Second and a Half Session

Folks have just regathered on the Magnum Opus.

Phaedra says, "You will not believe how boring those Wotan folks are. I've just spent the last day and a year 'socializing' my ass off, at least my CEO training taught me the fine art of the cocktail party positioning and I was able to keep them from locking me away in a 'safe' room. Thank you all so much for getting me out of there!"

She gives hugs all around...well, how do you hug a raven...maybe a pat on the head?

"All I know is that there's something going on here. A Galliardian, Wotan, comms warship. Pirates that are straight out of central casting, and good at their job. Those Wotan folks really kept me occupied, they wanted me off of the game board for some reason. Do you guys have any idea what the New Buffalo is going on?"

"We might know a bit," Shine says, "since while you were occupied, I sort of destabilized the situation. The station manager is a gullible fool, so when he acquired some valuable artifacts, his plan for getting the best price for them was to invite several Galliardans in to bid on it, using a credit auction to sweeten the pot. He figured, I think, that as long as he invited several different bidders in, that they'd be in competition and could keep one another in check.

"I'm guessing, he didn't really know much about Galliard, as all his bidders happened to be from the Wotan family. They proceeded to all but take over the station, making one or more raids on suspected pirate bases as, I'd guess, an opportunity strike, and scare away any other bidders so they could get his artifacts for the minimum price.

"Unfortunately, when I got him to realize he was being fooled, he didn't wait long before he jumped from the asteroid into the void -- by declaring that the auction was now cancelled and the items available only for private sale. As a result, he's been captured by your Wotan friends and placed, under the guise of being in the hospital, along with their pirate prisoners in their makeshift jail, while the auction plans run according to course.

"Fortunately, his seconds are at least a little less stupid, and have invited us to steal the artifacts under their guards noses. I'm not really sure what their plan is, unless they just want the Galliardans distracted or off their station."

Phaedra asks for a pause to freshen up further. After she gets out of the shower, put on her super plush oversized maroon robe, she says, while drying off her hair, "Ok, I feel better now."

"So, we've been sent to acquire an artifact by a Green Sun intelligence operative. This artifact had been in the possession of a Akea Magnum, a Green Sun Citizen, archaeologist, uplifted parrot. He was captured, and is now a slave on Galliad, while his ship was returned to Green Sun, and then put in our possession, and the Artifact given to Hrulthgar, a Hammerhead pirate, to auction off.

"We've arrived here, in Akea's ship, only to find a large Galliard, military, presence here, all looking to participate in the auction, which also included 2 other Artifacts.

"I was immediately recognized, and 'invited' for drinks with the uptight, overly starched Wotan Smoetans of the electronic warfare ship Supremacy (I will admit, they do great things with hors d'eouvres, dammit).

"While there, someone sneaks me a message that I'm in danger. I don't know who, but it came on a tasty salmon canape. Mmmm.

"Hrulthgar tried and cancel the auction after you guys explained things to him, real simple, my Wootie friends 'arrested' him, and re-instituted it, I guess they took the artifacts? I did some bidding, but then someone cut me off from making any more bids, or even knowing the outcome.

"The captain of the Supremacy, Andre Syracuse Wotan, is a pain in the ass. He knew all the social maneuvering that would keep me trapped in that endless cocktail party long after I was full of hor f'eouvres, champagne, and my feet hurt from standing around in those heels. And he wasn't shy at using his large, broad shouldered goons to constantly block the exits, and even sicked his relative Colimba Chastity Masr Wotan on me, too. Though I did manage to convince them all from actually locking me up, as if! And you guys finally got me out there there!

She runs around the room again, giving out hugs.

"So, it feels like we don't really know what's going on here. Motivations for all sides seem hidden, and confusiong. Why did Five Cat send us here, and where were the circumstances of Akea's mission and capture? Why are the Wotans here in such force, and still seem to be going on with the auction when they could easily just take the items and toss the pirates into space? It feels like there is a 3rd, unknown operator here, someone other than Hrulthgar.

"What do you all think?

"What's going on isn't that complicated," says Linus. "Yet. Hrulthgar has been cheated for years by his own people because he's an idiot. The Wotans are financing him, which is the only reason he's still in business. They let him do this auction because they knew they'd get what they want, at least until you -- until we showed up.

"As soon as it looked like they wouldn't get what they want, they arrested him as a 'pirate' and stuck him in with the other pirates who are going to be shipped out for execution. Excuse me, the other 'pirates'. Oh, I'm sure some of them may even be pirates. I'm not clear on whether this is being done because Hrulthgar wanted to impress the Galliards or because Wotan wants it done.

"But where things -will- get complicated -- well, -when- things will get complicated is the meteor shower. This is when Hrulthgar's people, who may be cheating him, but who don't want a Galliard take over, will be rescuing him, when the supposed pirates will get rescued, and when the auction takes place. Oh, and during this time, we can't really get away without risking destroying the ship in the meteor shower.

"So, Hrulthgar's people agree it would be utterly terrible if the items on auction were to vanish, and they've told Shine some details that they're really glad haven't fallen into the wrong hands. And they put a bomb on our ship to disable the engines, so I think they're hoping we'll steal the stuff so they can steal it back.

"You think Hrulthgar's people put the bomb there?" Shine asks, surprised, "I mean...huh. Maybe, but I thought they were helping us."

Phaedra says, "Hm, that's right, Shine. I wonder, is it a timer? Or triggered by a signal? I might be able to track the signal back to it's control unit and we could figure out who's planning on triggering it?"

Linus says, "The bomb's still in place, but the bombium has been removed. I've got it, but of course, none of us know how best to use it.

"But it's important the supposed pirates get away, as Othis is going to be very distracted and stressed while his mother is in danger, and I think it's best for all of us if he isn't distracted, don't you?"

Phaedra interrupts and says, "Oh my god Othis! Your mother? Othis, we will get your mom out of there!"

"Ah, my dear," says Linus, "her family may have that covered. I don't want us to blow their well-thought out escape plan with our spur of the moment impulsive goodwill. Othis, if there's something specific we should be doing, let us know, but otherwise -- I'm afraid we might get in the way of the rescue."

Phaedra says, "this pirate thing is complicated. How can we just sit by?! At least we can time our attempt on the artifact at the same time? Add more confusion, make othis' mom's rescue more likely?"

Shine says, "I think we're going to have to. We don't have enough info to plan to get involved in the rescue, although if we have a chance to particpate, it will probably be worth it. But we're asking Jenna for a distraction, which is going to be very convenient for all of the breakout plans, whether they're connected or not. At least we can probably get out early enough to dodge most of the asteroid storm."

Othis says, "Yeah. There’s some kind of breakout planned, though. She’s got a gun in there. Dad and the rest of the family have all gone quiet, like they would just before some kind of big action. The asteroid swarm would provide perfect cover for an approach.”

Linus continues, "Oh, and I have no idea what's going on on New Buffalo or if Wotan has any particular reason for wanting the pretty shiny things other than that they're pretty, shiny, and can be resold for more than Wotan's planning to pay for it.

"And I don't know if we're better off grabbing the goods before the auction and trying to run for it -- not much time for that -- or during the auction when everyone is trying to pull off their own convoluted scheme."