Apollo's Eclipse Ships Log

[DJ Blackrock]

I was going to do a synopsis of the first season, but my notes are scattered, so in the immortal words of Inigo Montoya

"Let me explain... no, there is too much, let me sum up."

Apollo's Eclipse Season 1: Smoke Signals

Essentially, the crew was out and about, trying to find their way through the 'verse and put some credits in their pockets. During the course of their adventures, the crew ran into a woman named Saffron, inadvertently saved the planet of Deadwood, encountered a cell of renegade readers, constantly escaped the wrath of a Persephone Thug named Roach, angered the Blue Sun Corporation, thumbed their nose at the mafia, helped the natives of Greenleaf in their attempts to keep the planet for themselves, saved a riverboat casino on Santo, learned of a conspiracy on the Core Worlds which eventually led to the discovery of a massive Alliance vessel (bigger than a Tohoku) called the Leviathan, and inside that ship was a device codenamed "Ragnarök" Project Ragnarök was a secret project of a deep cover group in the Alliance called "The Agency". Project Ragnarök was a device to bore out an asteroid, embed a two-stage nuclear weapon, and launch the asteroid through a rail-gun like device at a distant planet. The resulting carnage and destruction would not go unnoticed, but could be handwaved as a tragedy. This project was tested on the moon of Ita, which, sadly, is now a blackrock.

The crew managed to cause enough damage to derail Project Ragnarök, and nearly cripple the Leviathan. They were captured in the process, and spent some time in the brig on the Leviathan until Roach broke them out. With his part over, the Alliance had no need for him, and he discovered that the Alliance retirement plan sucked, and that the 'verse is a more interestin' place with the crew still in it.

They were able to reclaim their ship, which a woman named Sekmet had found, and turned into a home for herself on a barely habited moon. If the crew brings her supplies she can't get for herself on her sanctuary, she will provide them with fresh food.

Season two will start up as the crew looks to fill empty positions on the ship. The ships doctor has decided to stay behind on Deadwood as the resident doctor, and the sniper and communications officer did not survive their incarcerations.

Apollo's Eclipse Season 2: Fanning The Flames/Solid Evidence

The very first scene of the new season is of a Tohoku class cruiser, silently making it's way through the 'verse. Inside is a man named Dagus Falan, former crew member of the Apollo's Eclipse. A very persistent thug from Persephone named Roach is brought to the bridge and presented to Dagus. After a short exchange, and a near slaughter, Dagus and Roach came to an agreement. Roach provides the crew of the Apollo's Eclipse, and Dagus gives Roach the power he's always wanted, as an Operative of Parliament.

Roughly a month and a half after bringing their crippled ship to the Eavesdown Docks, the ship repairs are very close to being done. And it's a good thing too, as the money the crew had saved for just such an emergency ran out last week, and their deadline to get off the landing pad is tomorrow. If they're not out by noon, the ship will be impounded. Work has been really slow, and it's been hard to fill the two empty crew positions, and not many people want to sign on to a boat with big gaping holes in it. Those, thankfully, have been patched, the welds are tested and stong, and the engine just needs one last component.

Time to catch back up with our returning crew:
When first we see Corneil "Red" Redfern, he just realized his pilot's license has expired, and he's now standing in line at the Space DMV. He is bored out of his ruttin' mind. His number is finally called, and he's brought into a back room, and shown to a simulator of a Firefly's cockpit. He easily aces the test, impressing the hell out of the instructor. He heads back to the ship, all smiles, though he's still a little iffy on the new license photo.

When we first see Amelia Belmont, spacehand and "public relations specialist", she is at a local dojo, sparring with a fencing coach, to try and pass the time. She easily manhandles the instructor, who finally concedes that she is indeed a better swordfighter than he.

When Kera Burke, First Mate, is first encountered, she is sitting at a bar, having some victory gin after trouncing a bodybuilder at the gym. Her first few drinks give her a nice buzz, but when the next few fail to make her any more drunk (she got a crit on her Resistance roll), she starts to get a little irritable, and damned if the guy sitting next to her at the bar didn't just give her the hairy eyeball. So she slugged him (and with a d12 STR, she more or less lays the guy out), officially starting a bar brawl. Once the owner "politely encouraged" everyone to leave (with the shotgun behind the bar), Kera did a wobbly march home to the ship, sportin' a victorious demeanor, and a shiny new black eye.

