Fleeing From Boredom

Ungstir Landing Pad 


 * Rough hewn walls of iron and basalt, grooved by machinery used to carve this spaceport facility out of the glinting black and gray rock, rise on all sides and arches above of the broad pad that provides ample room for starships to rest during their stay on Ungstir.


 * Bright sulfurous lights seem to cast the chamber in permanent daylight despite the gloomy darkness and stars that loom beyond the huge portals, protected by the hazy shimmer of the prot's atmospheric containment fields. Through the force screens, silhouetted by the glow of the distant star Perseverance, one can make out the rolling, drifting shapes of rocks and planetoids - remnants of the world to which this chunk once belonged.


 * Squat, dark-haired technicians with pale skin and gruff demeanors move from ship to ship, checking fuel levels and mechanical fitness of the vessels. An archway leads out of the landing facility and into the city of Resilience, via the customs station.


 * Several large bays are set aside for ship maintenance and repair, serving as a general purpose drydock facility.

Goldenfur disembarks from the UKT Seek and You Shall Find.

Rathenhope is wandering as usual. His face is a general mask of hidden emotions, causing him to basically be blank.

Goldenfur leaves the Seek, and go toward the Athena, as he notices Rathenhope, he smiles and steer toward him, as he approaches he greet him "Hi Rat!"

Rathenhope turns to see Goldenfur. His expression is immeasurable, not showing his feelings. "'day."

Goldenfur tilts his head and say "Alright?"

Rathenhope nods, "As usual. Yours?"

Goldenfur nods and say "Just bored... You are sure that you are alright?"

Rathenhope says, "Of course. I wouldn't have said it otherwise... any reason you think not?""

Goldenfur nods and say "Huh... You does not seen to be happy, does not seen to be bored, does not seen to be angry... Wazzup?"

Rathenhope shrugs, "Just.... well, bored works."

Goldenfur nods and say "Huh... Something else to do around? I mean, we both are bored, but I do not want to go to the tavern anymore... So?"

Rathenhope looks about, "This place is boring now."

Goldenfur nods and say "This place now is boring all the time"

Rathenhope laughs, "Actually true."

Goldenfur nods, and continues looking around, bored.

Rathenhope looks about while standing next to Goldenfur. He lets out a sigh, but keeps checking the field

Goldenfur is standing at the side of Rathenhope, they are both between the Athena and the Seek at some point.

Kastaprulyi slides quickly away from the city, slowing to a 'walking' pace only as it passes through the exit passage by Customs. The young Centauran then wanders off in the general direction of the parked ships.

Rathenhope notes the Centauran but pays little attention to him and turns back to the Demarian, "So.... You know how I could, I dunno, leave this damned planet?"

Goldenfur shake his head and say "I have no idea..." then he smiles as he sees Kas and smiles "Heya Kas!"

Kastaprulyi sends Goldenfur and Rathenhope a feeling of greeting as it notices the former and shifts direction to meet them between the Athena and the Seek. "Hello," Kas adds in childlike synthesized voice as it comes near enough. "What're you talking about?"

Aleksei just walks onto the pad, given that it's Third Shifft now. He looks around and notice Kas. The Kommissar gives the Centauran a nod of greeting and sez, "Privet, Komrade!"

Rathenhope visibly shirks away as the Centauran approaches them. Still, he manages to answer in a slightly louder than usual voice for him. "About how boring it is here." He finishes his short sentence and looks over to the Ungstiri who's just appeared and gives him a short, inperceptible nod, before lapsing into silence and withdrawing slightly.

Five Ungstiri miners stepp off of a wrecked freighter, their hearty laughs fill the air, "Plisav, your ma taught you what to do with devchka's, da. Dont' stand a chance with her the youngest of the bunch notes, eliciting laughter from the others.

Goldenfur notices the miners, and glances at them, then he look to Aleksei and smiles "Hey! MAny time since I do noy see ya!"

Kastaprulyi suggests a somewhat puzzled acknowledgment to Rathenhope, not coming any closer to him. As Aleksei approaches, the young Centauran sends him a silent greeting as well.

