Gallagher finds something called a VHS

No doubt, utilizing his connections to unsavory underground type, Gallagher scored a video playing device called a VHS. He did not tell me the details, I'm sure its all hush-hush.

I meet him in his office and sit on the back of his Chill-tastic couch and he slips in the tape.



******
Dharma Initiative
Video Tape 1 of 8

Gallagher,

We apologise for the technology used to carry this message. We understnad it coudn't have been easy to view.

On this tape is evidence that the Alliance have been hacking into our media and inserting damaging subliminal messages

Desmond
******

According to Desmond Serenity, professional paranoid, the Alliance hacked their media records and placing subliminal messages.

Pfft, subliminal messages, who believes in that. But just to be on the safe side, I resolve to resist the urge to snack on the Fruity Oaty Bar in my pack.



******
Initiative Classifications

The Hanso Foundation, 1981. All Rights Reserved
******

I forgot to ask Gallagher who the Hanso Foundation is. 1981? I hum to myself the Fruity Oaty Bar jingle.



******
Station 2 - Parapsychological Study
-
-
-
- Clairvoyance/ Clairaudience
******

I totally spaced out for Station 1 and most of Station 2. Station 2 is about Paraphsychology.

I try to keep the words out of my head, "Fruity Oaty Bars, make a man out of a mouse! Fruity Oaty Bars, make you burst out of your blouse. In another time, let them blow your mind! Hey!"



******
Station 3 - Physics
- Boson String Research
- Matrix Mechanic Theor
- Paleogeography
- Quantum Electrodynamics
******

Station 3 is about Physics. Paleogeography, ok sure. Boson Strings? He was the singer for U2, no?

Mmmm, that Fruity-Oaty goodness!



******
Station 4 -
- Cryptozoological Research
- Genus Aberrational Studies
- Pyslogenetics
- Species Allocation & Conservation
******

Cryptozoology? Like finding bigfoot?

I dunno....Gallagher says this is supposed to discredit the Dharma Initiative, but for I know Desmond is into this stuff.

ZOHMYGODZILLA, the subminal programming works. I am so weak and pathetic.

Oh look, there's a Fruity Oaty Bar in my hand. I try to put it away, but my hand defies my will. Mmmm, that Fruity-Oaty goodness!



******
Station 5 -
- Electron Degeneracy Research
- Gravitational Radiation
- Peculiar Stellar Velocities
- Radiative Transport Study
******

Radiative Transport? Ummm...Peculiar Stellar Velocities?

Just one bite maybe.



******
Station 6 -
- Heterogeneity Refinement
- Cryogenics & Cellular Stasis
- Ectopic Integration Studies
- Monoclonal Research
******

It really is fruity oaty good.

Oh, the tape, yeah, ummm. hm. Station 6, ah Cellular Stasis, Ectopic ehhh, uhhh, Monocional....

Damn it, I'm eating this whole bar and I don't care. It's mine, all mine. MMMMMMmmmmm, ahhhh. mmmmm.

I really was not a good student at school, I barely passed with ordinaire, no honors. Solidly in the top 80% of my graduating class.



******
Alvar Hanso
Founder and Director of The Hanso Foundation
******

Who is Alvar Hanso? Founder, director. Yeah, but who is he? Damn, I'll ask Gallagher later.

Mmmm, rich in flavour, vitamins and juices of some kind, each bite feels like a slice of the 'verse.

Fruity Oaty Bars
make a man out of a mouse!
Fruity Oaty Bars
make you burst out of your blouse.
In another time,
let them blow your mind!
Hey!
Fruity Oaty Bars!

Fruity Oaty Bar Commercial

Prayers during the Feast of the Visitation

On Thursday, while coming in from the black to Hale's Moon, I heard radio chatter about a search for Lily. I parked my ship at 4070 meters and rendered search by shuttle until Gallagher called it off.

Gallagher received a radio transmission from LilyBell and heard weapon's fire. After a search from grount thru the black, Gallagher confirmed that she was not in the system.

http://jairaghilda.blogspot.com/2009/05/looking-for-lilybell.html

I hope it means that LilyBell is returning home.

I have prayed every day for Lily's safety and for her safe return. I worry for her and AuroraBlue. I do not understand the nature of their personal drama, but the pain breaks my heard. I give Lily toys to give to AuroraBlue whenever I find something I think might be appropriate. A bubble wand, a pillow fight kit, silly things. I try to give LilyBell a little something every day, so she knows that she is loved and appreciated at least in my small way and therefore is real. LilyBell Snoodly is not a cat and is real; its a rule. Also, give her candy and shiny things, she likes that. I suspect it is also a rule.

Sunday is the feast day of the Visitation. When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth. How appropriate.

I made up a present I have been saving for LilyBell and left it in her Tower. I hope she does not mind that I let myself in, Gallagher showed me how.

