Dharma Pax Dusted

Dharma Pax Dusted



The Dharma Initiative's Hemlock facility on Hale's Moon has been shut down due to a toxic waste spill of weaponized Pax Dust the Dharma Initiative recovered from the late "Angel's of Mercy" Medical Research Center on Zenobia.

This video shows footage from the security tapes. Nice view of the Hemlock base, it replicant guards, rescued Reaver experiments in stasis, reaver containment area, secret vault where the Alliance Encrypted Disk is. Copy of the file "Operation Pax Dust" we received from "Deep Throat", our operative on Zenobia. A few other things, but you have to have a sharp eye. (Anyone know What that picture was of, right after the vault?)

http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/10/15/2603694/Hemlock%20Gas.mov

(Only members of the Dharma Initiative know this in character.)

Sorting things out.

Sorting things out.

When I dropped off Cody and LilyBell at Caliban, Aurora was asleep in her bed all safe and tidy. The next day after Krenshar was returned BY X0X0, x0x0 informed me that slavers had taken Aurora and that she was going to go retrieve her. She gave me a message to give to her assistant, Emma. She actually made arrangements in case of her own demise. I never seen any glimpse of that before. I have seen x0x0 in action, so as requested, I did not tell Krenshar and LilyBell, who were both recovering from their ordeals.

The previous time I saw Aurora, she was in MacLaren and in need of her meds from Mindo. We were able to accommodate. Somehow, I doubt slavers would accommodate her medical needs.



X0x0 returned without finding the slavers. The last sign of them was on Botany Bay. I searched around and ran into Akasha near the slave market. The slave market is right next to a popular bar. A built in supply, make sure and bring a designated driver to Club CCC on Botany Bay.

Akasha found out that the Alliance dispatched a lieutenant to talk with Varahi on Paquin about their errant acolytes. She was in Botany Bay trying to find a good place to lay low. I offered some advice about avoiding the slave market and bars near slave markets. They might not have covered that in Companion School.

Later I get a wave from Lily, she and Cody were also checking Botany Bay. I offer my notes. Later I meet with Seana at Hale and I let her know what I found out so far. I never seen Seana like this. Even when I was trying to make her and x0x0 angry, she maintained her cool. This was a different side of Seana, still calm, but the kind of calm while getting out her can of industrial strength Whoopass. She said that she was going to go get Aurora. Very calm, I backed out of the room, almost bumped into Seana’s secretary Genni, who also spooks me.

http://mayorseana.blogspot.com/2009/11/target-acquisition.html

http://mayorseana.blogspot.com/2009/11/target-acquisition.html

The next day Gallagher was showing me his newfangled THING THAT IS TOO SECRET TO WRITE ABOUT, that he got from his benefactor Desmond. It was pretty cool. Dharma folks should ask him about it. While we were chatting a bit with Vega about autumn leaves and asteroids, I received a call (IM) from Aurora. She also transmitted a wave for me to forward to Seana and LilyBell.

http://aurorabluelittleboots.blogspot.com/2009/11/whispered-help.html

Aurora managed to get hold of the comm. Equipment on the ship where she was being held. I tried to reassure her that Mother Dragon was coming for her and tried to get some useful info. She couldn’t talk long. I forwarded the wave to Seana and Lilybell as per her request.

Aurora told me enough that I figured out where she was, Necronom Colony. I know this place, its’ where the organ leggers hang out. A nastylot. A lot worse than the folks that build slave markets near bars. Despite promising myself never to go back there, I couldn’t risk waiting for Seana, LilyBell, x0x0, Krenshar, Gallagher or anyone. ZOHMYGODZILLA! WHERE WAS EVERYBODY!? Despite being acutely aware of the appraised value of my butt, I go to Necronom Colony.



I contact Mercedes so that I can say that I am on official business and stay on the Promenade of the space station, I look like such a tourist. I locate Aurora and finally get a reply from Seana. I transmit a few pictures and give her the coordinates. Aurora was in an area I couldn’t go without blowing my cover. And I certainly was not going there without backup. They would just move her and then we would be back to square one. I linger as long as possible. Seana confirms that she is in transit as I leave the space station. I sent Aurora reassurances that help was on the way.

My part was done for the moment, I am not qualified for extraction. I can fly straight, but not shoot straight and Seana has her own pilot. I have tried my had at these things and I have been more of a liability than an asset. I am still valued because I know things, but no one has any illusions about my fighting prowess. Seana and whoever she had helping her, General and Sabrina I think, probably more, will take it from there.

In my humble experience since I came to the rim in March, is that when Aurora is involved Mindo is usually related. Probably not a coincidence. Last time I saw Mindo, Emma and I escorted him back to Hale’s with the promise of lemon pie and to help find his old lab. I felt bad that I never got him his lemon pie. Emma’s recreation droid Six had a liberal definition about the difference between lemon cake and lemon pie. When we left Mindo, x0x0 had him strapped to a wall and was slapping him around. Blue Sun Family Values. The rich really aren’t like us.



But DUH, Mindo escaped. Of all people, Immy helped him to escape or at least was his pilot. Now x0x0 and Immy are friends, which is hard to understand, but it’s true. So, whether x0x0 is complicit is another point to ponder. Immy piloted Mindo to safety before. I know of two locations from previously. I only know where one of them are. One is to Mindo’s old lab, currently run by Mini-Zebes. The other one is where they store Mindo’s mother in stasis. I only know where Mini-Zebes is. I went there and Lily went there later, there was no sign. No one seems to know or tell where Mindo’s mommy is stored. STORED is the word they used, more Blue Sun Family Value.

Aurora has a streetvalue for her dna way beyond the appraised value of my petite butt. The Alliance and Blue Sun have been bending over backwards and killing themselves and each other over her valuable genome.

When Weyland-Futani messed with Krenshar’s programming, he was somehow involved. This was a cloned brain Krenshar showed Captain Griffy and me. Krenshar’ s programming seems to have been restored since he was returned from Alliance arrest BY X0X0. He started jumping around again and scratching himself like a certain not-cat named LilyBell that I won’t mention.



Mercedes gets back with me. Turns out she has 3 clones from Krenshar AND the brain that LilyBell stole from Krenshar. I am not sure how that happened. A lot of things have been passed around lately. I think Pepper still has the teddybear that Krenshar needed for Aurora. Cody hid the coin that Krenshar gave him. I hid the data disk the Alliance wants from Cody.



In any case, Mercedes wants a copy of the Ardra backup that LilyBell downloaded from the Ardra synthetic and is willing to trade the clones for it. Pepper wants the Ardra program so that she can trade it to Ardra to get the remains of Saint Zenobius.

The dog will get the chickenhawk a chicken in exchange for a bone. The cat will get you a bone in exchange for a fish. The mouse will get you a fish in exchange for some cheese……My life.

Last week Emma tells me that Cody’s head is going to explode if he doesn’t get proper medical attention. There is a distinct shortage of super genius doctors that make housecalls. With some convincing, I get Miya to agree to examine Cody at the Zenobia Medical Center. I had the room reserved for my annual pilot physical so I can continue to work for the Zenobian Trade Consulate. With some convincing, I get Thoth to shut up for a bit so that the patient would not run away.



Cody did not want to get in the stasis chamber for the total scan, but the wall scanner turned up a lot of info. Mostly about a chip implanted in Cody’s head. X0x0 had said something about it.



LilyBell came and the two ran off like fugitives. Cody found himself in Alliance custody that same day. He was later rescued by some folks. He still walks with a limp.

I mention this now because when I contacted Mercedes in Necronom, among her wares was also some bone marrow of Cody’s. This could mean that there is some link between Mercedes and the organ leggers and the Alliance. Dunno, the Umbrella Corporation might just be like Blue Sun with their fingers in a lot of pies. And Creepy.

I am not sure how this is all playing out, but even though Seana is picking up Aurora, I am going to keep looking for info about Mindo.