Aleksei archs an eyebrow at Rathenhope. "Bored, you say? Wish for excitement, yes? Just be careful for you wish for, may get it, especially on Ungstir." Al turns to the tall Demarian. "Privet..oh da, Goldenfur. Has been long time. Keeping out of trouble, I hope, yes?" Whilst talking to Goldenfur, Alek regards the exiting miners with one eye on them, just in case they make trouble.

There comes one rather dodgy looking rockhopper make its way into the landing cavern of Ungstir. It's bellowing out smoke and appears that it's well past its 8000 mile service. It takes a few minutes to settle and extend the boarding ramp and cycle the airlock, but when it does, a few miners make their way out. There's one individual with a drawn and sullen look on his face, and he pauses when he notices the Athena on the landing pad.

Rathenhope withdraws silently from the conversation, taking a step back from the others and begins to survey the landing field. He notices the miners and takes a few steps to put the group of people talking in front of him inbetween himself and the miners. He notes the arrival of the other rockhopper, but doesn't pay it much attention, too busy watching the louder miners.

Goldenfur notices the miners looking at the Athena, then he turn around and say "Hey, do you think that this is the end of the boredom?" nods to Alek and say "Fortunally, no more bralws, shots and things near me..."

Plisav, source of the first group of miners jokes laughs along with the others, "Da, almost had that right. Was a ma taught me about devchkas, da. But it was YOUR ma, Vladimir." he elbows a third miner playfully, "Well, your ma and your sister, da."

Kastaprulyi suggests an uncertain acknowledgement to Goldenfur, remaining quiet for the moment.

Aleksei gives a nod to Goldenfur. "Khorosho..Good, I mean. Have enough troubles to deal with..for example.." Al notes, as the smoke from the hopper envelops him. "Hey, somebody get that hopper fixed, da? It's polluting the cavern!"

Coughing from the smoke emitted by the hopper, Rathenhope temporarily loses sight of the miners that worry him so and begins rescanning the field with his eyes, but to no avail.

The drawn and sullen faced man's attention slowly slips along the length of the ship's length... Where does it rest? Only on the purple suited Centauran and his collegues. "Get hoopin' back to Nocturn, Kamir Freaks!" the man calls out, much to the dismay of the rest of the shuttle crew. Never mind the smoking rockhopper, as he motions in the direction of Rathenhope, Cas and Goldenfur. "Komissar, vi should arrest them, da?!" he calls out to Aleksei. "They dangerouz to all!"

The elbowed miners attention isn't on Plisav but rather on the newly landed rockhopper and now on the Athenauts he's talking to. "Enough, da. Take a look over there. Looks like its going to be a night at Rockhopper's soon enough, da."

Goldenfur shake his head and say "Trouble..." then he start to wander toward the Athena, slowly, using both crutches, but the fast as he can, without looking like he is fleeing.

Kastaprulyi returns a worried greeting to the fellow who's yelling "The people you're probably talking about aren't around now," Kas calls back, synthetic voice a bit louder. The young Centauran then starts to take off for the Athena's boarding ramp.

"Vi scram Kamir Kitty!" comes the call from the possible pilot of the 'hopper. The man's eyes then lock onto the Centaurian. "Vi nyi know Kamir... floating thing!" Yeah, take that, as the unnamed man stands there with a smug look on his face.

Plislav and Vladimir turn to look at the yelling miner, "Look at their uniforms, those're those AES folks, da?" the third miner says as Vladimir takes a step twoards the direction of the Athena, "Da. That's them. Heard their Captain was a hoopin Kamir."

"Imagine, da." says Plislav, "How hoopin long you think they lived with that thing? You imagine the shift leader being one of them?"

Vladimir snorts, "Look at them." The distenace between them and the small group is quickly shrinking, "Look at them, hoopin cowards. Hey buddy!" he yells at Rathenhope, "You hoopin trying to run? Provin to me you're one of those coward Kamir bastards, da!"

Goldenfur finnaly reaches the Athena boarding ramp, he climb the ramp, and press the keypad to open the airlock, then he staiys there, looking to them all and say "Hey, the only Kamir was Marlan Ranix, and she already left!"