Varkel Falan, Security Officer, is first seen with his back to a crate in the middle of a warehouse. Three thugs, and a Tong Enforcer have him pinned down. However, the Enforcer is his target, and the bounty is better with him alive. He primed his Mauler Electric Assault Rifle, and proceeded to make short work of the Thugs, and intimidated the Enforcer into near catatonia. He later returned to the ship, 500 credits richer.

And finally, when we first see Franklin Sampson, Ship's Mechanic, he is pulling himself out from the underside of the engine, having finally installed the final part necessary to make the Eclipse space-worthy again.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the docks, Harry "Haywire" Callahan, vaguely familiar with the docks area, still has to admit he's lost. He finally comes across an info terminal, and looks up ships to see if he can find some passage off-world, or for preference, work, that will still bring him off-world. He found two ships listing available positions as a Communications Officer. One is an all cargo variant Firefly named the Brutus, and a Dragonfly class Bulk hauler named Apollo's Eclipse. The Brutus offers a full share, but he has to share a bunk, plus it doesn't have the extenders, so it shakes like the devil. Meanwhile, the Apollo's Eclipse offers a full share, and a private bunk. Guess which one he went with? He then set off to find the ship, it was on pad 238b, and he was near pad 04. He grumbled, popped his headphones back on, and started walking.

Elsewhere again, Dr. Steven Tardis, formerly of Osiris, graduate of the most prestigious of Ariel's MedAcad schools, and second in his class, just behind Simon Tam is also trying to find the Eclipse. The map he received from the visitor's center is vague at best, and he doesn't want to admit it, but he's terribly lost. A little triangulation, and some Serenity humor later, he figures if he cuts down through this alleyway, he'll shave nearly 20 minutes off his walk time. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea, especially having been on this planet for too long already, giving his pursuers a chance to catch up with him. Turns out they were here. He was blocked from leaving the alley by two BullyBoys and the leader of the Florentine Camerata (a small group of enforcers and assassins working for mob boss Angelo Vendetti of Santo) Staccato. After some witty banter back and forth, the BullyBoys and Staccato closed in. With a quick show of force and a deftly employed derringer in an arm slide rig, he was able to slip free of them, and proceeded to run off through the crowds and merchant stalls of the Eavesdown Docks.

Introductions done, it was time to get down to business... which has been really slow. Had I mentioned that?

Haywire finally found the ship, and recognized it from his days in the Independent forces. On arrival, he met a very inebriated, and quite victorious Kera, whose first words to Haywire were "Your voice annoys me" (he speaks in an over-caffeinated fargo accent). Once inside, he met the interviewer, Captain Jonathan Burke, and proceeded to enter into the strangest, two question interview of his life. The questions were "Are you planning to betray us and blast big holes in the side of my gorram ship?" (inspired by SkyGalleon's Second 'Verse thread) and "As an independent ship owner, it's not always easy to find work, so some of it's not going to be strictly legal. If you have a problem with it, you're free to leave, no harm, no foul." Haywire, meeting a fellow former Browncoat, accepted.

Just as the Cap'n was about to give Haywire the 10 cent tour, a commotion was raised outside. They went to look, and saw two thugs, and a small man they know as Staccato chasing a rather well to do young man. Once Staccato noticed the Apollo's Eclipse, he stopped, and had his thugs blend back into the crowd, and went to notify his employer.

Dr. Tardis, the man being chased, hid a couple stalls away, until he was sure that Staccato and his goons were really gone, then approached the Eclipse. His interview went much the same, with the Captain trying to be professional, and his crew doing everything in their power to disrupt and confuse the proceedings. The look on the Doctor's face when Varkel walked in with a half conscious Tong bounty stuffed in a net, slung over his shoulder was priceless.

Later that same night, Red finally was able to work up the courage to ask Amelia out on a date. After consulting her lady friend (a very drunk, and very naked Kera) she decided to say okay. Now, I don't know much of the date itself, because Haywire, Kera, Amelia and Red's players did this whole side scene by themselves. Since it was character development and didn't involve any truly dangerous situations, or have a massive effect on the main storyline, I just let it go, while I focused on Dr. Tardis settling in and making fast friends with the Captain, while Franklin and Varkel discussed matters of importance in the secrecy of the engine room.