I put it in a big red box with a bow all fancy-Dan.
Crayola Crayons
LilyNotACat-Nip Hacky Sack
Book: the Velveteen Rabbit

The Velveteen Rabbit was one of my favorite stories when I was growing up. It's about how a synthetic rabbit's become real thru love. I never considered that it might be a documentary.

I sort of met LilyBell my first day visiting Hale's Moon. She was in a stasis chamber of some sort.



I met a lot of the Hale's Moon regulars that day, they rallied around LilyBell's crisis. That's how I knew that Hale's Moon was a good place. It is one of the reasons I operate from here, it is safe like family. I miss having a family.







She was a little unstable for a while, I did not know what was going on with her. Still don't.



She hisses at me now and then, she bit me once on the shoulder for some reason and called me a whore a couple of times when I was talking to Gallagher. She promised that she wouldn't use that word anymore with me as I am sensitive, but she still hisses at me now and again. I think it might have something to do with Galagher.



The day Blackburne....burned, I went with her to Blackburne and we searched for AuroraBlue and clues but turned up nothing. The entire city was trashed and in flames except for Lily's house. I went back a week later and even Lily's home was gone. We searched the Hale's Moon wasteland for a while.

I told Lily how there was a wave from Aurora from days before the Blackburne disaster that seemed to imply that AuroraBlue knew they were coming and that she would be coming home soon. AuroraBlue did not fight the reavers or even hide. They did not harm her, she just rode out on their back. She has some strange relationship with the reavers that I don't understand and no one feels inclined to explain to me. When I ask Krenshar or LilyBell, they begin to speak in an obscure cryptic manner and get all twitchy on me.

AuroraBlue bit me once also. I don't understand that family.

The last time I saw LilyBell, she was howling in her tower. She said something about leaving for a while to hunt for AuroraBlue. I have prayed for their safety and their safe return. I hope that the radio call Gallagher received means that my modest petition to the divine was granted.

I shall find a nice cut of meat and some candy for LilyBell to celebrate her visitation.

Exploding for Clues and Needing a Tape Player. Please Help

No gruesome vivisection victims.

No ground attacks by Loyalist Terrorists.

No attempted murder of the Sheriff.

No being accosted by armed figures from Gallagher's past.

No high altitude firefights.

You know you're living during hard times when no one trying to kill you is enough to qualify as a good day.

And I had sushi for lunch. Mmmm, sushi. And miso soup. I love the pickled ginger and I may have developed a dependence on wasabi. I have been told that eating too much can stunt your growth. Regardless, thank God for Charly and her tea house which serves quality sushi.

A quiet day finally. Set up orbital dockage at Shadow. Major Cooperstone showed me some options. Coop also introduced me to an enthusiastic man with the improbably name of Podwrangler. What were his parents thinking?

I headed back to Hale's. Gallagher said Desmond left a bunch of stuff that needed to be demolished. It was a good opportunity for to learn to use one of these weapons.

Today's lesson: the M4 Grenade Launcher. Tres Cool. The rifle is almost as tall as I am. I have long since accepted that every weapon looks silly when I am carrying it.







After a fun filled time of blowing up crates of whatnots and whatchamacallits, Gallagher found another photograph of his old unit and another antquated surveillance tape.

I'm not trained military profession like Coop, Starbuck and Zeno. I'm not law enforcement like Gallagher. I have an accounting degree (Scientiae Appliquée Baccalaureus Ordinaire Degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics and Interplanetary Trade from Londinium University). Nothing military, law enforcement or legal in my background. BUT I KNOW A FRIGGIN' CLUE WHEN IT'S STARING ME IN THE FACE!

DOES ANYONE HAVE A BETAMAX PLAYER?

The 'verse has been diminished and is a sadder place since the passing of Mr. Universe.

Really? NO ONE? ZOHMYGODZILLA!

[OOC: BTW Gallagher takes great pics. Click on the images for full sized.]

Shot down over Shadow

What happened? Dunno, not sure. And no one told me.



I read other people's account of combat and firefights and they seem to know all the details. They either have some fabulous skill that is far beyond me, or they are just making stuff up to fill in the blanks.

'Cause I was in my first firefight and I am still trying to figure out what happened. I'm there, live and in person, and I still have to read about it in the Cortex News Service to find out what happened.

http://cortexnewsservice.com/2009/05/30/war-heats-up-around-shadow.aspx

Sheriff Gallagher and I were on Shadow meeting with Major "Coop" Cooperstone and Captain "Starbuck" Rhiadra. Military people are required to have nicknames I suspect.

Coop and Starbuck... Oh no, forget it, I just can't use do it, Major Cooperstone and Captain Rhiadra were sparring in their Dojo. Its called sparring, fancy martial arts talk for Captain Rhiadra kicking Major Cooperstone's highly trained behind all over the room.

Cooperstone: "You might want move, Jai."

