Got a call from Camille - Cia's sister Camille - today. It was her first day at school since Cia got her back, and she managed to get in a fight. Start a fight, really. Cami called me because she didn't want Cia to know, and I went and picked her up. Apparently some girls were teasing her - provoking her really - and she was pretty direct about answering them. Took on 5 girls by herself, and looks like she wasn't getting the worst of it. The one that started the trouble, the leader of the little gang, got off without a scratch though. Too bad.
So I took Camille back to Cia's ship - the Fortune's Smile - to get her a little medical attention and talk to Cia about it. Had a talk with Camille on the way about about discretion, and why it wasn't good timing on her part - throwing punches like that at school - and I hope she understood. Spirits know, I was a lot older than her before I understood it myself. Got to the ship, took her to the CMO, Nerila Jani... something. Anyway, Nerila checked her out, set her thumb, all those kinda things. I talked to Cia, played it down a little bit, but really it was just a little fight. Kids, right? Cia seems like she would get upset easily about something like that though, so made it as un-alarming as I could. Hopefully that will be the end of it and Camille will show more restraint in the future. With any luck she can start settling in and make some new friends. Cia seemed a little stress. Guess it goes with the job, but I hope she's alright.
Got grim news - a couple pieces of grim news - on the Ideal. First, had a break with the crew that have been deserting. It isn't much, but one of the crew reported to the duty officer that while he was off-ship on leave some weeks back, a woman approached him and a friend in a bar. Apparently his friend left with the woman and returned the next day. Now, the interesting part is after that his friend acted very quiet for a few days, then up and vanished with all his things. Sounds like a pretty standard desertion, except after that, interviews with associates of several of the other deserters brought out variations on the same story, and at least 3 of them provided very similar descriptions for the woman. Means something, but I sure as hell don't know what. How did they get them off the ship afterward, and why? Espionage maybe? But why not just hold onto them the first time when they come back aboard? Well, we'll figure it out. Fedos or not, this just got top priority.
Speaking of the fedos, that's the other bit of grim news. They cleared them back from where the infestation 'bloomed' - that's the word that our biologist used, if you can believe it, 'bloomed' - and we found a body. Well, some of a body. It was fairly close to where the illicit supply cache was being built, and the fedos had been at it, of course, so there wasn't a lot left. Medical is having trouble even pinning down a time of death. Still, there is DNA, so we can check if it is someone from the crew or something that will make my life incredibly more complicated. In less grim but even more annoying news, despite getting them all concentrated in one part of the ship, the first attempt to get rid of the fedos didn't work. In fact, it backfired, horribly. They found pieces of fedo almost at the opposite end of the ship in the ventilation afterward. Small pieces. Anjell has given up trying to explain exactly what went on or why it didn't work. Apparently it involved herding them out using a grav generator? He muttered something about unforeseen factor contributing to shear and this is apparently why small pieces of fedo were rocketed through the system - along with their smell. He and Akrad assure me they have it all worked out now. I hope so.
Journal 3/24/11b
Met up with Cia at the Gate a little earlier, got a chance to ask her about how Alain's is doing. turns out that it is getting near the time of year when the floods destroy the restaurant. Apparently it is the place to be, as Cia put it, the night before. Big party. As part owner, I shall be required to attend of course. Sounds like a blast, and the city is beautiful. Can hardly believe Cia was lucky enough to grow up there. Dancing and food and all sorts of things - a party for the whole city it sounds like. I can hardly wait to go back. I'll have to see if I can catch a flower too.
Anyway, talked about that a bit, then Math showed up - in holo form - as apparently he is on the wrong side of a wormhole. Said the Sleepers were quite something and his people have deployed a base out there. Quite an accomplishment in so short a time, though I dunno that I would wanna bet my life on the Sleeper drones not showing up unless I was a pilot. They must have pretty committed personnel.
Oh, and Cia said that Camille is starting school tomorrow - today by now I guess - and that she was taking a tour of Vikarion's Nightmare. I've been on one of those, pretty damn creepy, hope it doesn't give her actual nightmares. Course, she seems like a resilient kid. Going to give them both a tour of the Ideal and show Cia the garden whenever we are back in Empire too. Guess it won't be a patch on the hospitality she showed me on Debreth, but I've got to try. She's asking some odd questions too, about podders who go crazy. Guess after some of the things she's seen people doing up here she must be curious.