During the course of the night, Jonathan learned of a cargo job that was available on Bernadette, and planned to leave the next morning.

The next morning, the crew was woken from a sound sleep by the impromptu sound system/Pirate Radio Station Haywire set up in his cabin. After some "it's very early and there's no coffee" humor, and Franklin breaking every speaker, and cramming them into the incinerator, the crew made their departure from Persphone, and, for the first time in a long time, got back into space.

And that's where we ended for this week. DISCUSS!  

[DJ Blackrock]

Apollo's Eclipse Season 2: Fanning the Flames/Solid Evidence
Part one, Act 2, That Sinking Feeling.

Our second session was last night. Here's the lowdown.

After a short, uneventful two day trip to Bernadette, the crew touched down, and began doing what they needed to do.

The mechanic, Haywire and Red milled about the cargo ramp deciding what to do. Since Franklin is the one with the connection to Hodge Podge Mechanical, he decided to go and negotiate with the vendor about their cargo. Amelia, Red and Haywire went with. Haywire tried to listen in with a parabolic microphone, but white noise generators by the doors and heavy curtains prevented it. Inside, the mechanic spoke with Deborah, the Hodge Podge rep, about the cargo. According to her, it was a bunch of parts for a desalination plant, and they were bound for Newhall. She's been having trouble getting the cargo out, because it's the slow season on Bernadette, and not many ships come and go, and most of them already have cargoes and destinations. After a bit of negotiations, and a few crates of scrapware that "fell off the truck", a deal was struck.

Back at the ship, Jonathan was doing his daily walkaround of the ship, looking for any new dents, or breaks or whatever, when he was approached by a beautiful young woman, looking for passage.

The young woman was named Velvet Cho, and, she explained, she is a Registered Companion and avid shoe enthusiast, and has been stuck on Bernadette for the last week, having missed her flight out due to her shopping habits. She's starting to go a little stir-crazy, and wanted passage off world. Though a bit of negotiation, and awkward fumbling on Jonathan's part, a deal was struck. Velvet would rent the ships one 20 ton shuttle for her own use, and would pay Jonathan and the crew a rent of 500 credits a month. Considering Jonathan expected 200 at most, he gladly jumped at the offer. She paid for two months up front, and arranged for her and her luggage to be delivered the next morning.

Meanwhile, The doctor, realizing that he'd likely need more medical supplies than what he brought with him, went to a medical supply house to stock up. While there, he saw a Dermal Mender, and began drooling over it, but it was far too expensive for him to afford, even with Moneyed Individual. The supply house was located at the new Tri-Plex, so, being the shopper she is, Velvet went with him, to get him some new clothes (he'd left his in his hostel on Persephone).

After the deal at Hodge Podge, and the shopping trip, Dr. Tardis decided he really wanted that dermal mender, and recruited Varkel, Velvet and Haywire to help him... acquire it. Velvet would come along to distract the off-duty Alliance soldier that served as security, and Varkel and Haywire would pose as shoppers, while the doctor did his best to distract the cashier. After some very harrowing die rolls, and some rather awkward roleplaying (mostly me as the soldier, and Velvet as, well, Velvet), Haywire and Varkel both arranged to stage a problem with the mender.

Once the signal was given that the deed was done, Dr. Tardis asked for a demonstration of the mender, so he could get an idea about how it worked. The woman behind the counter happily agreed, and headed out into the main store, and, on hitting the switch, realized the power had been cut. She checked the cord, and the doctor pretended to make a bit of a fuss about it. She apologized profusely, and offered to get it fixed, asking if he'd like to put his name down on the buyers list, so she could contact him when the repairmen brought it back. When this happened, Varkel and Haywire left, and Varkel excused himself to a rest room with his disguise kit, and began making himself look different. Much like an Alliance Fedex equivalent. The girl behind the counter brought the mender back to the counter, and began writing up a damage report, and called the repairmen to come and retrieve it. They said they'd send someone the next day. With this, Dr. Tardis, and Velvet left (however, her effect on the soldier may very well be more long lasting).

About an hour later, Varkel wandered in with a handtruck he'd hijacked from a now unconscious Tri-Plex employee, and the woman seemed surprised to see the delivery man so soon. "I thought you were coming tomorrow."
"Yeah, I was, but I was just down the hall at the electronics shop, and figured I'd stop in at each shop while I'm here, save myself a few trips tomorrow."
"Oh, well, that's just lovely, I do have something, let me just box it up."