I heeded his sage advise and wisely utilized strategic maneuver numbers 1 and 2 (run for cover and hide), and kept at a safer distance behind the medical bed.

Major Cooperstone acknowledged the virtues of the Totally Awesome Wicked KICK-ASS "Bitter Thorns" Dance Fans.

"Damn them FANS!!!!. If I wouldn't look like a girly girl I'd get those fans," conceded Coop as he picked himself off the floor, "I might get them even IF they did made me look like a girly girl."

Gallagher briefed us on what he knew about the new modified Pax which was weaponized into a Reaver Virus, which up to now he assumed was a myth.

Yeah yeah, that's the easy part. Right?

Then we're getting ready to head back to Hale's Moon...

I'm in my shuttle, not even at my ship yet, it's in low orbit.

We're at about 3000 meters on the way to where my ship was parked, then some crazy people start shooting at us. Totally out of the blue, uh black.

As my Uncle Cole Oyl used to say, "WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT!"

My shuttle is damaged. Thankfully, we were already in environmental gear and we tethered up to a drifting Firefly. Nice one too if it had both wings and its top wasn't torn off.

I hear chatter over the radio, "LT! they're in a bird"

My inner voice counsels me, "Stupid School Learny Girl, you got a radio. Use it duh-head."

[7:48] Radio: Jai Raghilda: Jai Raghilda under fire in mid orbit over Shadow 3000m Alliance Purple

Poof, Gallagher is gone.

[7:52] Radio: Solomon Leitner: Unkown Vessel... you are in Independent air space... state your purpose

I drop in thru the hole in the roof which was open to the ship's galley. I can't even tell which direction the hyperactive Sheriff took off to.

[7:52] Radio: Jai Raghilda: took heavy damage from Alliiance gunfire, landed ship on drifting firefly ... please send assistance

I run to the bridge, hoping it might be operative. Nah, no such luck. I grab the station radio and hook it to my comm, at least it works.

[7:55] Radio: Solomon Leitner: Unknown Vessel, this is Elindor Actual, Air Cavalry combat Patrol is en route to intercept...standby

[7:55] Radio: Jai Raghilda: Thank you. Had to land on Firefly, still under fire.

I drop prone as I approach the Cargo Bay, as I hear more gunfire.

No one. I hear gunfire and feel the hull shake from engine vibration, but not the ship itself. Luckily I find the parts I need to stabilize my shuttle.

Over the radio, I hear Calvalry radio chatter.

[8:01] Radio: Styker H6 SF2 - Starbuck: start engine.

[8:01] Radio: Styker H6 SF2 - Starbuck: enable steering.

[8:01] Radio: Styker H6 SF2 - Starbuck: WASD to fly.

[8:01] Radio: Styker H6 SF2 - Starbuck Online.

[8:01] Radio: Mikie Rhiadra: vice on

[8:01] Radio: Duncan Cooperstone: CCC Ready, activating Callahan Combat Control.

[8:01] Radio: Duncan Cooperstone: activating VICE combat system

The Calvary have come to save me. Mikie and Duncan will save me.

Um, I guess maybe later. I watch them go to do something needful.

I activate my Extra Vehicular Maneuvers Grappling Tether and put my HALO chute on standby and exit the Firefly.

Still don't know where Gallagher is.

I tether around the ship and caught a couple of glimpses of Gallagher and a glimpse of something purple which I could shoot at.

Pfft. Why do I even carry a weapon?

At some point the firefight got away from me.

Gallagher was God knows where, probably jumped onto the Alliance ship and shot them up from there.

Coop and Starbuck were probably off chasing someone or other.

See what I mean now? I have no idea what happened. Who could know?

I put the "patch on" to the hull breach on my shuttle and am able to pull shut the hatch.

I fire 'er up and go look for Gallagher.

It's just a damn firefly, how did I lose him?

If the military ever asks me to join, it is a sign that they are totally desperate. Evacuate immediately.

Who comes to my rescue? CEO Tillery Woodhen, in a snazzy ship being hassled by the Alliance.

[8:12] Radio: Damien Macalroy: This is an illegal slavage operation, you will stand down and be bound by law!

[8:12] Radio: Tillery Woodhen shouts: I'm performing a rescue!

I find Gallagher finally, no explanation or how are you.

I drop as quickly as my damaged shuttle will let me into the asteroid field. I don't the 'roid fields anymore because people keep snickering.

Gallagher tried to activate the gunnery hatch and ejecta himself. How many times in a day does that man get himself lost?

What happened to Tillery? Dunno

What happened with Coop and Starbuck? Dunno.

What was Gallagher doing all this time? Dunno.

Does anyone tell me? Noooooo!!!!! I'm going to have to read about it in the Cortex News Service, just like everyone else.

........

My cousin Moira tells me that I am being too genuine and forthright, and that people want to read about people being cool. Gotta maintain my street cred, savvy?