As the airlock opens up, it reveals a small statured Lunite woman, armed, but not looking the least bit dangerous. Her bright green eyes blink a little as she's met by fur, brow wrinkling a little bit. "What's this about Marlan?" she inquires a little coolly of Goldenfur, peeking around the Demarian to get a view of the Landing Pad, and whoever he's addressing.

Kastaprulyi slips up the ramp with Goldenfur, though doesn't make any attempt to look nonchalant about it. The young Centauran slips into the airlock, remarking worriedly, "Maybe we should let Kommissar Strumenko fix this..."

"Vi run little deyvachka!" the unknown miner calls out to the retreating Rathenhope. "Vi run to Kamir masters and suckle. Think vi are better than rest!" Goldenfur's call only serves to distract the man who left the rockhopper earlier. "Vi hooping piss off the rock, da?!"

The hatch on the Wolfsbane slides open and a moment later LeBeau emerges from the ship, pushing a set of reflective sunglasses up onto the bridge of his nose as he exits. Glancing around, perhaps brought out by the scuffling and crazyness starting up.

"They either get this hoopin ship off the rocks or i've got a hoopin plasma cutter that'll make short work of their hull and them." Smislav remarks cooly, gaze lifting to the Athena's boarding ramp and then to Rathenhope, "Someone grab him, da. Don't hoopin want them leaving any of their trash behind." he says.

Rathenhope blinks, and stops walking, realising he's all on his own now, and the only people who could help aren't next to him. He sighs and balls his fists behind his back, ready. HE replies, choosing his choice of words carefully. "Hey, I don't have glowing eyes, so I'm not a Kamir, and I don't have an AES uniform, so I'm not actually on the Athena. Between jobs, and definately non-Kamir would describe me best right now." He gulps slightly, but doesn't give off any other signs of fear.

Goldenfur steps forward, to allow Raisa exit, then he say "There, a group of miners willing to ripe our skin off if we do not depart... You are the only security officer that do not ran away, any idea?"

Raisa looks Goldenfur up and down, then rolls her eyes, striding down off of the ramp. "If stuff starts to get bad, get inside the ship," is all she says. "That means you too, Kas. And if worse comes to worse, I can lift the Athena up for a brief while until they settle down." As she moves down, and her feet touch the ground, her voice rises a little. "Hey, kittens, why don't you come play with someone that's actually on the Athena, and leave the poor boy alone," she calls sweetly.

After a few moments of looking over the situation LeBeau moves towards the duo of Raisa and Goldenfur. Walking up to them he nods to each of them, "I think the two of you should get on your ship or ships and get out of here before this gets violent."

Kastaprulyi slides around behind Raisa to the back of the airlock without further encouragement, hastily fishing out a datapad from a pocket under its bell. "Should I tell everybody to think about leaving for a few weeks?" Kas adds.

There's two dock hands near Rathenhope who notice the calls from their Komerades. "Piss off with them, we don't want vi," the female dockhand tells the mercenary.

Mister unknown continues to incite what violence he can, completely ignoring LeBeau. "Vi be quiet little deyvachka, vi nyi know what vi talk about.... Blind by stupidity, da? Vi nyi know that Kamir are evil."

Doing a swift about turn, Rathenhope begins to move back towards the Athena, a quick nod of thanks towards Raisa as he does so. He looks warily at the dockhands and other miners as he does so, unsure if any of them are about to make a move on him or other unwelcome advances.

Plisav moves towards Raisa, "Say that like you're hoopin proud of it. Hoopin freaks. Worse then the Nalls. take your Kamir friends and get the hoop out of here before we give you an Ungstiri welcome, da." he sneers at Rathenhope, "Whole lot of you Kamir touched. Disgust me to even look at you" he says, standing just inches from Raisa now, "Hoop..even smelling you is digusting, Kamir."

Goldenfur smiles and say "Please, we want no problems, and we do not have permission to take off..." then he nods to Raisa.

LeBeau moves up behind Raisa and places a hand on her shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze. "I think its time for you to take your ship and crew and get out of here Raisa." He then turns his gaze to Goldenfur, "I think these kind citizens are giving you your permission."