Coop flew the coop. Duncan Cooperstone, where art thou? We parted company on bad terms. He did not understand that Cody turned himself in to Caliban voluntarily, I was just the pilot. Coop came to Caliban to spring him. He torched two of my offices before that. All he met found was me, Emma, a DyssenDroid and a freed Cody. We exchanged angry words, then he left. I felt bad. Later I found out that Coop gave the Raveinn to Cody and departed on his own to parts unknown. Gabe has gone looking for Coop, as has Zeno and Pepper as well. I keep my eyes and ears open.

There is a warrant for questioning of any present of past crew of the Raveinn. Coop is wanted for arson. Zenobia pressed charged. I didn’t care, it was insured. I hope he comes back soon. Even though it is going to be a hard time for him.





Emma’s droid, Six, dancing around in the fire mocking Emma and I for being flammable. Yeah, but she can’t tell pie from cake.



Dyssen Droid, big and noisey.



Blue Sun build a luxury compound and I extorted myself onto the tenant list. I scored a sweet chalet in the mountains east of the Spaceport. It overlooks x0x0’s chalet. She was very clear that although we are neighbors, we will not be friends. I know too much to like and am too useful to kill. I get the chalet on the keep your enemies closer playbook.

She doesn’t understand why I don’t tell more of her secrets. It is a fine line to walk. I know where her new secret projects lab is also. I haven’t told her that I know that one yet. I will probably choose a moment when she does not have a gun in her hand and she has something useful to tell me. She threatens me, I tell her that I know of something she thought was a secret, she gets upset, we cut a deal. I get useful information to keep my foolish friends from getting killed. It’s a process. I will probably have to trade some info to break the stalemate on Mindo.



Mine is the one on the far right, x0x0’s is on the far left. There is a cool swimming pool. X0x0 has her own pool. There is a nice private lake too. Lots of rule, no gunfire and stuff. The Chalet is 3 levels. I am having decorator block. Desse and I went to Bihar to look at their art exhibit that Zenobia was sponsoring. It was 19th Century Orientalists, Desse is more neo-classical. I found one painting I liked. There were dozens I like, there was one I found that I think would look good in the chalet.



Gallagher had a coolio pool party at the compound’s pool. Desse came by. YAY DESSE! Good to see folks just having a good time without a stripper pole.

SPOILERS!

Spoilers

(Planet Real Life and certain technical difficulties have made me a bit scarce lately. Due to said technical difficulties, this is all text. I am a bit overdue and there is a lot, so it is long. Juicy stuff though. Totally fly.)

A week or so before Krenshar left Hale for Caliban, a Weyland Futani Replicant Repair Ship visited Hale. Shortly thereafter, Krenshar exhibited some peculiar behavior and his highlights changed to Alliance Purple.

Krenshar went to Caliban and in addition to making the abandoned medical research base habitable, began some experimentation. This reported involved shipments of reavers and other biological materials. He was cloning something and working with genetics.

His stated goal was to “fix” what was wrong with Aurora and Lily, make them how they were “meant” to be. Krenshar explained, “Lily” is not supposed to be like me, Aurora is not supposed to be like you.” It had to do with combining organic and synthetic I think.

Lily stole a brain from Krenshar’s lab or got it from someone who stole it from Krenshar’s lab.

I finally tracked down the broker that screwed me up with that botched salvage mission on the derelict ship which was being used as a staging area to harvest the organs from people. Mercedes led me to believe that they had been shipping “materials” to Caliban. Also, that Ardra was the pilot. She was also particularly interested in LilyBell for some reason.

Rumors abounded that Krenshar was cloning AuroraBlue LIttleboots and selling them off to the Alliance. His broadcasts over the Firefly Channel had several people concerned. He even threatened x0x0 if she did not deliver Mindo to him. People that had known him for a long time and even regarded him as a friend wondered if they knew him at all. I worried if Weyland Futani was influencing his programming. There was evidence that he had dealings with the Alliance. Maybe the base was not so abandoned.

Meanwhile, the Alliance, and Major Salmionedes in particular, was making a greater presence in the Rim. Usually the Alliance operates thru private military organizations and just conduct oversight. Pepper’s frequent presence and Sentry’s arrest in a crowded Bootlegger’s Bar on MacLaren’s showed that they were taking a direct hand.

Sentry is rescued. Akasha is wounded during the rescue, sloppily leaving a dna sample that the alliance can trace.

Sentry is now a wanted fugitive. A 100 Credit reward is published. I heard 300 Credits, I don’t know why it was lowered.

I also hear from my sources that there is a warrant for Cody too.

I know the location of the encrypted data disk that the alliance is looking for. Might need it pay Cody or Akasha’s ransom.

I was tipped off by a high ranking officers that a policy of “Quid Quo Pro”, an exchange of value was being employed in the Rim.

Someone stole a cloned brain, heart and eyes (I think) from Krenshar’s Lab. These ended up in the possession of Mercedes Celestalis.

Lily at this point thought that Krenshar had harmed AuroraBlue and was selling her parts to the Alliance.

Lily stole the cloned fetuses and burned down the lab. Cody had the misfortune of being her ride. He is new, he doesn’t know about Lily’s fire habits.

Krenshar is furious, or the replicant equivalent. All of his research Krenshar and Miya had to fix Aurora’s degenerating DNA and the synthetic fusion was up in smoke. Also the genetic sample Krenshar needed to give to the Alliance to pay for his equipment and material and weapons like the Ion Cannon.

So it begins.

Cody and Lily are hiding. I am not sure where Cody is hiding at this point.

I find Lily hiding in the mountains at MacLaren’s Drift. She has the fetuses in jars with her. Lily was ravenously hungry, I brought her raw meat every day so she didn’t need to hunt and expose herself. The dead dog found around MacLaren’s shows that it was insufficient. They still have not found Rebel.

I did not know where Aurora is. I check with Seana and check who I can.

Mercedes, an unlikely source, let me know that Aurora was alive and unharmed and visited Bihar briefly.

Lily is reported to have been abducted by Mindo. I check and her hiding place and her stockpile of fetuses were cleared out.

I find Aurora in MacLarens, she has a bloody nose and not feeling well. She needed some medication that Mindo had. She also tells me that her bear and coin are missing. Her DNA was degenerating. Gallagher comes and we search for Mindo. We find his room in Prosperity and finally at Windy’s bunker. I go to get Aurora, she screams seeing the dog corpse in the greenhouse. Gallagher finds the dog skeleton near the orange tree to be suspicious. The oranges left where Lily used to store the robot babies added to his concerns.

I find x0x0 in Hale, target practice. Unnerving. We discuss her upcoming real estate projects and frequently absent personal assistant. She lets me know that she has hired two men to bring Mindo and Aurora to Hale. She wanted me to make sure that Aurora was not harmed or even scared. I guess correctly that she hired Windy and Travis. Taken aback, she shows me how to kill Windy dead if I have to. “Head shot, 3 shots at 3 feet in 3 seconds” Always learny time with x0x0. She wants me to kill Windy if Aurora is harmed or scared. I wondered if she knew that Windy worked for Krenshar. I know that Aurora likes Windy, so I don’t expect troubles.

Krenshar takes it up a notch. Krenshar offers a 1000L reward each for Cody and Lily being delivered to him.

I go to Caliban to find out what Krenshar is talking about and find him in a heated exchange of words with Kitten.

Emberzz, JJ, Coop, Me, the Swashbucker cousins, Cody, Kitten and Akasha are in and around Bootleggers. I give a partial update to people who were kind of in and out of the conversation. Cody is having trouble seeing.

I find out that Krenshar agreed to accept Kitten’s DNA (just a brain and heart sample) in exchange for Cody’s warrant being released. Kitten was already at risk, because she was the means to collect Cody. I perform the laughing chicken experiment to verify that Kitten is special. (nope, not explaining it. You understand the reference or you don’t)

Emma comes for a visit, then x0x0. X0x0 talks to Cody. Emma, Kitten and I eavesdrop. Kitten is trigger itchy. X0x0 explains about the chip implanted in Cody’s eye that is transmitting pictures. I do not find out who did this to him.

To protect the safety of others, Cody agrees to let x0x0 hide him. Kitten is distraught and Akasha is visibly shaken up.