So, let's try that first part again.

........

Sheriff Gallagher and I were on Shadow meeting with Major "Coop" Cooperstone and Captain "Starbuck" Rhiadra. Coop and Starbuck were sparring in their Dojo. Major Cooperstone acknowledged the virtues of the impressive "Bitter Thorns" Dance Fans. Gallagher briefed us on what he knew about the new modified Pax which was weaponized into a Reaver Virus, which up to now he assumed was a myth.

On our way back to Hale's and some Alliance goon opens fire on our shuttle at about 3000m. My shuttle is damaged, thankfully, we were already in environmental gear and we tethered up to a drifting Firefly that had its top ripped off and missing a wing.

I radio for help and Gallagher and I split up. As I run to the bridge, I hear that the Independents are sending assistance. The Helm is inoperative, I grab a radio and head to the Cargo Bay. I drop prone as I approach the Cargo Bay, as I hear more gunfire. All clear. I hear gunfire and feel the hull shake from engine vibration, but not the ship itself. I find the parts I need to stabilize my shuttle.

Over the radio, I hear radio chatter. The Calvary has arrived. I activate my Extra Vehicular Maneuvers Grappling Tether and put my HALO chute on standby and exit the Firefly. I tether around the ship and caught a couple of glimpses of Gallagher and a glimpse of something purple which I could shoot at.

I put the "patch on" to the hull breach on my shuttle and am able to pull shut the hatch. I fire 'er up and go to retreive Gallagher.

Tillery Woodhen arrives in a Cortex News Service Ship and is being hassled by Alliance, threatening him with arrest.

I find Gallagher finally, and drop as quickly as my damaged shuttle will let me into the asteroid field to evade pursuit.

........

Satisfied now Moira? Fine, moving on.

........

We find Mr. Woodhen in the asteroid field, his ship is experiencing some temporary technical difficulty.

Gallagher explains that he and Coop took town the Alliance aggressors.

Tillery confirmed that he got photographs of the events.

Major Cooperstone came: "Well there may be more, power up and form up on my wing I'll escort you down."

On the ground, I perform the traditional kiss of the planet. Dirtside, today, I love you. Mwah, mwah, mwah. Smootchies.

Duncan Cooperstone looks at Tillery, "Well, happen you are gonna know about us a little earlier than the Old Man ahd figured on."

Tillery Woodhen, "I heard about a battle, wanted to get some proof."

Duncan Cooperstone: "We get 'em now again, they come back round here poking their noses in, usually the CAP get's em long fore they make it too close."

Duncan Cooperstone, "If I were a cynical man, Jai, I'd say this here was gonna be related to them bodies you found."

The 'verse has worked very hard to make me cynical, I am going to think it is about those bodies until proven otherwise.

Duncan Cooperstone tapped the wing of his Stryker, "12th Air Cavalry battlegroup Mr. Woodhen, in the flesh"

Tillery Woodhen, "Didn't know you guys had an airforce."

Duncan Cooperstone, "I don't know as I can say too much more, Mr, Woodhen, not without orders...You'd best be speaking to the Admiral your own self. I know he has something he'd like run in the CNS"

"Wait one...," said Duncan as he touches his comms, "Elindor...Hard Six... request Actual."

Gallagher grumbled, "The fact that it turned up just as I was leaving too is strange, with Desmond being here yesterday too. Trying to pass it off as an illegal salvage charge. If they had captured you, Jai, you would be charged for war crimes. Wearing that outfit, they would connect you to the Dharma Initiative. I am keeping the Dharma Inititative suit on to show we are not going to be intimidated."

Duncan Cooperstone turned back from his comms, "Mr Woodhen... I need a ride, we lost a pilot in that engagement, engine failure, she punched out, she's dirtside, needs pick up"



After a quick breather on the waterfront with Duncan and Gallagher, we join the others in the fort. Tillery is meeting with Admiral Solomon Leitner.

Solomon Leitner: "I would like you to run a statement in the CNS with regard to certain intelligence that has come to light. It will be a general statement of intent regarding the soveringty of Shadow airspace. The other matters I would prefer to discuss with you at your convienence.

I won't go further on about the details, you can read about it in the Cortex News Service.

After they discuss some particulars and make some arrangement, the Admiral arranges a CAP escort.



I stuck around after Gallagher, Duncan and Tillery left to say hello to Captain Rhiadra and thank her personally for saving my life.

Apparently the Admiral was still in the room, "And you will be the Ms Raghilda of whom I have read so many AArs recently."

"...the bad parts are not my fault," I stammer out. "but yes, I am."

Mikie chuckles heartily at my expense.

The Admiral quirks an eyebrow, "That remains to be seen. If you insist on poking around in matters that can get you killed... *shakes head* at least make sure it's worth it.

I start to explain that it should have been a simple and legal salvage op, but they were busy.