"Personally, can't believe he's willing to get that close to her." the unnamed Miner speaks. "Should do the responsible thing and get rid of them once and for all. 'fore they keep spreading across the galaxy."

Kastaprulyi seems to be trying to keep mostly out of the line-of-sight from the still-open doorway of the Athena, though a few pink eyes might be peeking out far enough to see something. The young Centauran pokes on its datapad to bring up the holographic bush of its Tataskra interface. A couple other arms reach for its commlink at Goldenfur's remark.

Raisa stares down Plisav coolly, her nose wrinkling faintly, "Perhaps I smell of Kamir, but, darling, I'm afraid you smell even worse than I do," she states. "So, if you don't want Kamir cooties on you, I'd back up a little bit." She then clears her throat. "Kas, gather up the crew. I think we might want to take a little vacation." Her eyes flicker for the briefest moment to Goldenfur. "If there's a problem, I'll take responsibility for it."

The unknown man just grimaces as LeBeau touches Raisa shoulder. "Vi end up with disease," he informs LeBeau, most likely using the full extent of his knowledge. "Vi end up Kamir..." The man trails off, and the he appears to be thinking. "Kamir touched, da!" One of the miners behind him, now leaving the rockhopper, leans into whisper something quiet to him.

The two dockhands 'escort' Rathenhope towards the Athena. Before the female of the duo appears to being ready to lash out from behind.

Rathenhope notes the two dockhands behind him and moves slightly quicker, still ready for an outbreak of violence. He calls out to Raisa as he approaches the Athena, "You wouldn't mind taking an extra passenger along would you? Only it seems I am.. no longer welcome here." He looks back at the dockhands and realises a fight is probably coming anyway.

Goldenfur nods to Raisa and say "Where we go? Demaria?" then he look at the group and smiles "Please, leave us alone..."

LeBeau turns to face Raisa a little more and steals his voice. "Raisa, no need to antagonize these fine men and women. Now get your crew back on the ship and get out of here now." He then looks towards teh miners and other standing before them and as their reflection stares back at them in his sunglasses..."Just let them leave. I know they certainly don't want the trouble of having your fine miners show them the meaning of Ungstiri tough."

Plisav laughs, "Da, listen to your dirty friend and run, da. Hoopin Kamir slut." he spits at Raisa, "Get out of here before we teach you just what Ungstiri tough means." A small crowd has formed around the group. While some appear hesitant, others jeer, cheering as Plislav spits at Raisa.

Kastaprulyi remains worriedly quiet as it gestures with purple-clad arms into the datapad's interface. The young Centauran meanwhile activates the commlink to say, "We're on the GMF Athena. We'd like permission for leaving the Resilience landing bay, the Ungstir system really soon..."

Raisa's eyes flash furiously as she is spat upon, but she gives a curt nod to LeBeau, "If you want to come, then get your ass on board," she adds to Rathenhope. "Kas, you got us clearance, yet?" she inquires of the Centauran. "Athena crew, on board, now," she snaps, still glaring at Plisav.

Those two dock hands continue to follow Rathenhope towards the boarding ramp of the Athena. "Get'char asses on there," says one, who sounds more like a Martian than an Ungstiri. "Ain't welcome here."

The unknown man continues to hang near the rockhopper. "If we let dem leave, dey vill return, da? Iz nyi intelligent move... We should finish them now!" He calls out to the amasing crowd.

As Raisa seems to let some sort of cooler head prevail LeBeau only nods to her and continues to watch Plisav and the gathering crowd. The hand on Raisa's shoulder slips to his side and disappears into his coat. "Best speed up that exit Raisa. Things look like they might get out of hand any minute."

Rathenhope climbs the ramp of the Athena quickly, stopping to stand by Raisa, "Thanks." He waits there to see what will happen next, not wanting to abandon the people who are now helping him. He listens and growls to himself under his breath, "Ok, so... Ungstir is now added to the list of places not to visit for a few months."

