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--- game_systems:traveller:insearchoftheancients:adventure_journal [2025/03/22 10:06] – [Pagaton] Bryan Stephens
+++ game_systems:traveller:insearchoftheancients:adventure_journal [2025/09/04 10:01] (current) – [The Plan] Bryan Stephens
@@ Line 1499: / Line 1499: @@
 ===== 13 Mercedes =====
+|Game Date|03/20/24|
+|Campaign Dates| 295-1100 to 296-1100|
+==== Pagaton ====
+{{:game_systems:game_systems:traveller:worlds:pagaton.png?600|}}
+|UWP: C769873–4|||
+|Starport |C |Routine|
+|Size |7 |11,200km|
+|Atmosphere |6 |Standard|
+|Hydrosphere |9 |90%|
+|Population |8 |Hundreds of thousands|
+|Government Type |7 |Balkanisation|
+|Law Level |3|Machine guns, automatic rifles prohibited|
+|Technology Level |4 |Industrial|
+[[game_systems:game_systems:traveller:worlds:Pagaton|Pagaton’s]] Class C starport consists of a mooring beacon for larger ships and a tiny highport created out of old freighter fuel tanks linked by gantries. This rickety-looking contraption is kept in a stable orbit by an equally cobbled-together collection of old starship manoeuvre drive components. The setup works well enough and is only needed for the occasional orbital adjustment. All the same, starfarers used to more salubrious installations sometimes ponder the wisdom of going aboard. A couple of shuttles provide a service to the downport, where most of the facilities are located.
+The //Wandering Providence// is hailed by a voice of a young man sounding like he is about to grow some chest hair any day now. He suggests that the ship, since it can land, use the downport. David acknowledges and directs Anson to take them down.
+The downport is a small town located on an island in the Giplenn group. Four hundred years ago this was a fertile and attractive island chain with extensive wildlife and room for arable crops. Today it is bitterly cold, battered by frequent storms and subject to long, harsh winters. The local staple diet has changed from cereals and farmed meat to cold-water fish and various vegetables, and most of the former arable land is now cold grassland or being reclaimed by taiga forest.
+{{:game_systems:game_systems:traveller:insearchoftheancients:npcs:vance.jpg?300 |}}
+The downport can handle several ships at once, a capacity it has never really needed. One side of the landing area has a passenger and light freight terminal whilst the other backs onto a maritime port frequented by local shipping. Ice is becoming a problem, to the point where the port staff have repurposed two steam-powered tugs as icebreakers. As When they descend. they encounter strong gust of wind, with snow blowing almost horizontally across the landing area. They can see that one of the tugs is stuck in the ice and a party is preparing to launch a boat with charges to break up the coverage. Maritime ships prowl off the island’s coast and Lucas witnesses one ship apparently try to ram another. This causes the intended victim to go hard astern, allowing the more aggressive captain to move to the front of the queue waiting to land. Clearance to land is provided in a perfunctory manor at the port, and despite the wind, the high tech ship has difficulty in making a landing. Ground service personnel are sluggish and clumsy in their heavy overcoats, using a tractor with an actual internal combustion engine to carry the refueling supplies out. A man not part of the ground maintenance crew walks up. He offers them to come to his office to get checked in. He says his name is [[game_systems:game_systems:traveller:insearchoftheancients:npcs:Rusty|Vance Calloway]], but he goes by “Rusty”. Rusty is direct and to the point and asks them their business. He is not surprised when told they are hear to see someone.
+//”I don’t want to tell any of ya’ your business, but this planet is a powderkeg. The Vellari and the the Drekhar were shooting at each other just six weeks ago. If you take that ship flying across the planet, I don’t know what might happen. Tech Level 4 is what this place mostly is, but that does not mean there is not a pulse laser or even a nuke here and there.”//
+After Rusty gets them checked in on the aging computer, he tells them that Respis is a village about 50 klicks inland on this island. There is not a road but there is a train //”Roads just don’t work much in this place these days.”//. [[game_systems:game_systems:traveller:worlds:Respis|Respis]] is a typical small town on Pagaton. He promises to get their ship fueled up and sends them on their way.
+The group opts to take the air/raft to the town. Richmond says he will stay behind. The constant revelations seem to be weighing heavily upon him. They load up some weapons. Maria packs her full combat suit in addition. They fly out the distance to Respis, moving far faster than is normal for an aircraft on this world.
+==== Respis ====
+{{ :game_systems:traveller:npcs:mercades.jpg?400|}}
+They land and head for the local general store/bar. All eyes turn on the vacc suit wearing strangers shaking off the snow. After some initial uneasy questions, they order drinks and converse with the locals. Only “Dreya” would be interested in seeing offworlders. After a pleasant few minutes, the group leaves to go to the old structure that is “Dreya’s” home. The maintenance structure looks the same as it always did but it has been heavily modified with materials quietly brought in by Mercedes over the years. The floor and walls are reinforced with military-grade ceramic/metal alloy plate; lightweight but extremely tough. This was mainly for strength and insulation but it has had the side effect of making the upper part of the structure more or less bulletproof. It is clear this is no long a fully native structure.