Admiral Leitner saves me from embarassing myself further, "We'll talk more about this at another juntcure"

I didn't want to hear me talk about it either, "Yes sir. Good day, ... uh... ummmm, uh. sir."

Looking for LilyBell

[5:33] Radio: Venus Levenque: ***static*** Sheriif Gallagher ? Venus Levenque from Hale's Base.. We are near the tarmac.. no sign of the crash.. I repeat, no sign of the crash.. Have you got news ? ...***static***

[5:34] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: No sign of her ship and I don't hear gunfire here. She must not be in Hale's yet.

[5:34] Radio: Venus Levenque: Damn.. have you got her last corrdinates, Sheriff?

[5:35] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: Negative, the signal cut out.

[5:35] Radio: Venus Levenque: Ok, I'm with few people here, we are preparing a rescue team.. end of comm.

[5:36] Radio: Jai Raghilda: Jai here, just coming into the system. Do you require assistance?

[5:37] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: We had a message from Lily....

[5:37] Radio: Jai Raghilda: Cool.

[5:37] RadioM: Gallagher Aeon: ....but she was cut off

[5:37] Radio: Jai Raghilda: Damn.

[5:38] Radio: Solomon Leitner: Hales Moon Colony, this is Elindor Actual. We have an advance CAP element in your sector. Do you require assistance?

[5:40] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: Be on the lookout for LilyBell Snoodle.

[5:40] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: Send us a wave if you see her.

[5:43] Radio: Jai Raghilda: Just came in from the black in Hale, nothing there at the moment.

[5:43] Radio: Venus Levenque: Nothing around Firefly's... I just see no sign of evident crash sir, maybe she was able to land ?

[5:44] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: I heard gunfire on the radio, but I don't think she was in Hales yet.

[5:46] Radio: Jai Raghilda: No sign of her up top.

[5:47] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: No sign?

[5:47] Radio: Venus Levenque: Alas no, Sheriff

[5:47] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: Damn. Lily is tough, I am sure she will find a way to contact us again

[5:48] Radio: Solomon Leitner: Hales Moon, Elindor Actual. CAP is bingo fuel, recalling them to base.

[5:48] Radio: Gabe Yazimoto: Did you get any hints of what had happened?

[5:48] Radio: Venus Levenque: Well, I heard odd noises this night Sheriff, maybe troups moves in the back desert...

[5:48] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: the loyalists have been poking around lately

[5:50] Radio: Jai Raghilda: There is a few sites up top I can check again. There is a waste depot and some suborbital station

[5:50] Radio: Venus Levenque: With your permission I could borrow a pod, I have the license to pilot it Sheriff...

[5:51] Radio: Jai Raghilda: ummm, just don't let Gabe drive, at least not in residential areas.

[5:51] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: You can borrow my bike if you like.

[5:51] Radio: Venus Levenque: Naw.. You risk to need the bike sir, I'l take a pod

[5:52] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: I am going to try to trace Lilys signal.

[5:53] Radio: Venus Levenque: Ok I'll go to the station and take a pod, Gaby, stay on the radio, ok?

[5:53] Radio: Gabe Yazimoto: All right, will do.

[5:58 Radio: Venus Levenque: Sheriff, no sign of her, from what I see in the colonist perimeter; but I see a storm growing in the deep desert.. should I continue? I repeat, should I continue the search ?

[5:58] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: Negative, going into the desert during a storm is suicide

[5:58] Radio: Venus Levenque: Confirm the order, I come back to Hale ? I have static.

[6:00] Radio: Gallagher Aeon: Return when ready

[6:00] Radio: Venus Levenque: Roger

[6:01] Radio: Jai Raghilda: All clear thru 4096 and the black. Jai out.

Unexpected visitor from the Dharma Initiative

A shower, a bath, another shower and then a long soak. The universe itself seemed dirtier, no amount of washing would help.

Sitting in a classroom learning about Utilitarianism and the reality of using people for their instrumentality and not as ends unto themselves, it all seemed quaint and maybe even inconsequential. But when you see the end result of such a philosophy, using people as meat…

Maybe just one more shower and then a long nap.

And then another shower.

I had a lot to do, but I had to get my mind away from the horrors of the derelict ship. I still have visions of Charlie, still breathing despite extreme vivisection. I did not wait around to see if Coop ended it for Charlie or if Charlie just expired at that point. Charlie is in a better place, even if it is the comfort of oblivion.

PO Third Class Baxton had a few days leave and was heading to Zenobia to take care of a few trade transactions. Apparently she had a dayjob besides the Independents 12th Air Calvary.

Zeno had one of the fancy series-three midbulk transport carrier classcode 03-Kei64Firefly. "Kei" is a Japanese word for "firefly." She gave me a tour. Radion-accelerator core with the reliable trace compression block. Proper modern engines, not like my antiquated magnetic confinement fusion deathtrap. Aught-Three? I think mine might be an Aught-Aught or Aught-Negative Two. Pfft.