My ship in Hale is parked at 128 128 4000 in Hale, right up against the black. X0x0 naively hid Cody on her ship in plain view of my ship. Yeah, her ship was partially cloaked, but not well enough. I used the equipment from the Zenobian Consulate to set up a secured channel with Cody and coach him about locations for hiding if he becomes uncertain about x0x0’s intentions.

I visit MacLaren’s and hanging with Windy, when a call comes over the open channel that Bounty Hunters have landed in MacLaren’s. Windy and I mount up on turbine flyers and go see the hubbub. Alliance, Bounty Hunters, Reavers and some crazy albino octopuses.

I know that Cody is gone, but Kitten was the probable target. I set up a secured patch of Kitten and Cody, he tells her to let me take her to Hale. Coop comes about but we leave before he finishes asking me question s.

Once Kitten and I are on my ship, I contact Coop on a secured channel and let try to inform him as best I a can and give him the coordinates so we can rendezvous. Jn the meantime, I show Kitten where Cody is out the front window of the Behemoth.

Cody flees x0x0’s ship before Coop arrives.

Coop, Charly, Akasha and Jax come in Coops Firefly, which actually fits in the hangar bay of the Behemoth. He starts to lecture me. I remind him that I am not on his crew and not subject to his orders. He dialed it back before I had to remind him that he was on my ship.

I explain that Cody went with x0x0 voluntarily. We discuss possible places where he might be hiding out.

Windy’s ship is in Hale and only a few hundred meters away. We depart quickly.

We finally catch up with Cody on Bihar. Akasha gets bit by a cobra. Charly takes the poison out. When she is safe to be moved, we go to the infirmary.

When Akasha is out of danger, we discuss hiding places. We decide that Paquin would be a good place.

We take the space tether to ground and are shocked to see Krenshar waiting for us. Cody has run off and Coop is trying to bring him in. Cody was at the Blackburne Smuggler’s Den when Jax hits him square in the chest with a dart with enough tranquilizers to quell a horse. Cody Is not a horse. Somehow Coop is wounded and the retrieval is botched. Akasha runs to Cody while I stall Krenshar. Windy arrives looking for Cody. He sees an opportunity and rushes Cody and Akasha with shotgun drawn. I rush ahead and snatch Cody before Wind can put a bullet in Akasha or Cody.

I take Cody up to my ship and in high orbit over Caliban. I refuse to give Cody over to Krenshar. He offers to raise the bounty. I have items that Krenshar wants more than Cody, but he says he cannot. He wants the bear and Lily for Cody. I refuse.

X0x0 comes in and has not so good words with Windy. Totally unproductive meeting.

Windy is getting antsy and she shuttles off just as Gabe shuttles in. I sense that negotiations are breaking down and I don’t want anything to happen to Cody. I have Gabe take my firefly and take Cody to New Delphi to hide him.

The autopilot takes Gabe and Cody safely to New Delphi, but Gabe crashes on the landing. No one hurt. Gabe is not a pilot.

Once I confirm that Gabe and Cody are “safely” away, I break off communications with Krenshar and go to seek out LilyBell.

I find LilyBell on Hale in the tunnels by the bank. Completely feral, doesn’t even recognize me. I quickly throw raw meat at her. I try to talk to her and find something that will get thru her feral rage. She takes off in a ship and I pursue. She fired upon me, Left aerial mines and even launched mines. Luckily, I am a better pilot that Gabe. But ultimately, she escapes from me.

I forget about LilyBell and head to New Delphi. Gabe explains about how she wrecked the firefly and that it is in about 10 pieces, she thinks. Cody says he can fix it. Cody is having trouble seeing. I explain about the chip in his eye. He doesn’t believe me or recall anything. He requires reminding that he is not a horse.

Gabe finally has to leave. I stay with Cody. Cody is able to contact Lily who was finally coherent. We give up the location and Lily hides out in New Delphi.

Lily hatches a plan. It involves Cody and Lily being married and turning themselves in. I don’t understand how the plan would work, but Lily’s plans are rarely coherent but they have worked in the past. So, who am I to judge.

I provide the wedding rings. Like many Hale residents, I regularly keep meat, candy or shiny things for Lily. I am only licensed to perform same sex marriages on Zenobia, so I pronounce Cody and Lily wife and wife and we leave for Hale, so the happy couple can see their kin.

Seana is not around but Cody is happily reunited with his sister. We go to Firefly’s Bar so that the newly wedded couple can have their first dance. Lily announces her marriage and Champagne is circulated. Nack gives a toast and some warnings. Lily explains her plan which no one there understood either. I am not sure, but she says she will have a new cub. She tells everyone that she and Cody are turning themselves in to Krenshar, but because they are married and having a cub, it will all be ok. Many shrugs.

We go. They freely walk in to the cell Krenshar has for them. He says that they have to stand trial. A lot of angry talk followed. I was numb at this point. This had been 24 hours of craziness.

Krenshar explains that he was never selling Aurora’s dna and that she was safe and unharmed. He was taken aback from Lily’s marriage. He goes to pieces.

A lot of angry words followed. I was taken aback at how many people were so blood thirsty. JJ ultimately pleads with Krenshar for leniency.

I recognize the signs, seen it in him before. Krenshar was already gone. His thoughts were elsewhere and he made his plans.

I manage to take Krenshar’s necklace, I know what it really is. The Alliance SIU officer, Pepper, comes. She was going to exchange the Teddy Bear Krenshar needed for Cody. Krenshar refuses and turns himself in to the Alliance. The presumably disassemble him.

Meanwhile Lily overloads the forcefield and escapes. She is electrically charged and lying in a pile in the courtyard. Some attempt s are made to move her, but she was still a damage shield.

I try to get Lily to go to Hale, but she just crawls into Aurora Blue’s bed on Caliban.

I get Cody up to my ship and over to Hale.

Krenshar is the Replicant Order. No Krenshar, No Replicant Order. They are free.

Some people are unclear on the details and are a little peeved at me. Someone burned down two of the CATZ offices. The one on Hale and the one on MacLaren. A giant black raven is left as a calling card.

After dealing with the fire in MacLaren, Emma and I convince Mindo to come to Hale to see his lab and for Lemon Pie. We lock him up in the boarding house filled with his old lab equipment. x0x0 slaps him around. Blue Sun Family Values? Mindo gets his pie.

Coop, Gabe and Akasha came to Caliban looking for blood. I am unarmed and talk to him. I should have been more respectful, but I was tired. I speak defiantly. I explain everything, mostly what you have read herein.I explained how I got Lily, Cody, Kitten and Aurora safe. All he did was make threats and burn down my offices. The plain evidence is that Cody and Lily are free and unharmed.

I explain how Cody needs medical attention and ask them to take Cody to JJ. Coop left grumbling. Emma shot Gabe in the leg for some reason.

After I thanks the battle droid for posing, I found Cody, Akasha and Gabe talking in the landing bay. Coop gave the Reveinn to Cody. I think maybe Coop was taking a break. They leave.

I chat with Cody for a few. We agree where to hide the coin and how to deal with it.

I do some aerial recon and find where the alliance ship is where Krenshar is being kept.

Now if I can convince people to rescue Krenshar.

(OOC: Many many people were involved in this over the last day. Dozens. A few just IM’d me in character to tip me off that they saw someone or gave me information. You all rocked. This only worked because we all did so much. This is only the tip of the iceberg. The parts I got to be directly involved in. There were many subplots and other parts that involved many people on many sims. THIS WAS TOTALLY COOL! Thank you to everyone.)

Meet Plan Worry

Meet Plan Worry

Went to the trade meeting at Bootleggers Bar in MacLaren. A lot of traders show up and people looking to be crew. Cody and Kerm show up for the drinking I suppose.



Teetop and Brooke was there. Sentry is part of their crew now and the local rep of their company on MacLaren I think. They were interviewing some gal to be part of their crew. I am not sure what she would be doing that would be useful, she all but admitted that many people are angry at her.

Cursa was chatting up the Companion Acolyte, Akasha. Akasha is nice, we have visited on Hale and Caliban also. Girl circulates. Brazen came by and some Darthish type fellow Colonel something or other.

