Remembrances, Plans and Deceit

 Remembrances, Plans and Deceit.

 Present:

• Buzz "Cut". Solomani Soldier from Seven – Shane

• 

  Dr Knodel

  Dr Detlef Knodel. Sword-Worlder Scientist from Seven – Darryl
• MARMALADING Stella Cauthon. Solomani Rogue from Seven - Richard
• Anton Tositova. Solomani Gunner from Entrope - Ian
• Sang "Spanner" Hoang. Sword-Worlder Mechanic from Winston – Jeff
• MARMALADING Hoff Ende. Sword-Worlder Scientist from Winston - Kevin
• Heidi Vasovagal. Solomani Scientist from Seven - Steven
• Itzy Ende. Sword-Worlder Soldier from Winston - Chris
• Jon "Crash" Straker. Solomani Pilot from Seven – Jamie

by Darryl

An extract from the personal Diary of Dr Knodel Senior Medical Researcher of the Cauthon Institute.

This new assignment that I have been tasked with has been quite strange and very different from those of my past ten years. My companions are extremely different from the highly qualified fellows that I have had the privilege to have worked with in the past, and the overall intellectual rigour and planning for outcome differs greatly from what I have been accustomed to. These people have had very different

backgrounds and experiences from what I have been used to. Overall as I am getting more used to the extreme chaos, I am finding the work of great interest and believe that my work is adding great value to the institute.

Hanza Crawford

This week we found ourselves visiting the Cauthon Institute in the city of Kingston in planet Entropy in the system of the same name, where we met the fine fellow of Hanza Crawford, the director of the local Institute. This is a very fine facility with excellent equipment and a place I could enjoy working in for some time. Our spokesperson for the group, Stella Cauthon, was suffering from the universal marmalade malady (One day I hope to begin deep research on this short term debilitating effect), and so Crash our rather incompetent pilot, stepped up as our leader. Despite his rather loose attitude and casual way of flying large and small craft, he was able to behave very effectively in this role. He was able to get us all excellent accommodations within the facility for our stay. Crash also dealt well with the Imperium representative Commodore Rothman and after our crew member Itzy explained his relationships with senior government representatives within the system of Winston, it was agreed that we should make haste to this place and to set up yet another branch of the Cauthon Institute. This work, though taking me away from my research interests, is very valuable for the Institute and the spread of scientific knowledge that I am finding very exciting. 

Hanza also pointed out that there was an Ancients site in the system Colada.

Jon "Crash" Straker

Activity over the next two days revolved around this new plan, supplies, ship preparation etc. Our chief engineer, Spanner disappeared for some hours, returning with a modest smile having obviously procured important ship equipment or maybe something for a personal project. Our operational staff were tasked with recruiting a temporary navigator due to the lack of navigational skills within the group caused by the marmalade malady. Itzy sent urgent communications to her people on Winston and  arranged for appropriate  respectful containers for the remains of those members of the group who had died tragically prior to my recruitment. Our Chief of Ship Defence, Anton, did something important with big guns on the ship, but I was of course not interested so do not know or care what this was. [Changed a projectile gun to a sand-caster - useful defence to lasers.]

Leon Baccarat, 
navigator supreme

The team tasked with recruiting a new navigator made a terrible mistake, they found a horrible man called Leon Baccarat who is most distasteful. Crash, our semi-competent pilot, returns just prior to us shipping out dressed in flying overalls, leather jacket and shining mirror sunglasses. This has not increased my confidence in his abilities, but seems to improve his.

The week trip to Winston was uneventful except for the disgusting behaviour of our hired navigator and his advances to the female members of the team. His lolling tongue roaming eyes and sweaty hands meant I was forced to use certain medical applications to calm his appetites and behaviour, something I  generally try to avoid.

I was lucky enough to be on the bridge at the time when we arrived in Winston from jump-space and was rather surprised by the reactions of the crew who had been here before. They were very surprised to see a large number of Zhodani military ships. Everything from four large cruisers down to twenty-five destroyers as well as a field of wreckage of the Imperium variety. The communications with the planet seemed quite tense and unfriendly and it was not until the authorities understood we were here to visit the Ende family and that the family were of great importance that we were allowed to dock. After docking we were once again told to stand ready and to be inspected. I have no love for the Zhodani and was rather worried about what was to happen next, however once the airlock was opened I was a little relieved. A young woman in a school uniform with two Zhodani guards awaited us. I found out later that this was the mother of Itzy and Hoff Ende and she was a great fan of cosmetic surgery. She was very pleased to see Itzy, received the remains of Belle with due respect and showed excellent manners as the new members of the group were introduced to her, Contessa Ende. She then invited us all (except that horrid navigator) to her residence where good food drink and news catch-up was undertaken. 