I'd told her about the crew that has deserted - or gone missing - too and I wish there was more to share. We're stretched thin, and I don't have the resources to look for people who don't want to come back, but what if they didn't want to leave? What if it is the spirits-damned blooders? I mean, they, all of them, their personal possessions were gone too, but... I just don't know. All I do know is I don't trust this station or the people who live here.
Anyway, talked about that a bit, then Math showed up - in holo form - as apparently he is on the wrong side of a wormhole. Said the Sleepers were quite something and his people have deployed a base out there. Quite an accomplishment in so short a time, though I dunno that I would wanna bet my life on the Sleeper drones not showing up unless I was a pilot. They must have pretty committed personnel.
Oh, and Cia said that Camille is starting school tomorrow - today by now I guess - and that she was taking a tour of Vikarion's Nightmare. I've been on one of those, pretty damn creepy, hope it doesn't give her actual nightmares. Course, she seems like a resilient kid. Going to give them both a tour of the Ideal and show Cia the garden whenever we are back in Empire too. Guess it won't be a patch on the hospitality she showed me on Debreth, but I've got to try. She's asking some odd questions too, about podders who go crazy. Guess after some of the things she's seen people doing up here she must be curious.
I'd told her about the crew that has deserted - or gone missing - too and I wish there was more to share. We're stretched thin, and I don't have the resources to look for people who don't want to come back, but what if they didn't want to leave? What if it is the spirits-damned blooders? I mean, they, all of them, their personal possessions were gone too, but... I just don't know. All I do know is I don't trust this station or the people who live here.
Journal 3/24/11a
In just a little while we'll be rid of this smell and these damn fedos. It's all over the ship now, the smell, though we've managed to mostly herd them into or around the far aft cargo hold. Whipped up a synthetic fedo pheromone, lured them back there. Unfortunately, before that, they found their way into one of the consumables processing centers, which is going to take weeks to decontaminate and get back up to full production apparently. Just need to force them out of the ship and seal compartments as we work back until we kick the last few out the 'lock. Spirits help anyone who ever lets another trash-gobbling sponge on my ship.
Aurilen finally found something too. Had someone tagged maintenance coming and going from an access-hatch, carrying a package, that does lead to the right area of the ship and with no work logged in the area. Only caught once, and from a sensor that wasn't supposed to be active while we were in dock either. None of the other sensors caught anything. It was millimeter wave, picked up a couple anomalies as well. Metallic items being carried by our subject. Checking to see if they match any of our tools, checking to see if we can resolve the face at all, backtrack to other sensors - cameras - anything. This is getting damn strange and damn serious. Have assigned Lt Aurilen a full team, whether or not security is already a bit stretched, this is damn suspicious. Running a full diagnostic and pulling the skeleton crews from the Spring and Sunshine to help. If we have someone aboard up to mischief, we need to know before we take another jump. Sending teams to check the route to and past the hatch, and kicking overall command of the situation up to Sarakai as head of security.
While I'm waiting for the diagnostics and the teams reports, gonna hit the Gate. Should probably stay, but ... this place. Don't think they need me hanging over their shoulders right now anyway.
Aurilen finally found something too. Had someone tagged maintenance coming and going from an access-hatch, carrying a package, that does lead to the right area of the ship and with no work logged in the area. Only caught once, and from a sensor that wasn't supposed to be active while we were in dock either. None of the other sensors caught anything. It was millimeter wave, picked up a couple anomalies as well. Metallic items being carried by our subject. Checking to see if they match any of our tools, checking to see if we can resolve the face at all, backtrack to other sensors - cameras - anything. This is getting damn strange and damn serious. Have assigned Lt Aurilen a full team, whether or not security is already a bit stretched, this is damn suspicious. Running a full diagnostic and pulling the skeleton crews from the Spring and Sunshine to help. If we have someone aboard up to mischief, we need to know before we take another jump. Sending teams to check the route to and past the hatch, and kicking overall command of the situation up to Sarakai as head of security.