I think Kerm and Cody were drunker than most or drunker than usual or... well, they were drunk. Kerm was going to drink something call Tequla, I hooked him up with proper Tequila. Savages in the border and rim.

Sentry told me that the Alliance SIU woman came sniffing around for him again. Major Salmionedes has been kind of dogging my steps too, but to interrogate, uh question, uh interview, uh chat with me. I explained that this is not going to end until we serve up a body to SIU that placates them. Kerm had some overly optimistic opinion about his romantic prowess, suggesting that it would have some effect. He was drunk, I was kind and let it pass. I might not be able to find the Major the relics of Saint Zenobius that she wants, but I think we are getting close to tracking down the organ leggers. I am hoping I can serve them up and get her breathing down someone else's neck.



I was in a good mood because I got paid by the Bihar Sanctuary for some easy peasy work. Hauling some art that the Zenobians has stashed in their various "summer residences". The Bihar Sanctuary is having an art exhibit officially opening October 1st about 19th Century "Orientalist" Paintings. Mostly European artists renderings of the Middle East and North Africa. I went over the advertising sign with Miya at Caliban.





Zeno brought me to the Zenobia Space Station via express transit. Must be urgent to spend that kind of money on me. She showed me the copy of Zeno's old wanted poster from when she ran cargo with Coop. We discussed that she probably still have open warrants and only her job as Zenobia's Estate Manager was giving her immunity. She better hold onto that job. Major Salminonedes left some veiled messages for me also. Only a matter of time.



Zeno was spooked and wanted to talk, but was worried about eavesdropping and other monitoring. She had to look at the Art Exhibit the Zenobian were sponsoring in Bihar, so we decided on there. The Bihar Sanctuary is not quite a Luddite Settlement, but not a lot of low tech. It is a safe place to talk. It's a beautiful place, if you can excuse the rain, the bats and the snakes. We spoke quietly about what we should do and our option between coffee and wondering what Odalisks and Almeh's were. Vascha from the Companions Guild came by while we were talking. She is very pregnant btw.

Zeno had to leave and Vascha gave me an application to be a companion acolyte. The cultural aspects are appealing, but I don't think I am appropriate for.. you know... that ... moving on.

Back from Bihar, We stopped to refuel the Behemoth and pick up some transhipment at Gateway Station over Shadow.



Sure enough, Major Pepper. Normally I would say she is tailing me, but Gateway is the crossroads. I don't know what the current jurisdiction is with the Alliance and Serenity Station, Gateway Station, Shadow or open space, but I decide its best to not act in a furtive manner and create reasonable suspicion. We chat.

Pepper knew my record. She knew I had no criminal record and had proven that I cooperated with Authorities. I actually got a permit to salvage the derelict "Persephone". When it turned out that it was being used for organ legging, I forwent the profit and turned it over to the authorities. I am still in trouble with the salvage brokers over that, even though it was a setup of some sort. She showed me a security picture of me wearing a Dharma Initiative uniform with Zeno, Coop and Desmond Serenity. Pepper thought it was incriminating. I told her that I didn't see how. Desmond Serenity is a public figure and the Dharma Initiative is a registered charity. She recommended that I cease my association with them. She seemed to think they had something to do with some terrorist activity and that collecting reaver bodies in Hale was suspicious. She had a copy of the photograph from Gallagher's desk showing Gallagher's old army unit. Desmond was in the photo too. I explained that it was not surprising. The Dharma Initiative was formed by veterans to take care of veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and head injuries.



Pepper alternated between subtle intimidation and hamhanded attempts at trying to build rapore and trust with me. She knew about my family being massacred by reavers and that it was denied by the local Alliance Garrison. Thus I have some trust issues in similar circumstances. When I sniff expediancy, I tune out. I may have been harsh with x0x0 and Seana when LilyBell was kidnapped because they exuded that Alliance type vibe. I have felt less safe ever since. My family's death was covered up as a convenience, I wanted the facts. Pepper agreed to get my the real file in exchange for some info.

I was at the Saint Zenobius Chapel with Zeno when Mirra was setting up the scanning equipment, but I have been out of the loop about the results. Everything else I knew has been rumor, gossip, hearsay, conjecture and guesses.

I could tell that the Major was disappointed that I had nothing to add that she did not already know. I told her that I really can't go around asking about the relics, it would compromise finding them. She rattled off some names. I recognized one of them, Ardra.

I explained about the illegal organ legging network and how Ardra was the transhipper thru the same salvage broker I used (not anymore). My cousin Moira managed to find links to an unregistered organ transplant company and the "Angels of Mercy" Medical Research Facility. I told her that I would be happy to turn over copies of the manifests. I wanted a copy of the real file from my family's massacre and I wanted these people put down a deep dark dirty hole of a prison to rot until the end of time. The Major made a backpedal statement. She blew it and I told her so. These Alliance goons are so turned around they can't even talk straight.

Their job is to protect the law and the establishment, not me. I don't go on these missions for fun. I can't trust these people to have my back. There is no rule of law. There is only the veneer of civility and the affectation of rights. I give them what they need and they serve me up to the dogs. If this is to end, I have to end it, not trust the authorized representatives.

Krenshar showed Captain Griffy and I his clone projects. Krenshar was missing a brain and was having to stall the Alliance who wanted to pick it up.



I knew who had it. LilyBell talked to me about it the other day. This was the bait I needed. Sufficiently coveted. Hopefully my friends would be able to back me up.

I ran into LilyBell, who was wearing some fancy threads, new hair and wearing some metalic makeup.



LilyBell showed off her new look to Raids in Firefly's.

Hey, is this Raids in Firefly's....


....and this Raids in Seana's Office the same Raids or different?


I ran around Hale and the tunnels with LilyBell. I am not sure the purpose of this, but we do this a couple or few times a month for some reason.

I show LilyBell the gold coins I got from Mr. Tevya at Bihar. LilyBell told me that AuroraBlue was visiting. I never managed to run into her. I was never really close to AuroraBlue, but worried about her.

LilyBell and I went someplace private where we would speak confidentially. I explained the troubles with the organ leggers and how the day after Gallagher started investigating it, he was shot down in his own office. LilyBell talked in circles a little bit, but wouldn't help me out. I told her that I was disappointed that she did not want to help me or catch Gallagher's shooters. She then brandished weapons and angrily suggested I leave. She had her own priorities, whatever they are.

New Offices and Networking

Been busy. ZOHMyGodzilla, I say that a lot.

Zenobia has been working me like an indentured serf. Seven offices now: MacLaren's Drift, Hale's Moon, Caliban, Shadow, Bihar, Zenobia and Londinium.

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-trade-offices-in-bihar.html

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/09/under-dome.html

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/09/secure-warehouse-facility-on-maclarens_17.html

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/07/trade-delegation-to-hales-moon.html

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/06/trade-delegation-to-shadow.html

We're actually news with the Zenobian. It takes their mind off the recent terrorist attack at a medical research station and the tensions in the Parliament.
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/terrorists-strike-medical-research.html

The Zenobians mostly kept to themselves in the 'Verse, kind of an insular medieval way of thinking. The military faction and the trade faction don't get along so well. Different points of view on how things should run. Rough talk about seniority based on lineage, blah blah blah.
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/antares-leaves-orbit_22.html
http://siamendes.blogspot.com/

Welcome to the 'Verse, Zenobian. Hold on, it's probably gonna be a bumpy ride.

I stop off in Splintered Rock and even Washburne on occasion when some trade beckons.

I was just returning to the Rim and looking over the secured facilities in MacLaren's Drift. For some reason someone coopted the outer area as a medical station. The Rim is an ad-hocracy, things are done in a makeshift jerry-rigged duct tape temp basis. You get used to it. Ironic content is a familiar visitor in the Rim.

When I was just leaving MacLaren, I got a wave from Cursa Charisma in Washburne. I am supposed to be nosing down around there for Zenobia, so I went and joined TeeTopWillie and Brazen's crew at a dancehall in Washburne. Brazen blushes for some reason.