The party was informed that Winston is now part of the Zhodani empire in all but formal naming. The Zhodani have complete control of the system but play little part of the day to day activity on the planet Winston, and are not seen a great deal on the streets Ravens End. The Montrose  family are no more and Contessa Ende is now the governess of the planet. 

We retire to a very comfortable lounge where the Contessa tells us it is safe to talk openly, though our chief engineer Spanner still does a detailed check for listening and other devices of spying. Most of us sit quietly whilst some who shall remain nameless partake of the disgusting interaction with Zhodani, and Itzy and his mother talk openly. Most of the talk is of no interest to me, being about things in the past, family members, other familial activity. However, Contessa does ask Itzy about myself and the other new members of the group from the Cauthon Institute seeming to want to be sure of our integrity and our true allegiances making sure that she is satisfied that we are allied to the Cauthon Institute and not the Imperium.

The next morning I return for breakfast over-hearing giggles from some of the group about what happened last night between Contessa Ende and Crash, and that if Crash had just been a little more good-looking ... I took no interest in this childish activity. 

After breakfasting Contessa took us for a tour of the city and potential sites for the construction of a new Cauthon facility. I took great interest in this and was very pleased to see the enthusiasm that Contessa saw in this project. She was, however, adamant that the activity that the new institute is to undertake should in no way have a connection to the Imperium and no persons from the Imperium establishment should be employed. Crash was unable to do the consent paperwork involved with establishing leases, agreements and the like and I was forced to intervene, to remove all crayon from official documentation and re-submit appropriate formal establishment for a new Cauthon Institute.

Natasha Veriskya,
Zhodani navigator

The group was very happy with the outcome and we were ready for our next task. It was decided that the planetary system of Hrunting would be the next of interest for us and our task of opening many more new branches of the institute. However, we were then given news that our disgusting navigator had not followed orders and had not stayed on board our ship, instead finding his way to the planet surface and in no short time finding himself arrested, tried and shot. A most odious human and for one of which I have no sympathy. However this meant we were not able to leave until another navigator could be found. Contessa once again was of great value to us finding us a new one in short order. However this person was a Zhodani and myself and some others protested at this, but to no avail, no other navigator could be found and we were forced to take her on. Her name is Natasha Veriskya, and though I have great distaste for this form of sentient being. I have found that unlike most of her kind she does not seem to force herself upon one. I think the new spray deodorant that I was supplied is also aiding in this, I will need to analyze this and begin making in my laboratory.

Because of this new crew member, we decided to take a detour back to Entropy before heading to Hrunting, so as to be able to then replace this temporary Zhodani with a navigator we can feel more comfortable with. This proves to be futile as on our return to Entropy we are unable to find a replacement navigator, and as such, we will be stuck with Natasha for the for seeable future. However some very important intelligence was garnered by this otherwise futile detour. Crash was able to find out, whilst looking for the new navigator, that our esteemed colleague Stella Cauthon was not who she is purporting to be. I was dumbstruck. I met her only a few months ago, and was introduced to her by my director at the time, as a minor but important member of the Cauthon family itself. Now I find out that she is nothing more than a con artist and flagrant liar. Crash informs us that she is nothing more than a wealthy play-girl who has changed her name and is flying around the galaxy having fun. I am appalled and must in due course confront her on this. I have been duped and my honour and trust deeply disturbed. This will have to wait for the marmalade malady to abate of course.

Finally, for this entry in my diary I can say we traveled safely to Hrunting, an Imperium system with a gas giant. Being an Imperium system the authorities were not pleased with our navigator and after taking her away questioning her, and us, as to her background, she was returned to our ship wearing a red collar that I am informed can be very dangerous to her health if she misbehaves. She is not happy about this, but I think she expects this sort of treatment whilst in Imperium space and she is getting paid. I think she will remain on the ship and not wander off like our last navigator. Not having access to the funds of Stella, we travel to the surface and stay in a rather cheap and basic hotel. I so wish my new friend Stella had not used such trickery to hide her real self from us all, I lament the loss of trust in her and the nice big bank account she has. Crash was able to make contact with the Imperium bureaucracy and he believes we need to discuss our proposal of a Cauthon facility with the High Minister of the planet Hunting. He has done a good job arranging initial meetings with lower level functionaries who have shown favour to our proposal and have put in place meetings for the days ahead with the genuine decision-makers of the planet. Things are looking very positive for yet another success story in our plan to spread the ideals and functions of the Cauthon Institute.