While I'm waiting for the diagnostics and the teams reports, gonna hit the Gate. Should probably stay, but ... this place. Don't think they need me hanging over their shoulders right now anyway.
Journal 3/23/11
Hit the Fit to Fly today and had a spar with Math. Turns out he's pretty damn good, ended up with a tie. Cia was there too, practicing her kicks, looks like she's coming along. Determined girl. She rushed out during the match though, guess she must have gotten a call.
This supply business got a bit more serious. Turns out the missing supplies are the root of our fedo problem. Someone had been taking a bit at a time and stockpiling it in a series out-of-the-way maintenance corridors - crawlspaces really. Don't know where the first couple fedos came from, but they got into the stuff and Blam! we're drowning in thousands of the bastards. They set off alarms, block airflow, and worst of all stink up the place. They're playing merry hell with the security and life support sensors. Tracked the small arms false-alarm to one of them already, turns out it would be the first of many. On the up, Akrad and Alley - Anjell that is - think they've figured something out. Apparently they are going to try to herd them all into one general area, then lead them out? Not clear on the details, the important thing is, they think it will work. So, we get rid of the stink and leave a lovely gift for our blooder hosts.
Meantime Lt Aurilen still has no real leads on how the spirits-cursed food got there in the first place. When I find out who it was, I swear they are going to spend some quality time in an airlock, and I'm not sure which side I'll open to let them out. On top of that, Saraki is telling me that with wrapping up training, getting everyone organized for the move, and checking on the more suspicious alarms that the spongy monstrosities are causing, security is slipping.
Order to start getting things squared away for jump came through at the least. Ancestors be thanked.
This supply business got a bit more serious. Turns out the missing supplies are the root of our fedo problem. Someone had been taking a bit at a time and stockpiling it in a series out-of-the-way maintenance corridors - crawlspaces really. Don't know where the first couple fedos came from, but they got into the stuff and Blam! we're drowning in thousands of the bastards. They set off alarms, block airflow, and worst of all stink up the place. They're playing merry hell with the security and life support sensors. Tracked the small arms false-alarm to one of them already, turns out it would be the first of many. On the up, Akrad and Alley - Anjell that is - think they've figured something out. Apparently they are going to try to herd them all into one general area, then lead them out? Not clear on the details, the important thing is, they think it will work. So, we get rid of the stink and leave a lovely gift for our blooder hosts.
Meantime Lt Aurilen still has no real leads on how the spirits-cursed food got there in the first place. When I find out who it was, I swear they are going to spend some quality time in an airlock, and I'm not sure which side I'll open to let them out. On top of that, Saraki is telling me that with wrapping up training, getting everyone organized for the move, and checking on the more suspicious alarms that the spongy monstrosities are causing, security is slipping.
Order to start getting things squared away for jump came through at the least. Ancestors be thanked.
Journal 3/22/11
Nothing on the supplies that disappeared yet, and I'll be damned if more of them haven't up and vanished. Still nothing major though, at the least, but we need to figure out how it's being done. Got a Fedo infestation in the aft hangar decks too. Sent a maintenance team to hunt the little buggers down, but they say it'll take days and the smell is spreading. I've got Akrad and Anjell with their heads together to see if there isn't a faster way to flush them out. Spirits know the Blooders in the rest of the station are welcome to them.
Scuttlebutt is that we might be getting out of here sooner rather than later. I'd sure like to believe it. I never see Delve again it'll be too soon.
Went to a party at the Three Sisters too. Didn't know, but they have a whole second level, with a hot tub. Spent most of the time at the bar though - Ethan Verone, of all people, was back there mixing drinks for a good bit of it. Good at it too, haven't gotten drunk like that since my accident. Let's see, in order though:
Got there, met that reporter? Hilde Russell, from 'Behind New Eden.' She's nice enough when she isn't interviewing you, and we hit the bar together. Told her Silver liked her interview with him.