Her ship is right next to stylish Laken Susserman's Osprey. I waved over at her ship as if she is looking. "Hi Laken, I'm all up in you 'hood."

Zeno explained that Zenobia is a neutral core planet. She mumbled something about secrets. We all have secrets, I binge on Lucky Charms in the middle of the night. Zeno used to run trade with Major Cooperstone until the crew of the Raveinn spilt up. Been on her own since, trying to scratch out a living trading. She was on Shadow when it declared independence and re-enlisted the same day.

Zeno originally met Coop while running cargo and meds to the Independents troops on the ground.

“I had just dropped off supplies and was picking up wounded, when all Hell broke loose. Coop was a platoon leader and ordered me to dust off, probably saved my life. I served as XO on his boat with the best crew in the verse.”

Coop dropped in and we all had a cup of strong coffee, cheerfully not talking about the events of the past days. Small talk like: "Aught three... good boat, good legs"

Talk drifted back to the events of the recent days. I explained that Gallagher was recovering well from his gunshot wounds, he was cranky and in Crime Scene Investigation mode. I filled them in about the two different shooters and the old Alliance issued weapons implying loyalists and the old surveillance tape from his old unit 'The Dharma Initiative' from when had defected to the Independents during the war.

“Gallagher figures it involves someone that knows him from way back, obviously not in a good way.”

Talk went on to pithy sentiments about how old soldiers die hard and how some wounds never seem to heal.

“I will happily get over it if everyone else will.”

“Me too, soon as they leave every Gorramn world they ain’t entitled to and let folk who want a different life be.

Despite wanting to forget, I inquired whether the military might possibly blow the derelict away. Maybe I could better forget it if I knew it was gone forever. Maybe even pretend it never happened. Ah, to have the comforts of denial and repression.

Alas it was up to command, not my personal preferences.

Zeno spoke in a quieter voice, "Any idea who was behind that?"

I informed them that Moira was following a lead in Zenobia, “This will continue to be a problem to haunt Moira and me if we don’t act proactive. Moira is following the money, or in this case, looking for the exit market. Discount organ transplants on Zenobia someplace, but there is no licensed facility there. It our first best guess. She'll be back to me in a few days. I could have her contact you if you’re heading back from that way.”



Coop showed us his Odyssey Shuttle that he had docked near Zeno’s, when we were confronted by a wrinkly man wearing the same ugly coveralls that I see Gallagher wear on occasion. Despite the beaten up look (age, neglect, stress, overwork, drinking and smoking is my guess), I recognized him from the photograph on Gallagher’s desk.

“I am Desmond Serenity, I was a member of the Dharma Initiative."

Of course, everyone in the frontier comes visiting fully armed.

Duncan Cooperstone, “You might wanna safety that weapon and put in on the deck or you'll be an ex-member of the human race.

“I went to Hale’s Moon to warn Gallagher that someone has killed off three of our original members. I believe it to be a response to Shadow becoming independent. The Alliance Loyalists always saw us as traitors. I believe the Alliance Loyalists are targeting the former members of the Dharma Initiative.

"Mister, Dahrma Initiative, war buddy of Gallagher or not...safety that frakking weapon and put it on the deck or I'm going throw you out the hatch my own damn self."

Mr. Serenity only then noticed that he was still holding an unsafetied Rifle and pointing it in our general direction. I wonder if her noticed PO Baxton and Major Cooperstone pointing their weapons at him.

M4 Rifle safety enabled.

Mr. Serenity finally put his weapon away, “The Alliance is currently in possession of one of the bodies that you brought off that ship. That body was originally going to be used by an independence group as a weapon against the alliance. Not a literal weapon, but it could be quite damaging to the alliance. We believe the man to be dying of an Alliance produced virus. They thought they could make people better. We call it the Reaver Virus. An airborne toxin capable of turning anyone into a raging monster.”

So that’s maybe why there are so many more Reavers nowadays.

Terraforming agents in the planets atmosphere burns off the virus while airborne, which is why no one has gotten infected planetside, but if you were to be attacked by Reavers in space, you could turn in a matter of hours. We intended to thaw him in a public display to show the impact of this virus. My theory is that the Alliance have ships full of them, to send thawed Reavers into enemy territory. Unfortunately now our proof is gone, 6 years of work tracking that body down the drain.”

People will blame the Reavers and not the so-called Loyalists or Alliance or whatever.

Duncan Cooperstone: "On that note, the Old Man's setting about gather his own proof to the same ends"

Desmond Serenity: “We need to send the message that the Dharma Initiative isn’t dead. When we have located the body, can I count on your help stealing it back?”

Duncan Cooperstone: "You find the place, bring me the info and I'll bring it to the Old Man...If this is related to what he's working on, and it sure as hell sounds like it... Then he'll put a team on it."