Cursa was still bandaged up from being shot down in Splintered Rock. Nativist terrorists.
http://cortexnewsservice.com/2009/09/18/near-disaster-above-splintered-rock.aspx

Tee told me Sentry was working with Tee now. Sentry left Shadow when heat got too much for him, hid out in MacLaren's. Now Alliance come sniffing around for him there. Tee said something about a trade mission to Necromunda IV, Necronom? Necro Mundo? Ehhh, spelling.
http://sentry-rp.blogspot.com/2009/09/so-much-for-keeping-my-head-down.html

I hooked Tee up with the coordinates to the CATZ offices. TTW is part of our little network, he can use our offices. Desks, chairs, best coffee in the 'verse that doesn't come thru the digestive tract of a small carnivore.

We talk a little shop. Brazen and Cursa were surprized to hear that the Alliance was sniffing around Splintered Rock. Tee confirmed that he saw Major siamendes actually mining in the desert.
http://siamendes.blogspot.com/2009/09/splinterer-rock.html

Meanwhile back at Hale's Moon: DIGGING. Dig Dig Dig. That's what LilyBell does, a lot. Dig. Why? Dunno. But today she was repairing a cave-in from her digging. And it was Gallagher's Birthday. Cake, Candles, Balloons, Hats and for some reason Oranges. Krenshar came and added his joy to the party and talked about the obedience of toasters.



Later (still at Hale) I was chatting with Immy and Cody Winterwolf. LilyBell blazed thru for a minute or two. "What the needle for?" No answer.


I catch up will LilyBell later to say good night and she is bandaging up Cody Winterwolf.


****[OOC: I purposedly linked to a lot of other blog posts in this entry. I think it's great that so much that is going on in the verse is available to be read in blog forms. It helps to keep track. That's why I update all 41 firefly related blogs.]****

Blackburne Observer
http://blackburne-observer.blogspot.com

Cortex News Service
http://cortexnewsservice.com/

Serenity Station Pioneer
http://serenitystation.wordpress.com/

Suzhou Sentinel
http://suzhousentinel.blogspot.com/

Washtown Roleplayers
http://washtownroleplayers.blogspot.com/

Hale's Moon Herald
http://halesmoonherald.blogspot.com/

Zenobian Times
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/

Alison Lynn Haystack: Ali's House
http://alisonlynns-house-of-pleasure.blogspot.com/

Amyla Wakowski-Swindlehurst: Love, Amyla
http://amylawakowski.livejournal.com/

AuroraBlue Littleboots
http://aurorabluelittleboots.blogspot.com/

Belize Carver: Survival In The Black
http://belcarver.blogspot.com/

Ben BigBoots: A Bounty Hunter's Log
http://benbigboots.blogspot.com/

Children of Earth
http://childrens-journey.blogspot.com/

Cholgosh Swindlehurst: Chol's Hidey Spot
http://chols-hidey-spot.blogspot.com/

Derrick Osterham: The Merc. Minute
http://themercminute.blogspot.com/

Dread Salamander: Dread's Bunker
http://dreadsl.blogspot.com/

Duncan Cooperstone: Raivenn's Browncoats
http://duncancooperstone.blogspot.com/

Emma - Stopping the Signal
http://emmaditko.blogspot.com/

Faye in the 'Verse
http://fireflyfaye.blogspot.com/

Gabe Yazimoto: Guns'n sake ain't mutually exclusive
http://gabeyazimoto.blogspot.com/

Garkuyan Koba: In the 'verse
http://blahblahverse.blogspot.com

General Parkin: The Hunted Warrior
http://generalparkin.blogspot.com/

Imrhein Fargis: Let's Have No Undue Fussin'
http://blackburne-imrhien.blogspot.com/

J. J. Zackerly: A Brief Candle; Both Ends Burning
http://jjzackerly-liberty.blogspot.com/

Jai Raghilda: Jai's Necessity
http://jairaghilda.blogspot.com/

Lance Ducatillon
http://lanceducatillon.blogspot.com/

LilyBell Snoodle: Is not a cat
http://lilybellsnoodle.blogspot.com/

Lorie Lilliehook
http://lorielilliehook.blogspot.com/

Mikie Rhiadra: Stranger in a Strange Land
http://mikierhiadra.blogspot.com/

Nack Barnes: Nack's Blog, from Firefly's Bar at Blackburne
http://fireflybar.blogspot.com/

Neutrino Nightfire: Wandering Thoughts
http://neutrinonightfire.blogspot.com/

Pepper Siamendes' Report, SIU
http://siamendes.blogspot.com/

Podwangler Zapedzki: Pod's Wanglings
http://podzapedzki.blogspot.com/

Sabrina McGee: Freaky Mad Science Genius Girl
http://sabrinageek.blogspot.com/

Seana Kawanishi: The Lonesome Ninja Mayor of Hale's Moon
http://mayorseana.blogspot.com/

Sentry Swashbuckler: A Mechanic's Life
http://sentry-rp.blogspot.com/

Solomon Leitner: Admiral: Elindor Actual
http://elindoractual.blogspot.com/

Tdstraitjacket Manamiko: I don't have wings, I am just a man
http://idonthavewingsiamjustaman.blogspot.com/

Tsai Jie: Dancing Through My Second Life
http://dancingthroughmysl.blogspot.com/

X0x0 Zhangsun: I can kill you with my brain
Xaviar Kiranov: Doctor Kiranov Log

G does the sensible thing

Gabe has been staying away from Hale since the incident with the Alliance Soldier giving her the shakedown treatment. She has been saying that she was meant to wander, but truth to tell, I don't think she's as happy, maybe its just stress. I know she misses everyone in Hale, talk.

Since the dust died down on the previous incident, she made a few visits to Hale. Sure enough, another Alliance good is looking for her. A fancy pretty boy alliance goon named Raymond Janic came to Hale sniffing around for G.



G does the sensible thing and blows town.

Later, a crazy drug dealer's son robs the General Store.


Gabe hears the wave and comes to check it out. Militia habits die hard. It was a kind of old home week, Gallagher by hologram, Lilybell is not a cat, Venice Red Eyes, Emma7, Me, Captain Griffy, General wearing his new desert combat togs.



Sure enough, there's another alliance goon, this one by the name of Major Pepper Siamendes from SIU. She says she is investigating the black market Zenobian Artifacts. She seemed curiously interested in a mere General Store robbery. She seems most interested in the operations of our informal militia.

Gabe maintained her cool, but I could tell she was ready to bolt at any hint of anything.

The investigation identified this guy as the robber, Inup Thoret.



I don't know what the grafitti is about, but it showed up later on the inside of the bank. We have spotted Inup and he mostly makes fools out of us.



Gallagher is what you might call pro-active. He is often grumpy and ill-tempered, but he directs it mostly against people that threaten me and mine, so I let it pass. He decides that we do a little searching on the Alliance Ship. Somehow he gets alliance uniforms, THAT FIT. Amazing that the Alliance makes a size 2 combat uniform.

We head up and Emma and I get what information we can from the control room. I know my way around the shipping docs and docks. I get their manifests and shipping orders. Emma gets layout info and bunk assignments.



We find the graffiti that Gabe supposedly did. Burned right into the hull, "4 G".


The universe is designed to surprize. One of the last things I expect to find in the hold of an Alliance Cruiser is an Airstream Trailer. More surprising is that it belonged to fancyboy Raymond Janic.



We beat feet out of there and implemented the dependable strategic maneuver number 1 and 2, run & hide.

Gallagher comes back with a way to disguise our identities better, with a kind of mask that will fool the face recognician software.



I call it Ruth Squad. Gallagher, Vegaslon, Emma, Gabe and I. We go up, try and access their computer for more files. Somehow the computer lets Gabe access. It happened just like on the Bland Corporation ship. Maybe this computer was built by the same company. We download some info and snoop around and get out of there to examine the evidence.

I most liked the security footage I found.

















Other than that, Hale's has been much the same. A meteor blasted a hole in the ground and lava erupted. A tunnel collapsed in front of the Zenobian Trade Office that Lily had to repair. A lava flow near the Blue Sun border, the ground lit on fire.



If I were the paranoid type, I would blame it on the railway Blue Sun is building thru Hale. A lot of excavation going on.