The place was actually pretty crowded with podders. Was more than a little surprised when Aria Jenneth showed up at the bar, but she's really pretty nice in person. There was a guy with her, Remus someone, though I think they had just met. Anyway, we talked, Kostantin Mort showed up and I guess Aria got a little upset. She left for a bit and then came back and drank Verone's concoctions till she passed right out. Kost apparently didn't even know I was in Naqam either, which I don't mind. Man gives me the heeby jeebies. Saw Jonny Damodred while I was there too, and Matariki Rain, who I'd met before in the Gate. They make a nice couple, though Jonny does have a bit of a reputation. All gossip probably.
After most all of them left, Jack Madison, who is pretty new to the pod, strolled in. I like Jack, think he has a lotta potential up here. Seems real well grounded. Older than most new pilots, I guess that helps. Colorful, very colorful. Hope I'll see him around, he'd make a good Gurista. Maybe Verone will take him in.
Scuttlebutt is that we might be getting out of here sooner rather than later. I'd sure like to believe it. I never see Delve again it'll be too soon.
Went to a party at the Three Sisters too. Didn't know, but they have a whole second level, with a hot tub. Spent most of the time at the bar though - Ethan Verone, of all people, was back there mixing drinks for a good bit of it. Good at it too, haven't gotten drunk like that since my accident. Let's see, in order though:
Got there, met that reporter? Hilde Russell, from 'Behind New Eden.' She's nice enough when she isn't interviewing you, and we hit the bar together. Told her Silver liked her interview with him.
The place was actually pretty crowded with podders. Was more than a little surprised when Aria Jenneth showed up at the bar, but she's really pretty nice in person. There was a guy with her, Remus someone, though I think they had just met. Anyway, we talked, Kostantin Mort showed up and I guess Aria got a little upset. She left for a bit and then came back and drank Verone's concoctions till she passed right out. Kost apparently didn't even know I was in Naqam either, which I don't mind. Man gives me the heeby jeebies. Saw Jonny Damodred while I was there too, and Matariki Rain, who I'd met before in the Gate. They make a nice couple, though Jonny does have a bit of a reputation. All gossip probably.
After most all of them left, Jack Madison, who is pretty new to the pod, strolled in. I like Jack, think he has a lotta potential up here. Seems real well grounded. Older than most new pilots, I guess that helps. Colorful, very colorful. Hope I'll see him around, he'd make a good Gurista. Maybe Verone will take him in.
Journal 3/21/11
About half-way through yearly eval's for the command staff. What a pain, but I guess I could have to do the rest of the crew too. They're lucky that the evaluations come before they submit their budgets too, lemme tell you. I'll be damned if last year Maintenance didn't manage to sneak a spirits-forsaken swimming pool through under 'EVA Training Equipment.' Good thing I found out what they were doing and convinced them of something more reasonable. Now the pool is adjacent to the gym at least. It is nice, being able to take a swim. Anjell is a tricky bastard though, least I shouldn't have anything like that to try and catch from other departments.
Was in the Summit today and mentioned Tenebrae was a Blooder while trying to convince a new - damn annoying - podder named Lecole something? to go to her. Ciarente was there and I guess didn't know? Poor girl didn't take it real well and left, went with Vikarion to see if she was alright. Got to see Camille who seemed to be adjusting quick - guess kids really bounce back - and Cia seemed mostly alright. She did have some kind of episode. Sometimes I really wonder what goes on in that head, she doesn't often seem to be as alright as she acts. I'm sure that scalpel-wielding blooder nutjob has something to do with it too, but you can't exactly come out and ask, "Hey, Celes, how did you mindfuck my friend?" At least now Cia knows, maybe it will help. She knows, about Blood Raiders, about what they do to people. Been killing them too, cleaning space of the sick trash, so she knows what the right thing to do is.
Heard from Sidreke in security, he's assigned a Lt Nabata Aurilen to the investigation. No other progress to report, other than some suspicious log from one of the small arms lockers, but that system throws up an exception if you sneeze half the ship away. Probably some joker bulding a still, again.
Need to remember to ask Cia about how our restaurant is doing. Might help, getting her mind on happier things.
