This episode starts at the old decrepit space station in the Borite system, and moves on to uncharted space, and then the Palindrome system.
As the party regroup after the fight with the Chamax, Lady Nitrane slaps on medpacks and administers first aid. With two crew dead, two seriously injured, and others wounded, the sickbay is very busy.
While the ship's doctor performs surgery on Ben Parr and Silent Unter, another ship is detected jumping in. The sensors indicate that it is a small freighter, but with two marines dead and another two under the knife, it is decided to stay quiet and keep a careful eye on what the other ship is doing.
After a couple of hours skimming fuel, and with the other ship apparently minding its own business doing the same, the tanks are full. As the fuel purification will take two days a decision is required on what to do or where to go. There are no large moons to land on, and returning to the ancient space station is not considered wise, so Senior Pilot Sparrow carefully navigates into a large cluster or rocks win the debris field around the giant in order to hide the ship.
Krrsh at this time is being carefully watched by the other members of the party. They do not entirely trust him, but he is cheerful, responsive and helpful. He has latched on to Captain Slaid as the alpha male and has clearly joined the crew of the ship as his pack.
As promised, Krrsh provides the coordinates to a fuel dump in deep space, which allows vessels with jump-2 capability to jump from Borite across to Palindrome and Theev. This is apparently the direction that Ferrik Redthane has taken, so a course to the fuel dump is set with Krssh's help.
After another week in jump space the Phoenix emerges into deep starry nothing. Krrsh explains that the fuel dump is very hard to locate on sensors as it's the same temperature as the vastness of space (ie very cold). The way to find it is to broadcast an encrypted message which will cause a low powered beacon to turn on for a short time.
Silent Unter, Krrsh and Ramsay Grog suit up and start loading fuel cannisters into the cargo hold, from where they transfer the fuel into the ships tanks. The small size of the hold and the amount of fuel required mean that there is a lot of back and forth. Not wanting to be caught by another ship jumping in there are some minor mishaps arising from their haste, but nothing life threatening. Eventually they are done.
Krrsh recommends purifying the fuel as some fuel in the cache is likely to be 'poisoned' with a chemical that will cause a misjump. This means another two days of purification so the decision is made to head off in a random direction away from the dump in case another ship arrives.
When purification is complete a course is plotted to Palindrome, which is one parsec over from Theev. By taking this approach one week is added to the journey but with the benefit of arriving in Theev with jump-1 worth of fuel in case a quick escape is required. With that another seven days pass in jump space.
Palindrome is a small planet with a very thin atmosphere. There is no HighPort so permission is requested to land at the small DownPort. The port is adjacent the small domed city of Astrogo - the population of the planet is only around 1,000 - and Senior Pilot Sparrow lands the ship at the designated landing pad. Once the ship is down a ribbed framework automatically erects and a transparent dome closes over the ship. On the wall around the ship large glowing red letters proclaim that the air in the dome is being made safe.
Once the lettering turns green and the air is breathable the party disembark and are met by a handful of disinterested looking port officials. The formalities are short and not particularly thorough. The docking fee is paid for two days, and a full tank of fuel and full refilling of life support are requested. Robot cleaners are also admitted.
The party heads into the central starport building which is clean but simple. Lady Nitrane heads to the only bar to find out more about this place, while Captain Slaid looks for a buyer for the medical supplies that they have been carrying since Torpol. A good price is obtained and the party doubles their money on that cargo.
Before Lady Nitrane has even formulated a plan of attack she is approached by a smartly dressed port official who respectfully asks if she would be so kind as to meet with a certain Lady Yemar, who it transpires is the ruler of this city.
Lady Nitrane graciously accepts, and is led through a concealed door and up a wide spiral staircase to an upper floor. The room that she enters is large and has a magnificent view across to the domed city and of the surrounding countryside. The room is opulent, with luxurious floor coverings, ornate and beautiful furniture, expensive wall hanging, and behind a desk a elegant woman who rises up and extends a hand in welcome.
Lady Yemar is a pleasant and gracious hostess. Noting that Lady Nitrane was a passenger on the Phoenix she decided to entertain her personally. After all it is not every day that someone of the nobility visits Palindrome. Lady Nitrane is on top form. Initially the conversation is precisely diplomatic. Cups of tea are shared, small talk is made, and fine food served. But it becomes known that Lady Yemar is in fact a former pirate who became very wealthy, and setting herself up on this planet. Smoothly changing gears, Lady Nitrane brings all her skill as a carousing hell-raiser to play, sealing the deal. The two ladies hit it off spectacularly.
As this is all happening, Captain Slaid considers the possibility of taking cargo from Palindrome to Theev. It is decided to get some cargo which could be passed off as being either lawfully traded or unlawfully pirated with no significant loss of money should the latter appear to be appropriate. Some electronics, cybernetics and raw materials purchased the ship is loaded and preparations made to depart the next day.
Back in the opulent surrounds of Lady Yemar's rooms, the evening closes in and the drinks become more colourful and more alcoholic, Lady Yemar opens up about her considerable health troubles. Some years ago, in her pirating days, a raid went wrong and she was exposed to a biochemical weapon. She now needs extensive and expensive medical support to stay alive. Indeed, most of her body has been replaced more than once She mentions that she has finally tracked down the imperial chemist who devised the weapon and surmises that, short of some Ancient artifact miraculously being found, the man may be the only means of obtaining a cure.
Lady Nitrane's ears prick up at this. As well as disrupting trade there is a diplomatic element to the task that the King of Drinax has given them. She cautiously raises the idea of a newly expanded Drinaxian empire; surely someone such as Lady Yemar would thrive in such an environment. Should the cure be found then the planet of Palindrome would willingly pledge allegiance. This is agreed, and the two friends agree to meet up for lunch the next day before Lady Nitrane departs.
With that, the ship jumps uneventfully to Theev. Seven days pass.
To be continued...
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