I am way behind on my work. Because of the Consolidated Associate Traders of Zenobia(CATZ), we have more trade offices than ever. We've had a lot of business and a lot of action coming around, so I have not had the time to set them up correctly.

Zeno and Mirra both sent me a wave, they probably have news about the relics of Saint Zenobius.

I need to catch up with Brazen and Cursa on Splintered Rock.

I am overdue for a meet with Teetop and Brooke, they have an exit buyer for the meds I salvaged. I have to dump the blastomeres before things get too hot.



My updated route is:
MacLaren's Drift
Ralph
Hale's Moon
Blackburne Wastelands
Caliban
Shadow
Strega
Bihar
Bagworm/Washburn
Paradiso
Zenobia
Londinium
Paquin
Splintered Rock

I am glad I had enough time to live up to some of my duties with the Hale Militia. I am mostly ineffectual, but I feel I contribute in some small way.

Mission to Wastelands

Mission to Wastelands

We are looking for the base of operations of a cyborged pilot named Ardra. Ardra had been hired to transport something belonging to the Zenobians, but has been also linked to the transport of the PAX that was stored at the "Angels of Mercy" and the organ harvesting operation we found on the derelict ship. We want to find that base and anything in it. In our last fact finding mission, we were attacked by a replicant.

This operation has been linked to grievous crimes, so I expect the worst. I called upon the some dangerous friends: Gallagher, LilyBell, Gabe, Emma and Vega answered the call.

Emma’s dangerous, she ripped apart a replicant and Ardra with her fashionable shoes.

Gabe summed it up: See a bad thing, point and shoot? See anything interesting, pick it up.

I warned people to defend themselves at all costs, these people harvest eyes and kidneys from the living for a living. Please do not get separated, but if you do, keep in touch on the radio.

We had an encounter with Ardra the day before last, so she knew we were looking for it. Ardra's objective seems to be destroying records.

Cross referencing our slowly increasing file base, we found an area in the Blackburne wastelands that was a probably location. Gallagher gave strict instructions to keep everything in house and no one go near the locals.

I scouted ahead for a landing spot. No sooner do we all land but Gabe is shot by sniper fire. It took a minute or so of running around, but Vega, Gallagher and LilyBell ran him down and put him down. Lily shot him many times with her bow and Gallagher finished him off. "LilyBell save best for you."

In the meantime, Gabe was fixing up her wounds and of course we misplaced Emma.



"EMMA!" I end up saying early and often. I don't know if Emma is not a listener, not a follower or just easily distracted. I am getting used to reconstructing what happened to Emma by looking at her helmet cam pics. I specifically say "Stay together" and her first question is "Then we split up?"

Emma: "I'm noticing a trend on these missions Jai... I always get bitten!"

DUH! Stay with the group why don't ya?

Some kind of partially cyborgized reaver. Emma took it down, but not before she was bitten, AGAIN. She said that it seemed to be under external control and was fighting said control.



I radiod Emma and Gabe to catch up with us.

Why the Alliance guy? Dunno. This is the first appearance of the alliance and an officer no less, not a mere grunt. No one seemed to make any thought about it. Evil things happening, Alliance, of course.

In any case, the Alliance officer had some documents on him indicating Mini Zebes lab. Gallagher had a lead on this lab a while back, but nothing came of it. Maybe we were premature in our assessment.

Gallagher had a vague idea of where it was and LilyBell seemed to know a lot about it.

"Lily know that very well. It where Mindo had the big brain. Here mades DNA transfers and coding. IT gots 5 levels. Bad things inside.

Gallagher, Emma and LilyBell make their way down to the bottom level. Meanwhile I got stuck in some pink good and am paralyzed. Vega and Gabe are still catching up.

We hear Ardra shout: "KILL ME!"



Gallagher is calling for us to get down there, but I can't move. Vega and Gabe find me.

Ardra shouts: KILL ME

LilyBell: "nonono, nothing good here.

Gallagher Aeon: Get down here.

Ardra shouts: I SAID KILL ME

Gallagher Aeon: Now!

Jai: HELP! "Paralyzed. Can't move."

LilyBell: This a bad place.

Ardra shouts: LESS TALK! KILL ME NOW

I think that's when the shooting started. Ardra activated some automated defenses and shot at Emma, LilyBell and Gallagher. For hesitating to kill her? Suicidal Cyborg logic.

It seemed to remember Emma, called her "the waif". Which is odd, because it was completely destroyed.

LilyBell taps on the glass

Data Screen whispers: Scanning.... Data 2 Downloaded...

LilyBell connects to the gencon but has not gotten a response. Looks in awe at the creature, "It beautiful, like Miss Raids."

Emma: "Can't help but agree..."

LilyBell: It talking to me. No move me

Jai: Find records and stuff

Gallagher Aeon: "There’s a warbot here."

LilyBell: "Her not a warbot. her....her like me."

LilyBell puts away her weapon. "Chemical data transfer. Run. Go. it self destructing."

Gallagher Aeon shouts: "Everyone get out!"

Ardra shouts: 10...9....

Jai: "Everyone out!

Ardra shouts: 8...7...

LilyBell stands staring at the creature, "No, Lily not leave it."

Ardra Aurotharius shouts: 3.....

Gallagher Aeon runs back in

Ardra shouts: 2....

Ardra shouts: ...................................................

Ardra is Offline.



LilyBell: "WHY YOU TAKE ME OUT?"

Gallagher Aeon: "I went back in for Lily."

Emma Ditko lets out a gasp... "That was close..."

LilyBell Snoodle stares at the ground

Vegaslon Plutonian: "Oh God."

LilyBell Snoodle: "Why you make me leave her?"

Gallagher Aeon: "She wanted to die. Wasn't gonna let you die with her."



LilyBell: "Her thank me. We talked. It not a machine actually. It genetic construct, like this one, but not."

Jai: "The one we saw the other day was mechanical."

Gallagher Aeon: "...with a metal skeleton and no skin."

LilyBell shrugs, "Lily talk to this one, just fine to me."

Gallagher Aeon: "Looked like a warbot to me, with angel wings."

Emma: "It's not a warbot... Its... something else"

Gallagher Aeon: "She was in pain, she was suffering."

Gallagher Aeon wonders why Lily is shaking.

LilyBell just looks at them "We all suffering. Lily want go home, bad place. No come here no more. Bad."



We went back to the hemlock, Gallagher had to pilot. After a while, I got the feeling back in my limbs and I could move.

Folks were not much for debriefing, a little shaken maybe. There was a data chip which turned out to be a homing beacon of some sort. Gallagher cut it off in time and said he would use the equipment in the big radio tower to try and figure out its source.

The equipment we found was all genetic data encoding and retrovirus transplant, the stuff you use to overwrite someone's DNA.

The only other data is uploaded into Lily's head and she did not seem inclined to share it. All she told us is that it was some chemical data. I think Ardra like Raids touched a certain delicate spot in LilyBell. I did not press the matter.

I just wanted to lie down. I will maybe figure something out tomorrow. No one was hurt too bad. Hopefully we will figure out what to do next.

Ardra on Derelict

The records Darth Gallagher got from the Dharma raid on the Zenobian "Angels of Mercy" Medical Research Facility (which was stockpiling PAX), plus what he was able to recover from the corrupted data chip we got from the Bland Corporation ship, cross referenced with the information Gallagher was able to glean from his access to some Alliance records, he determined that Ardra has made transshipment for the "Angels of Mercy".

As the unregistered organ transplant operation on Zenobia was linked to both the "Angels of Mercy" and the illegal organ harvesting we uncovered some months back, we decided that we could maybe get more leads to track Ardra if we went back to the derelict ship where we first discovered the organ harvesting.

The Bihar Sanctuary curator, Feargananym, originally uncovered Ardra as being hired to transport the coveted "Coffin of Saint Zenobius" to Splintered Rock. How they are all linked together is not clear. Why the "Coffin of Saint Zenobius" is going to Splintered Rock is also a mystery.

I was not happy about going back to the derelict ship, named "The Persephone" I discovered. Necessity is not just the name of my ship and my company, it’s a way of life.