Goldenfur nods to Rathenhope and say "I remove what I said about Ungstir being more secure than New Luna..." then he steps inside the Airlock, at the side of Kas and say "Better myself run to turn on the engines...".

The small group of miners laughs as Raisa turns to go, "Hoopin turn and run, worse then hoopin nall." Vladimir says from behind Plisav. "Atleast the Nall have honor." an unknown member of the group calls out. "I say he's right!" another yells out, "Have hoopin kids, don't need one of these Kamir bastards playing mind games with them!"

Kastaprulyi returns a feeling of agreement to Goldenfur, giving the memo it was typing in Terran one last poke with the end of an arm. "The flight control people didn't answer yet. Maybe we could tell them we're leaving, wait outside Resilience for them to figure out a path out of the system..." Kas offers hesitantly.

"Keep trying, Kas," Raisa says, her shoulders twitching a little as she jibes continue to come. "Get on board, and get the ship prepped. All of you. If we have to, we'll lift up without clearance." She then twists her neck a little to look up at LeBeau. "Can I hit one of them?" she asks, her voice low. "Just one, please?" Her hands curve into fists, eyes flickering over the growing group, silently counting.

LeBeau twists his head just a bi to look at Raisa, then back to the near mob. "I don't think that would be a smart move under the circumstances Raisa. Looks like you'll just have to swallow your pride on this one. Now get out of here."

There comes more taunts from the mob. Some in the native tongue of Ungstir, other in broken and fluent Terran Standard. "Death to the Kamir spawns!" seems to be a popular one. Another one is, "Go back to Nocturn!"

Rathenhope nods in agreement with LeBeau, "I don't have any idea who any of you are, but between flying away with you, and staying here, I take flying away with you. At least there's a slight possibility I won't die that way."

Goldenfur shake his head and say "We can not leave without clearance I think, we are having some problems on the outside, and I think that we can get some eletromagnetic pulse problems if we just depart..."

Kastaprulyi slips the datapad back under its bell as it makes another comm call in childlike synthetic voice. "We really need to leave the landing bay or get help with the security problem here... Probably finding a path for us to leave'd help the problem."

The comm-link crackles, "Securities been alerted Athena. You have a clear path on lane four. Safe passage." a friendly voice responds.

The female miner reaches into her belt, pulling out a miner's staff, "We've done enough talking. The devchkas mine." she says, eyes on Raisa, "Teach them to stay off the rocks!"

"Crew, inside," Raisa snaps as soon as she hears the commlink come to life. "LeBeau, you better head back to the Wolf. I don't need a certain redhead pissed at me because you got hurt," she says, her voice quieting down a little. When the female miner reaches for her staff, a curse tumbles out. "Inside, now," she shouts at the still idle crew, one foot sliding back slightly to provide more balance for herself.

LeBeau's right arm jumps back from under his coat and with a shifting of his right foot a foot long cyclinder leaps up into his hand. He steps between the female miner and Raisa. "Stand down miss, don't want you to go any spoil my decent mood now do you?" His lips then curve into a smirk. "Don't worry Raisa, I'm sure I'll get the brunt of the yelling and not you."

Security certainly is alerted, and several Kommissars start to make their way into the landing cavern. "Z'and down," calls out one heavily accented member of the local law. "Ve vill nyi z'and for this... Dizperse, go back to vi homes and vork! Iz nyi the 'hopper!"

Kastaprulyi tries to make a dash for the airlock door control at Raisa's shout. ~We can go now,~ the young Centauran sends hurriedly to Raisa. "Do we have a pilot ready?" Kas then asks aloud.

Rathenhope nods swiftly and waiting for the airlock door to cycle properly prepares to enter behind the rest of the crew. He looks at LeBeau and breathes a short sigh of possible relief...

Goldenfur moves to inside the Airlock and say "I can pilot, but I need to turn the engines... So someone else pilot!"

The female miner pays no heed to the Komissars, glaring at Lebeau now, "Get out of my way 'less your a Kamir sympathizer, da. If you are.." she glances back over her shoulder then back to Lebeau, "Then you get no different then them."

The crowd behidn the miner cheers in agreeance even as those on the outside of the mob begin to disperse at the Kommissars appearance.

