Arrived Persephone-Lunion 238-1105 Imperial August 26, 5628 Earth date.
Persephone (SM 2228) (world)
| Persephone/Lunion (Spinward Marches 2228) | |
| System Details | |
| Primary | M2 V |
| Planetoid Belts | 2 |
| Gas Giants | 2 |
Persephone (SM 2228) is a pre-agricultural, pre-Industrial, moderate population world with over a hundred million, but not yet at a billion sophonts in population size.
- It requires significant imports of outside technology to maintain a modern, star-faring society.
- Its economy and population are growing and living conditions are expected to slowly improve barring outside forces.
- It is a member of the Third Imperium in the Lunion Subsector of Spinward Marches Sector in the Domain of Deneb.
- This world has a nearby Imperial Way Station.
Persephone contains an Xboat Way Station. The planet has a standard oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere tainted by airborne micro-organisms and a chilly climate.
The system forms an important and heavily traveled link between Lunion and Glisten subsectors. The Scout way station uses 'Jayhon, the outer gas giant, as its main fuel source and supplies much of the fuel required for the port as well.
History & Background (Dossier)[edit]
A moderately populous and prosperous Imperial world located in the Lunion Subsector of the Spinward Marches.
Persephone is ruled by an oligarchic Council of Merchants that has made itself hereditary. The main world’s starport is large and its associated markets often contain many rare commodities
The Vanday hard docks a the station and Hamilton and the rest of the crew is granted four hours leave on the station. This is the opportunity to buy personal items and what not.
Hamilton, your current funds are 7,600 cr. (5,700 cr + 2 months at 1200 per month - hospital deductible 500)
You get the current "newspaper" article about new L-Hyd drop tanks to extend range of smaller ships.
Another article about an explosion at an L-Hyd drop tank production facility. No link to the terrorist group Ine Givar was found.
You do some shopping and find a bracelett that acts as a touch screen. https://vimeo.com/155677569
And you got the extended two year warranty for 25 cr total. Relatively easy to integrate into the ship's comm system.
Next stop is Marastan. For this trip, you’ll be part of a military convoy. The jump drive will be linked to a “wifi” system with the navy ships so you will all jump at the same time and, in theory, exit jump all at the same time. The chief will be overseeing this but he wants you with him so you can see what is going on.
The Chief says, “What you have to do is coordinate through the communications system. We will receive the data from the flagship. And when they transmit the jump signal, our ship will automatically jump with the rest of the fleet. We’ve only done it a couple of times with this ship. It’s a handy thing to know how to do. Switch main input to Slave. Nav Coordinates to come input. Now all you have left to do is make sure the ship is ready for jump as normal. They will do a jump countdown and there will be a second or two delay as there is some time dilation depending on how far away we are from the flagship. Cool thing, we are now tied to their “wifi” system. So we can access their entertainment and such until we jump. So, download now while you can. “
“OK so, checklist time. “
You hear the captain go through the list and at some point you hear the chief pipe in with the appropriate responses.”
“Fuel status, check. “
“Attitude thrusters check, power plant, check, batteries, check, Hydraulic systems, check, life support, check, pressure test, green, ship is sealed.”
“Release from dock.”
The ship leaves dock and proceeds to the jump point to meet up with the rest of the “fleet”
The chief explains, “This is an exercise as far as the navy is concerned. In times of war, this would be common practice.”
There are a number of ships participating. The flagship, coordinating everything is the Battleship George Hammond. Plus, two Gionetti class light cruisers, 4 Fer de lance class destroyer escorts, 4 Valor class Missile corvettes, 2 Gazelle class escorts, one fuel ship, 8 other merchant ships: Pasang, Warta Kota, Merah, Karya, Hotgame, Louis Geatane, Galanie, and Kedri.
As you head for the jump point, the captain calls for a meeting of all hands.
“Our little fleet has had a last minute addition. The IISS Cruiser Eagle Knight. We’ve been contacted by them and by the George Hammond. They would like to conduct an exercise aboard our ship while in jump. Hey, there’s not much else to do. The scouts have an S3 team that will act as defenders, and the George Hammond has a team of marines that will act as a rescue team. The scenario is, pirates have taken the ship, the marines are to clear them out. Members of our crew will act as hostages or defenders. Naturally, we have stuff to do so I need all your input. But, this could be valuable training if anything should ever happen on this, or any other future ship you serve on. All Weapons will of course be non lethal. Stun harnesses if I recall. (did you ever see heartbreak ridge? they used a system called MILES gear that beeps when you get “shot” this will be something like that) Even you crew member will be wearing stun harnesses. What say you all?”