She then boxed up the mender, and slid it across the counter at Varkel. As he was leaving with it, she called out "Wait a minute." He cringed, then turned, "You forgot the damage report, here." and she handed it to him. He breathed a metaphorical sigh of relief, thanked her, and went on his way, to deliver the Doc's shiny new dermal mender.

Once back up in the black (they figured it best to leave before the real delivery guy got there the next day), they were two days into their 6 day trip to Newhall (avoiding main shipping routes and patrols doubled the travel time, turning a three day trip into the better part of a week) when Haywire and the mechanic decided to crack open their electronically locked cargo and take a looksee at what was so important that they needed to avoid taxation for. Turns out they weren't parts for a desalination plant, but instead, large grav-drive parts. Large enough for a Tohoku class cruiser, or a floating Bellerophon estate. Funny, didn't they just hear about a floating estate crashing into the newhall oceans? Yeah, rich fellow by the name of Huffington. Decided Bellerophon shouldn't be the only planet with the floating estates, so he had one built for him on Newhall, and, three days after it lifted off, the grav system failed, and it dropped into the ocean.

While they were talking, Haywire, with his acute hearing, heard a skittering sound from behind the wall plating. Thinking it was just a rodent infestation, he asked the mechanic how often they fumigate. He asked, "wait, was it a scratching sound, or a tink tink, metal on metal sound?"

"It was more of a clink clink kinda thing."

"Get the Captain."

Turns out, the ship did have an infestation, but not of rats. They were SPYders. Having dealt with SPYders before, Jonathan put everyone on alert to find them all, while he suited up and went outside to deal with any on the hull. Through some electronic genius and some amazing rolls, they determined there were a dozen of the irritating little bots on board, and a shipwide bug hunt was on. The best imagery was Velvet and Dr. Tardis chasing one around the mess hall with a frying pan and an empty pot, respectively. The doctor also later shoved one into one of his socks, and used it as a flail against another that he found. Amelia's arachnophobia kicked in, and Red broke off from the hunt to comfort her. Sadly, everywhere he brought her to get away from the bots, there was someone chasing one. Eventually they ended up on the bridge. They heard a knock at the windshield, and looked over to see the Captain looking in, with a bunch of deactivated SPYders dangling from his fist.

"Well, would you look at what I found!" He then took a good bit of momentum, and flung the bundle off into space.

Side Scene: At the beginning of the session: Staccato and his bullyboys come back to retrieve the doctor just as the ship is lifting off. He calls back home to his employer.
"Tell me you bear good news Staccato."
"Wish I was boss."
:sigh: "Well, then, get on with it."
"You neglected to tell me the doc would be armed."
"I thought my enforcers could handle themselves."
"Regardless, he got away booked passage on a ship. You're never gonna guess which one."

Side Scene: In the middle of the session: Bellerophon, Armand Tepes, betrothed to Amelia Belmont, and master swordsman is sparring with an instructor, easily dominating him. A small man, followed by two larger, uniformed men, approached, and said.
"Armand Tepes. Fiancee to one Amelia Belmont?"
"It can read, how quaint. What do you want?"
The man, alias Roach, suppressed a scowl, "I can return Amelia to you. In exchange."
"What, money? Why would you bother me with--"
"Not money. I need training. You taught Amelia what she knows about swordfighting. I've gone against her on multiple occaisions, and she's beaten me every time. I need an edge."
"She mentioned you. You're the one called Roach, are you not?"
"I am."
"She told me you wanted her dead." Armand drew his sword.
"I've had a change of heart. Begging your pardon, but she ran from you. Returning her here, so that she cannot leave, well, to her, it's a fate worse than death."
"I believe I follow."

Side Scene: at the end of the session: Three people sit monitoring a large bank of vid screens. Behind them stands a man in a leg brace, leaning heavily on a cane. Each monitor conversely goes out into static, or sends along a rather rude message from the crew. Dagus, the man with the cane, sighs, then orders one of the watchers to open a line to his knight.
Roach's voice comes in, behind it is the sound of steel on steel.
"What?"
"I think I have a bead on the crew. You may want to head off to Newhall."

DISCUSS!