It is an abandoned ship and merely a fact finding mission, but Gabe, Emma and Zade agreed to accompany me anyway. Our objective was to find the main medical lab and the command center and download whatever files we could and take whatever samples we could find. Stay together and don't sit on anything. Seriously, DO NOT SIT ON ANYTHING. Easy Peasy, right?

Right out of the airlock, Emma and I got separated from Gabe and Zade. And found a vivisected Saint Peter.



We were still in radio contact with Gabe and Zade and there was only one exit. I went first, all clear. I radioed back for Emma and she somehow got slipped out to the other side of the ship. She is the fallingest girl I have ever met in my entire life. We told her to stay in radio contact and we would meet up as we worked our way thru the ship.

Emma required some occasional prodding to speak, "EMMA!" was frequently heard dialogue.



Safety Begins with Teamwork. YOU GUYS READ THAT? Nooooo. Zade got separated from Gabe and I less than 10 minutes after we got separated from Emma.



Z stayed in radio contact and we would catch up. Gabe found what she thought was a command center. Turned out it was the crew lounge. The vending machines had been inoperable for years, poor bastiches.

Gabe found a medbay....



....and dead bodies.



We were briefly attacked by a replicant. Looked like the same make and model as Krenshar, but this one seemed to have a female body shape, kinda. She wielded a pipe and attacked us both. It did not seem very motivated in the attack, just attacked us as she fled from the room. She headed to where Z was last seen, we lost radio contact with Z around that time.

"Your Safety is In Your Hands". Yes, it is also in your butt. Do not sit anywhere. The last time we heard from Emma, she said something about being bit and attacked after sitting on something. With both Z and Emma out of radio contact, we had to prioritize finding them. Especially now that we were not alone.



Elevator shaft, ladder, ventilation shaft, hallways, tunnel, ladder, chute. Or some combination like that. I found the biology center and the replicant found me. We were in a small room and I was able to hold my own against the pipe thrashing replicant. I normally go down quickly, but in this smaller room, I was able to keep the attack on. We were both pretty close to done and one pipe hit before I could activate the heal stims, I radioed that the replicant took me down as I hit the floor.



I was in that dreamy place where I am a foreign exchange university student when Emma found me. It was all over by the time I found my feet working again. Emma went boot knife kung fu on the Replicant and apparently Ardra.



Ardra did not really look like the Ardra I was shown in the pictures. Previously Ardra had an organic body. Ardra was KO when I got there, but came to within a minute or so. Activated a self destruct and attached herself to Emma. Emma ran around and was finally able to use a doorway to separate herself from Ardra. In the meantime, I was able to stop the self-destruct and abort the data dump.



Gabe caught up with us as the Replicant dissolved and the automated part of Ardra fled. Emma laid down as Gabe and I ran after Ardra. She lost us quickly.

We downloaded all the files we could, and even stopped the EVIL RickRoll Virus from corrupting the remaining files. If you ever go to hell, Rick will be waiting for you. We took as many bio samples as we could and found an Incubator Unit.



It was time to get out of there. Z was stashed somewhere safe and we found everything we could.

Emma said something about being scratched or taking off her helmet in the quarantine area. Emma had very little interest in doing anything except laying down, until we mentioned food.

By the time we were near Hale's, it was clear that Emma was symptoming. I called for emergency landing near the medbay. Emma avoided the medbay and ran around like LilyBell (on all fours) looking for food. She ran out of steam in the Hemlock and crashed out. Then up and running a bit. I put out an open wave for a doctor and kept an eye on Emma while Gabe went to get something for Emma to eat.. Dr. Footpad came and in desperation I brought her to the Hemlock. I was just briefing her about what happened when Gallagher came.

Gallagher was angry that I brought an outsider to the Hemlock. He obsessed a bit, but we were able to get him back on track of paying attention to the patient. We were able to move Emma to the medbay and Gallagher initiated containment and quarantine conditions. There was a lot of medically stuff involving adrenaline, antibodies, tests and comparisons. Mixed in with a few lectures about bringing outsiders to the Hemlock.

Fortunately Emma had been inoculated several times by AuroraBlue bites. AuroraBlue bit Emma often because "she smells funny". She will mostly recover in a month or so. Doctor Footpad gave Emma an treat for being a good patient.



Emma was still exhibiting LilyBell type behavior and contrasting between aggressive manic food obsessing and extreme lethargy. She was chilling on the couch when I left her.

I left a copy of the files with Gallagher to see if he can figure out anything more.

I hooked up with Z later, he was grumpy but fine.

I will check with folks tomorrow to see if they want to go to the wastelands and track down further.

Retrieving the Relics of Saint Zenobius

Retrieving the Relics of Saint Zenobius

I am finally back from my long trip, details some other time maybe after I am caught up a little more.

Recapping the events of the past two weeks, now that everyone has finally updated me. Okay sure, I'm partly to blame as I was travelling. I would super appreciate it if folks would take pics too, it really helps. Thanks and love, beautiful people.

The curator of the Bihar Sanctuary Museum, Feargananyn Karillion, was contacted by a supposed art dealer about the possibility of the sale of an Earth Heritage Artifact. A .1 gram sliver shard sample from the casket was authenticated, so there is a real one somewhere. It is being offered up for sale on the black market.

Curator Feargananym Karillion


The museum's authenticator, Mirra Zanzibar, made contact with the Zenobian Estates Manager, Ms. Zeno Baxton, and procurred permission to scan the relics, which were being put on display in their newly built chapel which was to be dedicated to Saint Zenobius.

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/chapel-of-st-zenobius.html

The non-invasive scans were sufficient to determine that the coffin was a forgery.

Mirra Zanzibar and Zeno Baxton


The coffin is carved from a solid block of silver, which has prevented most scans and has ironically prevented detection of the fraud for quite some time. It is an expert work of forgery, someone actually found correctly dated materials and possibly even a likely body.

The key to uncovering the forgery was the painting that was the coffin's neighbor for over 500 years. Above the shrine of Saint Zenobius was the painting "Last Supper" by the lesser known renaissance artist, Giovanni Balducci. The counterfeiters did not think to include chemicals that would link them or could not, as the painting Last Supper by the lesser known renaissance artist, Giovanni Balducci, is not in circulation. But the sliver from the art dealer had the correct residue.

Zenobia's terraforming was complete in 2308, the relics were transferred to Zenobia at the dedication ceremony and were kept in the Castle's private vault until recently with the exception of during the war years. During the war however the Military leadership took charge of various artifacts from Earth-That-Was, all were supposedly returned after the hostilities however.

The "Coffin of Saint Zenobius" is a masterpiece work by the great Renaissance Master Lorenzo Ghiberti in 1440, and was on display at the church of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence Italy, an Earth Heritage Site. As such, the coffin itself is an Earth Heritage Artifact. Prior to that, the reliques were kept in Basilica di San Lorenzo di Firenze, the parish of the Zenobian's rivals, the Medici's, who did not get along well by most accounts.

There are three windows of opportunity for this crime, in 2308 when it was transported to Zenobia, during the war, and when it was moved from the castle vault to the chapel just recently.

Mirra Zanzibar collected two separate .1 gram samples taken from the surface the counterfeit coffin, and took samples from the vault where it was stored and the crates it was transported and stored in. Including dust and air samples. Comparing the samples to samples in Castle vault and also with the Alliance Ministry of Antiquities on Londinium, Mirra determined that the theft took place during the war when the Military leadership took charge.

Since the theft happened during the war, some of those people are still in power and means a broader conspiracy and would be harder to prove or to prosecute. It also points to a possible theory that the Alliance is looking to destabilize the government for their own purposes.

If the authentic relics were under military guardianship during the war, it is possible that an alliance was made between one of the great houses and someone in the military leadership. The most probable confederate would be one who knew that his own claim was weak or even false. Without the reliques, his claim can also not be disproved.

The Zenobian ruling class bases its right to rule is based on genetic heritage. Without the remains, no claim can be verified as mandated by their own traditions which are the basis for their claim of leadership.

The Bihar Santuary's contacts in the art and artifact grey and black market has created numerous leads. Too numerous to search themselves with their limited manpower. Mirra made contacts with various local agents based on the recommendations of Zeno Baxton.