+They use the comm and announce who they are. It would seem that Mercedes has heard of Dr. Vin der Volk and has a robot “Rupert” escort them to her lounge. The conversation goes well. Maria verifies her truthfulness. It is clear that Mercedes does not consider most Ancient hunters worth much. Like the crew of the //Providence// she is sure that Vlen is up to something. She is saddened to hear of the death of her friend, Bernadatta. They talk about her theories on the Ancients. What becomes clear is that she and Lucas agree that the Ancients were terrible in their treatment of other sophonts and that there are Ancients alive today. She does not trust Omicron or the Imperium, but feels they are the best there is. Now she knows Omicron knows this location, she needs to leave.
+Mercedes tells the group about Twilight’s Peak. The story is real, although it contains one or two blatant lies. She and her companions found a functional Ancients base and entered. They observed wonders and they retrieved a few artefacts. They always intended to return when the time was right but never did as she was worried that a second visit might lead Omicron Division to it. Her companions are long dead. One of them turns out to have been Professor A. Now and Mercedes has come to the conclusion it is time to go to Twilight’s Peak. She is close, she thinks, to discerning the pattern of what is happening regarding the Ancients. She shares this data with the crew, and it looks quite good to Lucas. Even Calcification is on the map. Mercedes is sure just little more data will help her unravel the mystery of where are the Ancients and when will they return? As she sees it, the risk of Omicron Division getting control of the Ancients base is inconsequential compared to what will happen if the Ancients regain control of it. Lucas agrees. So, her plan is to go there with the crew and investigate. If the Ancients return they will find their fortress held against them or find it destroyed.
+=== The Plan ===
+Lucas an David invites her to come with them to Twilight’s Peak. Mercedes declines, saying she has to work on setting things up for her next cover, even though she is fascinated by the revelation that the //Providence// has a mind of an ancient human. However, she has to make sure her next cover is intact. They should go to Twilight’s Peak, gain entry and…//”Do the right thing. I will join you as soon as I can and we will explore the wonders of an active Ancients base together.”//
+She notes her personal train is run on a fusion plant, and while she is leaving that behind, she is taking Rupert. Lucas asks if they can turn that over to the locals and Mercedes agrees. They depart, friendly if not yet friends. For once, Lucas as found someone with the same understanding… and urgency… as he has had since Dawnworld.
+While Mercedes packs and prepares to leave, the heroes return to the downport. It is now late into the night, or early in the morning, take your pick. Lucas rouses Rusty, who is unhappy about it. He grows less groggy when Lucas both tells him about the train, and that he can expect Imperial agents showing up at some point looking for their “friend” who is leaving. Rusty grabs the phone can rouses more unhappy men to immediately head up the line, help Mercedes move and get that train back to them. It is here that Rusty gets more support. Richmond is staying behind.
+//"I appreciate getting picked up. I was in a fix. You guys are into some really heavy things. I, uh, really wanted to retire. Being a farmer was not for me. However, I can sail, and I know how to fight. I've already talked with Rusty and I have a job lined up. I've got my things already off the ship. Good luck. And thank you."//
+Richmond shakes hands and heads into the shelter of the base.
+The storm still blowing, the //Wandering Providence// heads into space. Anson Notes they paid in fabricated parts. It is not until after they jump she reveals that Rusty talked her into parting with a rack of missile reloads.
+==== Epilogue ====
+//A ship emerged close from jumpspace near Pagaton. Two launches loaded with Delvin’s Combateers head towards the planet. little. Omicron hired a group of mercenaries to do the dirty work and sent them to Pagaton. They have been ordered to pick up a Potential Threat/Asset named “Dreya Elinnier” using whatever means may be necessary and to consider bystanders expendable. This is a standard order whenever Omicron Division feels it needs to use force but the actions taken are usually kept within sensible limits. Omicron Division is well aware that causing mayhem has long-term consequences and much prefers a clean ‘pinch’ or to get someone to cooperate either by coercion or incentives. However, in this case the Division was pushed for time and short of options, so it hired a ‘direct action detachment’ from a mercenary group named Delvin’s Combateers. These personnel are not well disciplined and enjoy chaos so long as they are not in much danger. In short, they are a bunch of trigger happy yahoos serving for thrills as much as money.//
+//The launches both rapidly moved towards Respis, their deadly cargo itching to get into a fight. They ignored the hails from the downport, as just some local with a strange Imperial accent. The Combateers had their marching orders. Both launches closed on Respis, closing to within 1km before they blossomed into balls of fire.//
+//Behind the newly acquired engine was a flatbed with a hodge-podge turret mounted. It looked to have been stripped from a an old scout ship and slimmed down. One of its two barrels drooped lower than the other. A man in a parka, standing in the still air too a long drag on his smoke. Debris rained down in the mountains. He tossed his cigarette into the snow and shook his head.//
+“They always equate low tech with stupid.”
+//The ship in orbit broke away and made for the jump limit. When someone informed Rusty of this he joked,//
+“Guess they weren’t paid enough for this.”

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