Rathenhope boards the GMF Athena.

LeBeau's lips curl into a snarl as his steely face is set on the miner. Eyes perhaps burning thru her if they were not shielded behind his sunglasses. "Oh I have more then a few reasons to hate and dispise the Kamir." He nearly spits out. "But I'm also not about to let a mob of ignorant fools from attacking innocent people."

"I can fly," Raisa calls to the crew, her attention still on the female miner. "LeBeau, go back to the Wolf. Once you're there, I'll fly the Athena out of here. Not a moment before that, got it?" she adds to the other Lunite, nudging him in the ribs. "No fights. Promise. Just go back now." Eyes refocusing on the miner, a smile plays across her lips. "You wanna play, darling? Come play with me, and leave this one out of it."

The Komissars start to form a line, usual crowd control procedures. "Iz final warning," he bellows out at the top of his lungs. "Vi vill disperse or ve vill use force to disperse!"

Kastaprulyi lingers off to the side of the airlock within reach of the airlock's controls. The young Centauran shifts to sneak a quick peek through the door.

Goldenfur open the hatch to the Athena main corridor, and leave.

The crowd has begun to disperse but a small but intent group remains circles around Lebeau and Raisa. The path between Lebeau and the Wolf and Raisa and the Athena is quickly becoming smaller as Raisa's challenge is met. The Ungstiri woman lashes out with the heavy metal baton, in the direction of Raisa and Lebeau if he attempts to get in the way.

LeBeau spins the cyclinder in his hand and as he does so the ends snap out, opening the staff to its full length of nearly two meters. He then spins one end of the staff to come into the path of the baton of the miner to block its path of destruction.

Those of the Komissars that are in the line, continue to encroch towards the mob. They aren't in close enough range to attempt to help to defuse it yet.

With LeBeau now drawing the attention of the female miner, Raisa shifts her position slightly to keep her eyes on the rest of the group starting to settle themselves in towards them. "Well, shit," she mutters. "Alright boys..." she mumbles to herself, one hand sliding beneath her jacket to check something, and then reemerging, still empty. Once this is one, both hands curl back into fists.

The metal staff sounds loudly as it makes contact with Lebeau's staff, "Get off the hoopin rock!" the woman yells angrily as she pulls back her staff.

~I can start taking in the boarding ramp...~ Kas sends to Raisa as it peers around the edge of the door again. The young Centauran tries to contact Goldenfur as well.

The Athena engines start to roar, as someone inside start the sequence to turn them on.

LeBeau pulls his own staff back, into a defensive stance as he begins to slowly backstep in the direction of the Wolf. "Just what I was thinking myself young lady. Now be a good girl and just let us leave and I won't have to school you in just how to use a staff properly."

"That's it, run!" she says, spitting in Lebeau's direction, "Kamir Sympathizers, just as bad as them." she says. The Komissars are quickly closing on the group, "Alright, everyone get hoopin home. Show's over." they shove their way through the group, not beyond throwing a few blows of their own.

Raisa briefly touches LeBeau's arm in a silent farewell as she moves her way towards the ramp of the Athena, never taking her eyes off of those that were ready to attack her. Her hands remain at her sides, but her body is tense, ready to react at any sign of aggression coming at her.

LeBeau spins the staff in his hand as he continues to move back towards the Wolf, keeping his eyes on the miners that had tried to surround them even while the Komissars do there own to 'disuade' the crowd from getting out of hand.

A small group of miners remains frozen in place, monitoring the two ships departure. One shoves the Komissars back, "We're getting the Kamir scum off the hoopin rocks, da."

Kastaprulyi continues hovering by the airlock controls, waiting for Raisa to pass before shutting the door. ~Raisa's comeing inside now,~ Kas sends to Goldenfur. ~Are we ready for leaving?~

As the Athena engines sound seens to become stable Goldenfur send back to Kas a message ~Yep, everything right here... Cool, like with Theorians...~

Raisa backs herself up towards the ramp, nodding her head. "Let's go, Kas," she says, as she steps up to the airlock. "I think we're done here." She casts one last glance at the people all around outside, and then nods, moving inside.