S3 Special Security Service. A sub branch of the Scout Security office. They specialize in infiltration and rescue of Imperial Interstellar Scout Service and other personal on potentially hostile environments. They pride themselves in not firing a shot while the marines just blow shit up.
So, what is your vote?
Prior to this, Anja Van Noort comes to see you. She says, “Hey there Hamster. I hear you are looking for pilot someday. Tell you what, come see me when you are off duty and I’ll run a simulator for you. We always need pilots. You are a pretty decent guy. I have my limited masters license and I take the unlimited mates license exam next month. So, that will make me a first officer. So, I will either stay here or be promoted to first mate and Mr. Creek will either transfer to another ship or, in as much as he is taking the unlimited masters exam, he will get his own ship and transfer off. Or we both will and people will move up and or new officers will come aboard. I think Mr. Evil is taking the
2nd officer’s exam. Either way, on the smaller ships, you have to know how to do just about everything. Even the chief engineer is a bridge watch stander. I know Chief Cruz knows how to pilot. And he can stand a bridge watch. But, I don’t think he is rated for a ship this big and has to call someone to the bridge to take over if there is actual maneuvering involved. I know he can pilot a smaller ship and he has a limited pilot’s license. But I think he only has a limited mates license. So, are you interested? “
“Aye! Let DO this!”
“Yes Thank you! That would Really help!”
The crew seems pretty good about the exercise. Oh, did I mention a 500credit bonus for it?
So, the scouts arrive first and set up. Four of them are in engineering with you. They set you up with a stun suit. Though yours, will just record you as a casualty and won’t interfere with your duties. The ones the participants wear, will stun them (like the training exercise in Starship Troopers) The scouts are rather friendly and rather chatty. They are in some sort of military vacsuit. Most vid shows portray them as undisciplined. The stereotype is blue jeans and a windbreaker with a scout insignia safety pinned on. There is no doubt these guys know what they are doing.
When you come off duty you run into the marines getting their stuff together. They have no sense of humor…
Most of them are in battledress. Which makes you wonder how they are going to get through certain areas of the ship…
The big difference, the marines are ship based assault troops. They take an objective and move on. Emphasis on teamwork. That is not to say that they can't be stealthy when need be. They are excellent infiltrators. But their mission is seek and destroy.
The scouts, they do EVERYTHING. One of the guys you talk to says he spent a year as an express boat pilot. “A whole lot of reading. I learned to be an accountant while I was in space. As well as basket weaving. Gotta do something in jump. Know what I mean?”
They can work in teams but have the ability to work alone behind the lines. The 3S prides itself on not having to fire a shot and still get stuff done.
Meanwhile, after the jump, the scouts get to work. They go to the air ducts and put things in them. They all seem nonchalant about things.
“So, Hamilton is it? You’re relatively new to the spaceship business eh? What do you think?”
“Hey boss, the jar heads haven’t moved yet. They are still getting themselves together.”
“Don’t lose any of the bugs. We’ll need them all back later.”
“I like it. I want to pilot so maybe I can have my own ship one day. It’s all very Exciting!”
“Well that is a pretty cool thing indeed! It’s actually a mix of excitement and extreme boredom. Josh there, was an XBoat pilot. Not a whole lot to do but you have time to learn things. Dude, don’t you take the CPA exam soon?”
“Yes, next month.”
“Oh, it looks like the jar heads are ready to play. Finally.”
long story short. The Scouts win. Two hold the engineering section while the others go out to meet them. The marines are eliminated but the scouts suffer one “casualty”
The next day, its the marines turn to hold the ship while the scouts act as pirates.
In contrast, the marines are much more serious. It ends in a bit of a draw. Technically, the marines held off the “pirates” but took way more casualties. In your position as, you have actual work to do. At one point, your computer gives you a message, “ Hi, If this were real, everything would go offline. But, since this is just an exercise, just tell the jar heads a simulated computer meltdown has occurred. hahahhaha!”
One terminal shows what the simulation is. The other terminal is working normally. (can’t endanger the normal functions of the ship, eh?)
When you mention it to them. One of them says,”Drakh! We need to take the computer core too now. “
The computer core access room is on level six aft of the bridge. Hamilton knows where it is but has never been there. No real need.
The Marines get ambushed when they try to take the computer room. They succed but only end up with one survivor. There is also a lot of simulated damage to the ship.
The rest of the trip is uneventful.