Desmond Serenity: “When we go to steal it back, please wear these outfits I gave you."

Mine fit poorly.

Sheriff Gallagher Investigates his own Assassination

By the time the backup from the Independent's 12th Air Calvary gave the all clear, Sheriff Gallagher had cleaned himself up.

He explained that six men in Alliance uniforms arrived and he was shot while in his office. The cryogenic stasis units were taken from holding. We knew what they wanted, but still not why.

After the Calvary left, the Sheriff commenced investigating the attempt on his life, albeit on wobbly legs. No rest for the wounded today.

Step one: Police tape.



Step two: involved sophisticated Crime Scene Investigative technique which traced the vectors of the incoming bullets to their probably source of origin. Pretty red lines to observers like myself.



First surprise, more than one shooter.

We traced one of the lines back to a clearing on the hill behind the residential apartments. An outdated Alliance issued rifle and casings were still on the site.

"Evidence of loyalists," grumbled Sheriff Gallagher then muttered something to himself.

The second line went to a cover spot over Lily's Boarding house next to Fook Yoo's. Another outdated Alliance weapon.

The Sheriff was a bit weak, so I had to drive us back to his office. Resting at his desk, he found a tape had been left there. Antiquated technology.

"Now I know," muttered the Sheriff, this time loud enough for me to hear.

He showed me the tape, "Dharma Initiative Surveillance Tape," he said, "me and my unit switched sides during the war and formed the Dharma Initiative to support the cause of the Independents. Some people considered it traiterous?"

"Like so-called Loyalists?" I asked.

He didn't answer, but showed me a picture of him with his old unit that he kept on his desk.



"Old grudges?" I asked.

Sheriff Gallagher Assassinated in his Office by so-called Loyalists

I was returning to Hale's Moon to check on the two CryoStasis bodies that Sheriff Gallagher was holding in a secured location pending medical examination and possible identification.

I found the Sheriff lying face down on the screen door to his office, bleeding profusely from multiple gunshot wounds. The stench of death was stifling, although attracting to several flying insects from the neighboring greenhouse.

I immediately called out for help. The only person to respond to my shouts for help was General Parkin who replied, "Keep it down over there, I'm trying to watch Stargate"



Somehow the Sheriff stubbornly clung to his life. A valuable attribute in his line of work.



I called for backup, Major "Coop" Cooperstone was the first person I found that would answered a call. The assassins picked a time when most folks were away at their day jobs.



I was finally able to lift the door and squeeze thru, I could see that Sheriff Gallagher had a syringe of Adrenaline in his hands. He lost consciousness before being able to administer it. They should really label these things better. I stuck the needle in Gallagher and hoped for the best.

After the adrenaline shot, Gallagher was strong enough that I was able to help him to the infirmiry downstairs. Another good piece of city planning was to put an infirmiry very close to the Sheriff's office. I am not trained in medical, but I put him on a bed, hit the on button and prayed for the best.



Humming machine, breathing patient, no screaming; a good sign.

The machine stabilized Gallagher enough that he was able to point to the bulletwound fixer and stiches substitute. Thankfully they are designed for the inept, simple point and shoot.

Once stabilized, he had me find something called Dalaiproxinate which has nanites I inject into his temple which would fix his insides.

Gallagher was on his feet and cleaning the blood off, just as the 12th Air Calvalry Unit arrived.

(Police Investigation next)

Salvage Mission Last Rites

PO Zeno Baxton and I caught up with Major "Coop" and Captain "Starbuck". They had found the main medical facility and we trying to get in.





More Blastomere Incubation Units (BIUs) were found and Cryogenic Stasis Chambers



PO Baxton found a way in but could not get out immediately.



20 body bags



Trained to keep her head, she recorded the serial numbers and took photographs. Hopefully someone can cross reference and identify the dead.



I found a working terminal and downloaded what info I could.

And one more body, hopelessly dismembered. Blood still warm.



I was done. Let the military take care of it.

No more nausea meds. I ran around franticaly until Coop said we were leaving.

"What about Charlie?" I asked.

"Who's Charlie?"

"Breather on level 10-71."

Baxton and I led Coop to Charlie.

"Carry him or finish him. Military decision."

I turned my back and ran as Coop clicked off the safety of his sidearm.

"Charlie's Gone" came over the radio comm.

I ran until PO Baxton caught up with me.

We left. I left for Hale. Enough troubles for one day.

Salvage Mission becomes Resuce Mission

Our Salvage Mission had become a Rescue Mission.

We found two living bodies, preserved in cryrostasis and a bunch of medical supplies.

We decided that it was enough for a day and the laws of humanity and God insist that we provided immediate medical attention to these victims.

Salvaged Medical:

Hydrozopan: A painkiller with the effectiveness of morphine, but with lower risk.