Kastaprulyi returns a feeling of acknowledgement to Goldenfur and jabs at the door and ramp controls. "Goldenfur says were ready for leaving," Kas reports with a touch less worry in its emotional aura.

LeBeau does pretty much the same, taking the oppertunity of the miners being partly distracted by the Komissars to make a break for the Wolf. The hatch opening and the ramp sliding down automaticly once he seems to be closing on the ship.

There's a cheer from the crowd as the Wolf's hatch slides closed and the Athena seems to be following suit.

Athena engines continue running steady, the corridor hatch opens, like inviting everyone inside.

UKT Wolfsbane powers up and thrusts upwards, departing into space.

Bridge 


 * Compact and smoothly efficient, the bridge of the Athena is crafted in a double tier of concentric workstations. One enters low, rising up a tall ship's ladder into the center of the primary station well. On this level the three main consoles are nooked, their monitors stacked in rigid rows beneath the polycomposite viewscreen panels, a chaos of rainbow telltales reflecting off each brightly polished surface. The portside workstation monitors the ship's engineering functions, mirrored on the starboard side by the ship's armscomp console. Forward, central, is the sharp "u" of the navigator's station. Behind, on the upper tier, overlooking the whole of the bridge is the captain's command station.


 * Cool white light illuminates the space, from recessed fixtures hidden against the ship's structural framing. The flooring is set with modular metal panels, providing access to the avionics, computer and other flight systems concealed below. A narrow gangway leads aft and down to the ship's main corridor.

Goldenfur is seated at the engineering chair, the pilot chair seens to be ready to be jumped in, and there are on the navigation console the course to Demaria already set.

"Any objections to New Luna?" Raisa inquires as makes her way up onto the bridge. "Best place to head at this moment, since there's already people there apart of AES."

Kastaprulyi slips after Raisa, returning a feeling of acknowledgment. "I guess New Luna's okay..."

Renkek Kashaan has been powering the athena up and blinks "Someone else know how to fuel us up? We're not going anywhere at all without fuel."

"I'll get it," Raisa says. "Just get us ready to lift off when I get back," she adds, heading back down the ladder she just came up. "After that, I'll fly us out of here."

Goldenfur still from the location where he are, he say "Huh... New Luna is not good place, New Luna have lunites going mad with militia and lunites going mad with Kamirs too, I think that for now, only Demarians does not mind about Kamirs..."

Renkek Kashaan smiles "I can fly fine, but we just need the fuel to do so."

"Watch it, fuzzball," Raisa adds to Goldenfur, narrowing her eyes. "I'm a Lunite. If you don't like New Luna, stay on the ship, or get off here. Your choice. But right now, that's where we're headed."

Kastaprulyi slips into the back of the bridge to wait uncertainly. "Athena was in that big fight about the ATRV evacuation on Demaria," Kas points out.

Goldenfur nods and say "Huh... I have nothing against lunites, I have against lunites that kill other lunites..."

Renkek Kashaan watches as the ship's fueled and powers the ship up again and nods "Ready to fly."

Renkek Kashaan looks around "Someone get us clearance and flight path to New Luna."

Goldenfur watches down the angry mob, waiting for the ship to depart and say "Hurry, we must go... Someone make this thing fly..." then he turn to Renkek and say "We can fly on the lane four..."

Raisa returns back up onto the bridge, stretching herself out a little. "Kas, you wanna take care of all correspondence with the stations?" she inquires, glancing around the ship, frowning. "And then post a notice for all Athena crew to join us on New Luna, since I'm sure we left a few people behind..."

"We could probably stay safer by not going outside on New Luna," Kas offers encouragingly. The young Centauran returns a feeling of acknowledgement to Raisa. "I already wrote to everybody about leaving. I'll say where we're going now."

>> Outside the Ship: Changing vectors, the GMF Athena breaks orbit and leaves Ungstir Two behind.