Was in the Summit today and mentioned Tenebrae was a Blooder while trying to convince a new - damn annoying - podder named Lecole something? to go to her. Ciarente was there and I guess didn't know? Poor girl didn't take it real well and left, went with Vikarion to see if she was alright. Got to see Camille who seemed to be adjusting quick - guess kids really bounce back - and Cia seemed mostly alright. She did have some kind of episode. Sometimes I really wonder what goes on in that head, she doesn't often seem to be as alright as she acts. I'm sure that scalpel-wielding blooder nutjob has something to do with it too, but you can't exactly come out and ask, "Hey, Celes, how did you mindfuck my friend?" At least now Cia knows, maybe it will help. She knows, about Blood Raiders, about what they do to people. Been killing them too, cleaning space of the sick trash, so she knows what the right thing to do is.
Heard from Sidreke in security, he's assigned a Lt Nabata Aurilen to the investigation. No other progress to report, other than some suspicious log from one of the small arms lockers, but that system throws up an exception if you sneeze half the ship away. Probably some joker bulding a still, again.
Need to remember to ask Cia about how our restaurant is doing. Might help, getting her mind on happier things.
Journal 3/20/11
Great news, we successfully extracted Cia's sister, probably back at the apartment with Cia by now. TB and company pulled it off perfectly, I think we may not have been using them to potential before this. Camille and especially Cia looked so happy. I can imagine what it must have been like. I love this job sometimes. Safe and Sound is backtracking to find the rest of the family, but I really don't have much hope for it. Jorion seems jumpy, and letting Camille wander around so much says he might have cut his losses already. The bastard. Hope we find him so I can share what I think of his parenting skills.
Get back to the Ideal and find out someone has been pilfering from engineering. Nothing too expensive, but I've had guards posted. Guess that is what you get when half the crew have been on the wrong side of the law at one time or another. Asked Major Sidreke to assign someone to investigate and forward the details to my office.
Dropped by the ship-board hangar and had a look over operations. Wasn't up to the usual standards, fairly sure the Utopian Spring couldn't even launch without a refit at this point. Looks like we might be getting sloppy. Have even had a couple of desertions, more than we have had since Silver announced our new corporation. Maybe it's just this place.
Get back to the Ideal and find out someone has been pilfering from engineering. Nothing too expensive, but I've had guards posted. Guess that is what you get when half the crew have been on the wrong side of the law at one time or another. Asked Major Sidreke to assign someone to investigate and forward the details to my office.
Dropped by the ship-board hangar and had a look over operations. Wasn't up to the usual standards, fairly sure the Utopian Spring couldn't even launch without a refit at this point. Looks like we might be getting sloppy. Have even had a couple of desertions, more than we have had since Silver announced our new corporation. Maybe it's just this place.
Journal 3/19/11
Got the dispute between engineering and supply settled - finally. Turns out that it was mostly a misunderstanding anyway, if the jackasses would stop yelling at each other long enough to settle it. Unfortunately, seems that Adazai who heads up engineering and Tukaya who is second down in supply have some sort of history. What is it that makes people who are supposed to be professionals act like children? Kasa Adazai is old enough to be my spirits-damned father. Well, it is resolved now, and hopefully that will be that.
Training with the new power armor version is progressing well I think, at least from how torn up the corner of the hangar we set aside for it got. Might have to look into getting a couple of MTACs from the same subsidiary. No major failures so far and the minor issues were mostly user error, which is pretty impressive right out of the box with minimal calibration. Have several more requests from crew for NHBUHCs, think this place is getting on everyone's nerves. Need to talk to Silver about it.
Got word from TB regarding his current assignment, going to relay some of the news later on tonight I hope, in person. The team we sent should be hooking up with him shortly as well. Man deserves a bonus from where I stand.
Training with the new power armor version is progressing well I think, at least from how torn up the corner of the hangar we set aside for it got. Might have to look into getting a couple of MTACs from the same subsidiary. No major failures so far and the minor issues were mostly user error, which is pretty impressive right out of the box with minimal calibration. Have several more requests from crew for NHBUHCs, think this place is getting on everyone's nerves. Need to talk to Silver about it.
Got word from TB regarding his current assignment, going to relay some of the news later on tonight I hope, in person. The team we sent should be hooking up with him shortly as well. Man deserves a bonus from where I stand.
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