Isoprobiline: an immunity booster that fights off most bacterial infections.

Propoxin: An effective sedative often used by triage units to stabilize people in shock.

Byphodine: A drug which induces a state of reduced metabolic function. Without careful examination, a person under the effects of Byphodine is easily mistaken for a cadaver.

Blastomeres: Cells produced from a fertilized egg during embryonic development used in organ transplants. Alliance regulations require that they be transported from point of origin to final destination within a human host who functions not only as a carrier but an incubator.

Dermal Mender: A piece of medical equipment used to repair damage to the dermis, skin, and cartilage and can even reattach limbs or smaller appendages like an ear or nose. Uses molecular nanotechnology to reweave the dermal fibers at the cellular level. Such a procedure is to stitches as stitches are to a bandage.

Ration Bricks: Vacuum sealed parcels of individual meals, made mostly of single celled organic proteins and flavored to give the diner the weak illusion of real food if you don’t think about it too much. An ingot sized brick packed with nutrients and vitamins enough to feed a family of four for a month. Often supplied for terraformers or early colonists.

Mudder’s Milk: a noxious mix of proteins, vitamins and 15% pure alcohol a hearty and cheap way to get both nutrients and sloshed. A very popular drink on Higgin’s moon.

Blackburne S.I.N. cards (Social Identification Number)

All Weather Poncho: A poncho with a series of cooling bladders and a thermal layer designed to allowing survival in many harsh planetary climates.

Filter Mask: A protective garment that protects the wearer from noxious or toxic fumes. Wearers of this item gain protection from inhaled gaseous poisons or other airborne toxins, however this does not offer an independent air supply and does not aid against asphyxiation.

Other Meds:
Dalaiproxinate
Demoroxinax
Pen 15 solution
Randominium
Tranicloride Cetrizine
Whedonakite

The nearest planet with medical facilities was Shadow, which we made full burn to. Sadly Major Cooperstone of the Independent 12th Air Calvalry informed me that they had medical facilities but no longer a doctor.

I informed him of what I knew and stored the two cryo victims until I could take them the Hale's Moon.

The Social Ident Cards from Blackburne and the nature of the situation made it look like someone was harvesting organs from Blackburne victims. People would blame the Reavers and not even look for them.

Moira took a transport to Aphrodite to scare up the broker and I transported the Cryogenics and supplies to Hale. Sheriff Gallagher took the Cryogenics off my hands to keep in a safe place until they could be examined and possibly identified. He would run the ident cards against the list of missing blackburne residents.



Gallagher informed my naive self that it was probably a setup from the start.

It was no longer a legal salvage and the meds were probably taken from Blackburne, so I donate them to the cause.

The mission was a total bust. Thankfully, the Independents filled up the tanks, but I have no profit to show for my troubles.

And now I had a legal problem. Mercedes and whoever Mercedes works for was probably expecting a different outcome.



I had to figure a way out of this and I needed backup.

Major Ducnan "Coop" Cooperstone, along with Captain Mikie Starbuck Rhiadra and Petty Officer Third Class Zeno Baxton, all of the Independent's 12th Air Calvary accompanied me back to the derelict ship.

We found 3 vivisected corpses:

Alfred:


Bernie


Charlie


This was no reaver picnic, this was done surgically.

Charlie was still breathing despite extreme vivisection.

PO Zeno and I ran off to find the others.

Salvage Mission

Cousin Moira said that mooching off my pathetic income was insufficient to maintain her in the lifestyle which she had become accustomed. Thus she made a deal with a salvage broker from Aphrodite named Mercedes something or other.

An Alliance astronomer found a derelict ship on a slow drift from Blue Sun over 13 years ago. The Corporation which owned the ship had already written the ship off and it was legal to salvage. The astronomer said the information was not on the official list yet, so if we moved fast, we could get the juicy stuff before rude people might make us fight for it.



It took a while, but I was able to find environmental gear that fit Moira, it made her look like Darth Moira, but she can buy something fancy when she has her own money.



The air was fetid and rank. Toxic fumes rose from many broken pipes. We were able to find a control room that evacuated some of the worst of it. But our access to the ship would be limited until we came back in full Vacc Suits.



The salvage broker, Mercedes was able to find the main control room. We separated from her after she helped us unlock the controls. She said she would meet up with us again back on Aphrodite.







It did not take long to find out that this was not the kind of salvage mission I was expecting. We found a sealed corridor with living biological matter. Moira took a sample to check out later, but she recognized it as Blastomere Incubation Units (BIU). BIUs are used to grow embryonic material used to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs.

It also meant that someone had been here in the last month or so and were using this for their own purposes.



Searching on our own, we found more of the medical facilities where the blastomeres were impregnated into the Blastomere Incubation Units (BIU). There were also a large number of Cryogenic Statis Units (SCUs).



Then we found the bodies.