>> Outside the Ship: Midsystem  >> Outside the Ship: - Ungstir Local Space ZMO -


 * Com chatter and rockhopper traffic clutters the midsystem orbit, a complex tangle of small craft darting in and about the system's two major asteroid belts. The outer ring of rocks and debris are the Chas Peek asteroids, while closer is the broad band of planetary fragments that are the last remmnants of the Ungstiri homeworld of Youngster. The focus of this activity is Ungstir Two, the largest remaining fragment, more commonly known as the City of Reslience, this easily discernable from from station transmissions and insystem ship identification squeals. Scattered thoughout the two belts are the Ungstiri townships, smaller habitations scattered throughout the broken stones, at the belt's trojan points and other areas of major mineral strikes.


 * A party of rockhoppers clutter the traffic lanes, the com channels a cacaphony of conflicting priorities and schedule deadlines. In continual competition, each jockeys for the most advantageous approach vector, their end of shift destination the City of Resilience. With no shepard to guide them, it is an entertaining race, and to the victor the preferred berth and best table at the tavern.

"Renkek, land down in Greenville, but if anyone wants to go anywhere, they should be headed to Deepcrest, to the Hanger where that Timonae has shop. That's the only place I recommend people going, unless they want to stay confined to ship. And try to avoid going out alone." She rubs her neck a little, "I'm going to go down and see who we have. If you all need anything from me, just come down and get me."


 * The stars are a scattering of diamonds upon a field of black velvet, their dance a far off glittering from this lonely corner of space. One star shines brighter, a saffron gem within a shimmering halo of asteroids. Perseverance, the home star of the Ungstiri people. The jumppoint breaks into normal space high above the ecliptic, the system below laying out as if an illustrated in a basic astrogation text. A desnse sphere ofasteroids define Perseverance's inner system, sheltering the soft yellow star. Just beyond that veil two small planets orbit, too close to the star for comfort. Midsystem is the thick asteroid belt left by the destruction of Youngster, the center of the Ungstiri territory and an area of continual activity. Just beyond the system's third asteroid belt loops in a wide ellipse. The outer system is claimed a single gas giant, kept company by a far planet and a few scattered rocks.


 * This far out, the only company is the system navigation bouy, steadfastly broadcasting basic system and approach information. Insystem, both the com and sensor scans are a chatter of merchant traffic, centered upon the large asteroid of Ungstir Two, the City of Resilience. Like little stars, insystem drives flare and sparkle, meeting the continuous demands of system commerce.

Renkek Kashaan nods to Raisa "Understood."

Goldenfur nods and say "Deepcrest so?"

The forward view becomes a wash of shimmering silver as the spindrive field wraps about the ship, allowing it hyperaccelerate outbounds ...


 * The shimmering spindrive field glitters like a sphere of polished crystal surrounding the starship. Across it surface a brilliant view of the realspace streaks past, the curved reflections of passing stars dopplering from bright red to deepest blue. Every now and then a white sunburst glares through the field, surrounded by lens flare circles o light, fading across the spectrum.

Renkek Kashaan says, "26 minutes and 54 seconds till we're there.""

Kastaprulyi returns an acknowledgement to Raisa, taking out its datapad again. "Is now a good time for me to study, after I tell everybody what Raisa said?"

Goldenfur nods and say "I think so... We have a long joruney..."

Renkek Kashaan nods "You can study now we should be ok I'd think anyway."

Kastaprulyi silently acknowledges the response, poking on the datapad as it slips down to the corridor.

Goldenfur continues on his chair, looking at the stars that pass around the ship really fast until the rest of the journey.

26 minutes later...

>> Outside the Ship: Braking thrusters activating, the GMF Athena descends through the clouds towards the planet's surface.

>> Outside the Ship: Landing Pad  >> Outside the Ship: - New Luna -


 * Perched scenically on the edge of a cliff overlooking the choppy blue Independence Harbor, this solid-looking, plascrete landing pad is extremely expansive, larger than a small city. Neon green lines divide the pad into several landing strips, two capital ship landing sites, and hundreds of individual taxi spots. A tall control tower directs traffic onto and through the pad, and a wide, plascrete path leads into the city proper.

Renkek Kashaan flies the ship in and lands it as softly as ships can land and nods "We've arrived."