they may just cut first and ask questions later. The idea is to make contact with them, not hide from them."
Holland nods, "Good point," but then smiles, "I; however, am still going to be invisible.."
Deigatt mutters "Talus his correct hin suggesting that hour hinvisibility could be seen has threatening to those we're here to aid. Those hof hus that can't be seen will need to be very cautious."
"Pshaw." Ferric says with a small, smirking smile. "The lot of you sound like a band of old ladies. I'll take care of things down there if you are scared Holland. After all someone has to go down in the histories of the planet as a hero when the elves reclaim it. I would be honored were someone else to share in that role with me." he says winking at Billy.
Holland frowns slightly at Ferric's comments directed towards him and replies, "Me scared? I believe you should be directing your comments to Talus and Deigatt. Not I." Holland then mutters some arcane words and as fast as a snap of the fingers disappears from sight.
"If you'd like the company Ferric," Robert asks from nearby where he's absently playing with a strand of his ponytail, "I'd like to help. Besides, I'd really like to get off this ship." wrinkling his nose Robert continues, "I can still smell burnt scro. Turn me right off my food it does."
"It would a pleasure to have you but truth to tell I don't know if I may myself will be going. That is for our Captain to decide. It wouldn't do to leave the STAR too undermanned in case a scro ship came upon us." Looking to where Holland last stood Ferric says, "Have you decided who will be making contact with you Holland?"
Holland's voice emits from a different location saying, "I would like one person to be standing by, ready to sit and man the helm, I also would like for the crew-weapons to be loaded and manned. My intent was for Talus and Billy to be the only members off-ship, pulling security around the STAR, not only being the initial contact with the elves, but to keep an eye out for scro. I don't think that the elves will have a problem with them being out there, they are probably expecting it. Once we make contact with the elves, I would like for Deigatt, and Leera to accompany me off-ship to finalize plans. I do not want to let the elves aboard before I am comfortable that everything is legitimate. Everyone else should remain aboard, missile weapons at hand."
Vais speaks up, "I will stand by the helm with Raken, as my appearance might make the elves suspicious and I can take the helm if needed."
Holland continues, "My intent right now is to leave Talus and Billy out as security until the STAR is downloaded, then pull them in and get off-planet as fast as possible. Though, like most things, these plans could change drastically once we actually get on the ground."
"Yeah, like if we're getting.. ah.. chased by half the Scro fleet," Kain says lowly.
Holland's voice falls silent and then a few moments later his voice is heard again as a piece of cloth lifts its self into the air and then forms a circle and ties itself off, "I will wear this bandana to mark my position until we hit planet fall."
"I will meet the elves as well," Italapate announces. "I was the one the Fleet contacted, they may be expecting me. Unlikely as that might seem, I am still a good choice for the initial meeting.... I seem to be the only one that isn't paranoid about the elves....."
"Alright by me," Kain nods. "Hey Talus," Pulling the ring off his left hand, Kain hands it to Talus. "You can.. ah.. wear this when you're out scouting if you like. It might help keep you out of harm's way if you get into a spot of trouble."
Talus looks genuinely moved by his friends offer as he takes the ring, "Thank you my friend. I fervently hope I shall not require it."
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The next morning the blue-green ball that is Spiral appears. Raken is on the helm, and everyone else quickly moves to battle stations. Following the plan, the ship approaches from the dark side. Like most small planets Spiral lacks a dangerous stream of high speed air in the upper atmosphere, so once the ship is enveloped in Spiral's night sky the descent remains calm. Happily, the smell of burnt scro disappears as the planet's atmosphere refreshes the ship's air.
It doesn't take more then twenty minutes to locate the Tatharsir below. The STAR drops down and follows it upstream, just as reported there's an island about 30 miles downstream of the river's headwaters. Maneuvering carefully, the crew puts down on the west bank of the river, under the willows.
Date/time: 4:30 am 12th day of the 6th Month, 5049 OC
