Third Session
Back and alone again on the Magnum Opus, the crew quickly reviewed their options. Othis and Phaedras' instrument readings showed small and large asteroids approaching on multiple vectors, at multiple speeds, towards the planetoid. The odds of such groupings coming in such a fashion were astronomically against. (Othis: "the odds against are practically financial in size.") They had about an hour before impacts.
Checking their data, the crew realized the artifacts were near the equatorial, dock-access and main road belt of the planetoid. It might be simplest to approach from the outside, as the planetoid's walls were intentionally narrowed along that band to allow for easier access to the interior by docking vessels. Othis and Phaedra (who once played the part of a zero-G engineer in a remote work) would be there in person; Shine would be there remotely. (Phaedra: "Wait... There's a remote, robot Shine?")
Linus watched the preparations from this ship, and was the first to notice the planetoid's interior light up, then darken - the "sun" had been overloaded intentionally, creating an EMP wave that knocked out most unshielded electronics in the interior. The outside crew noticed other outside folks, performing "maintenance." They did, however, reach their point safely, and Othis expertly removed asteroid chunks to form a sealed pocket from which they could mine directly to the artifact site on the inside.
Two pirates began trying to break into the Magnum Opus from the outside. Linus considered threatening them, but instead attempted to charm them first, instead. "Gentle folks," Linus said, "I'm afraid this ship is under the protection of the Balpiene clan? I believe one of their number is in the prison inside?" Somewhat surprisingly, the Hammerhead spacewalkers were impressed by this, and moved on.
Phaedra and Othis noticed four Galliard guards in the interior. Intending to create a distraction, Phaedra undid the plug to the outside, throwing one of the (unsuited) guards outside, to his doom. The other guards grabbed at things in the hopes of not being similarly drawn. Suited, Phaedra grabbed the big diamond while Othis grabbed the other two artifacts. Outside again, they saw the nearby Galliard ships appeared to have explosions in their engine regions, as if bombs had been set there intentionally.
Turning off and turning over the remote Shine to Phaedra's care, Shine began plotting a course to pickup their outside folks. Shine realized that the EMP had knocked out the automatic unlock; the ship was stuck to the planetoid. With instruction given by remote contact with a surprisingly calm Othis, and the energy given by impeding death, Shine managed to manually wrangle the ship away.
Linus, monitoring everything, if not understanding much, noticed the spike in communications traffic which arrived just before the several messy impacts. The next few minutes were spent - by all - on not dying, which was successfully managed for the time being. Unfortunately, whether from overstrain or some other effect, Othis's bionic arm acted up and he lost hold of the Founder's Skull.
Pickup was managed, with even some grace, as Phaedra and Othis managed to make it back on in the midst of extremely dense traffic.
Linus received a communication in the clear. "This is Aggie," a voice said, "You are being watched." Linus said, "Yes. I know."
Another comm showed a damaged escape pod beeping its automated distress call. Shine, seeing someone in need of help, picked up the pod. Inside the Galliard pod (from the Supremacy, no less), was an unconcious - if alive, Hrothgar: discharged firearm in hand. And a dead, shot dead, Colimba Chastity Masr Wotan.
As they made their escape from the immediate area, folks on the now quite crowded ship observed most of the Galliard ships (10 of the 12?) had been captured by the Hammerhead folks. The Supremacy was intact, albeit with some sort of airlock issue. They fired upon the weak points of the planetoid, destroying it... and likely ending the lives of several which may have otherwise survived.