Duncan Cooperstone, based on MacLaren's Drift, formerly with the Independent's 12th Air Calvalry, and Ms. Baxton's former captain. Mr. Cooperstone was originally contacted by the Bihar Sanctuary's curator, Feargananym Karillion. Mirra recently contact him and JJ Zackerly and hired him officially. Ms. Baxton was to arrange payment and terms. JJ Zackerly, a former companion and MacLaren's Drift's physician, informed Miira that they have an archaeologist in residence.



Captain Falcon Neox, based on Splintered Rock. Mirra contacted Captain Neox directly at his offices on Splintered Rock.

Captain Falcon Neox


Captain Neox is working with a group of Independent Traders, captained by an outworlder named Brazen.

Mistress Brazen Bondar


Cursa Charisma, Brazen's first officer and navigator.


Jezebelle Bimbogami, crew


Teetopwilli Neiro, a roguish supposed antique rug dealer, based on Shadow but also operates on Splintered Rock. Mr. Neiro was not a recommendation by Ms. Baxton. Mr. Neiro was originally a suspect, who we are monitoring. We have no evidence related to Mr. Neiro, he just happens to coincidentally operate in all of the theatres we were investigating. I met Mr. Neiro and his first mate on Splintered Rock, where he maintains a trade office.

TeetopWillie Neiro


Brooke Rhea, Tee's First Officer


Feargananym's contacts with the Companion's Guild gained him a few leads. Primary among them is a rogue Ex-Navigator's Guild Steersman, a drug addict by the name of Ardra, has been contracted to take a parcel from the rim to Splintered Rock. Ardra usually deals with smuggling illicit drugs and black market medical supplies, and operates out of the Uroborus Asteroid Belt orbiting Blue Sun. Recently he/she (we are unsure of Ardra's gender, but are leaning towards female) has been spotted around the Lux systems of Hera, Aphrodite and Shadow.

THERE'S AN ANIMATED HOLOGRAM OF ARDRA, SOMEONE PLEASE SEND ME A COPY!

We are unsure where the handoff will take place, whether in the rim or in and around Shadow, but the trail shall pass thru Shadow on its way to Splintered Rock.

Current instructions are not to apprehend Ardra until we are sure that he/she has the artifact in his/her possession and only if it can be retrieved without damage. If Ardra is taken before he/she has the artifact, we will lose our only current lead and he/she might not have any useful information making interrogation worthwhile. As a Guild Steersman, his cargo is virtually undetectable by sensors, bureaucratic interference or sensitive approaches. The key will be to act during the handoff, the stop-over or at its destination.

In a addition to being a drug trafficker, Ardra is a drug addict who uses mind altering substances which he/she believes makes him/her a more skilled pilot. This may open possible leads in locating Ardra.

Since the terrorist attack on the Medical Research Facility on Zenobia, the mainland has been sealed and off limit to offworlders.

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/terrorists-strike-medical-research.html

The alliance has taken possession of the forged coffin for reasons that remain unclear.

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/antares-leaves-orbit_22.html

The families of the ruling class have gone offworld to supposed summer-residences.

Insurection and civil war on Zenobia is close at hand.

The Estates Manager is hoping to recover the relics to prevent dissention among the ruling class and will hopefully prevent civil war.

The Alliance maintains jurisdiction over all Earth Heritage Artifacts and the Estates Manager wants the matter resolved without involving the Alliance or alerting them in any way.

Since the primary motive for stealing the relics is political, the fact that it is being offered up for sale before the civil war leads Mirra and Feargananyum to suspect that whoever planned this has either lost control of their confederates or is short on funding.

Mirra have not ruled out religious fanatics as either the end buyers or as third parties. Saint Zenobius was known for numerous miracles while he lived, including no less than raising the dead on 5 separate occasions. Several incidents of attempts to steal or otherwise procure the reliques have occurred thru its colorful history. King Louis of France spent large sums of money for the acquisition of the Ring of Saint Zenobius, hoping it would heal him. Several people were killed in the attempt to procure the ring.

WHODAT?

WHODAT?

That's me in my spiffy Dharma uni, Gallagher is a great photographer. I've been gone for a week, figured you might have forgotten what I look like.


This is Aurora, formerly AuroraBlue, she's all organic now. I am hoping she worked out that little quirk about planning to kill all organic life. She promised to kill me last if I helped her. Maybe, hopefully.


This was Aurora saying goodbye, x0x0 got all weepy. Seana hauled Aurora off to Ariel to live on their family compound. They are probably used to high-strung smarty kids.


This was Emma standing up to Gabe about Raids. I don't think that Gabe was going to do anything, but Emma got defensive. When Venice "Red Eyes" and the always heavily armed Autharius came, I think Emma feared the worst.


Emma's solution was to hide Raids away, so that people didn't obsess about the mechanical killing machine. We got a little tied up and neglected to inform Nack in a timely manner. Emma apologized on our behalf, she's the nice one.


I thought that story was pretty much over, but then Seana asked me to retrieve Raids so that they could dismantle her power core. I checked it out, but apparently, Raids was blown up. We are investigating some theories in that regard.

Once again I thought that story was pretty much over, but ....

Turns out Raids is a Von Neumann 'bot, which means she can rebuild herself. I guess except for the motivator chip. Raids is back at Firefly's Bar. LilyBell informs me that Raids likes Radishes. If Raids eats, then.... well.... Who cleans up after that?

Captain Griffy was sniffy around for a bit, hung out with Gallagher, hung out with Zade.



Those who read the Hale's Moon Herald, know that Reece "No Spellcheck" ShawBridge got his foot blown off in the Loyalist bombing attack a couple weeks back.


LilyBell thought she maybe found Reece's foot. Well....maybe, but it seemed a tad big to be Reece's foot, and it had pink nailpolish and it was still gushing blood. She said she'd keep looking.


This is Araya, she's a mechanic or engineer or something, BUT DEFINITELY NOT A COOK! Her former crew ditched her on Hale's Moon in response to and incident involving dosing her grumpy Captain's soup with an over-the-counter pleasure pill and an undisclosed fatal allergic reaction.


Araya has relaxed a little, here she is on "Thong Day" feeling all cleavagy. Or maybe the Laundry Day Effect is spreading.


I have been negligent in my duties with the Herald. I was preparing for a long trip. I am only just catching up now. This is Doctor Lina Footpad, a physician and fond of prescribing supositories. She had taken the job as the new doctor on Hale's Moon. By the time I got around to catching up, she resigned and moved, saying Hale's needs a surgeon more than a physician. She got another gig deep in Reaver territory.



This is Doctor Illyana Lovochkin, a surgeon. I am not sure if she is the new surgeon. I met her once before, but I recalled her being shorter.



Vegaslon, Vega for short, has been around for a bit, but he has a new look. Hair and apparently he has been hitting the weights.



HUZZAH! YAY! Leovinus Twine is back. The rim's best wasteland salvager. A very talented builder. Leo had been in the far end of the rim and out of contact for a few months. Good to see him back.



Duncan had also been scarce for a couple of weeks, something all secrety and important no doubt. I visted Immy every day, but she was never really conscious.


I don't know what kind of dressup this is, or if the Laundry Day Effect is spreading thru the 'Verse.


Krenshar has not been all there since having to use part of his positronic brain or something to help LilyBell and Aurora.



Krenshar had been acting quirkier than usual, dressed up like an alliance soldier looking for a replicant named Krenshar Magic. Going catatonic, more than usual that is.



He finally went and hauled himself off to someplace he had been talking about since I knew him, some replicant homeland or safehouse or something like that. If I seem unclear, it's because peoplea are unclear to me. Here, he scuffed up some of his infiltration skin falling down some incline. Emma was a little bit confused. LOOK AWAY EMMA!



That was shortlived, back to the usual Krenshar replicant skin, a little worn and tattered.


X0x0 has been working Emma so hard that she activated the Emma6 Recreation Unit that has bonded to mimic Emma. Sounds like a Cybertronics unit to me, but Emma didn't know who the manufacturer was. But, much like Emma, Emma6 has a tendency to get a little scratched up.