S01E16 - Session Log (Season Finale - Part 2)

Summary

With Vesh Loqar's ultimatum hanging in the void between their ships, the crew retreated from the viewscreen to deliberate their fate. Each member brought their own perspective to the decision: Narik's pragmatic distrust of Vesh's promises, Bum's preference for freedom tempered by his love of action, Klix's cynical assessment that walking away would only delay inevitable conflict, and Androni's long-held ambition to rise within Syndicate ranks.

The unanimous conclusion: Option One. Prove their worth through one final job.

Their acceptance brought revelation. The mysterious woman beside Vesh was T'Sar - a name that triggered recognition in both Androni and Bum. The job itself proved as dangerous as expected: Tavik, Vesh's ambitious rival, had been expanding into Syndicate territory. The mission was capture - Vesh wanted him alive for questioning. If capturing alive proved impossible, his security codes would suffice with his termination. Coordinates for Farius Prime, Tavik's headquarters, were transmitted alongside encrypted communication protocols for operational contact.

As Vesh's Klingon Bird of Prey decloaked and swept dramatically past their hull toward the nebula's edge, the crew completed their exploration of their new vessel. Bum claimed the engine room as his domain, already sorting tools and planning modifications. The season concludes with the crew finally united on their own ship, bound for Farius Prime and the most dangerous operation of their criminal careers - one that will determine whether they become valued Syndicate operatives or cautionary tales whispered in cantinas across the quadrant.

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Detailed Log

The Weight of Choice

The viewscreen held Vesh Loqar's patient image as the crew absorbed the magnitude of their decision. Three paths, each carrying profound consequences for their future. Without breaking eye contact with their would-be executioner, Androni signaled for a brief consultation.

The crew's discussion, conducted in low tones away from potential audio surveillance, revealed the complexity of their situation.

Narik approached the problem analytically. In the short term, taking the payment and disappearing offered the most immediate utility - resources gained with minimal additional risk. Yet his fundamental distrust of Vesh informed his ultimate position. Option Two promised freedom, but could Vesh truly be trusted to honor such an agreement? His skepticism suggested the "walk away" path would prove illusory, a delayed execution rather than genuine release.

Bum's perspective was characteristically straightforward. Option Two appealed to his love of independence - no masters, no obligations, just the open stars. But when pressed, he admitted that the specific path mattered less than the outcome. Action and latinum - those were the currencies that truly motivated him. Either option could provide both, given the right circumstances.

Klix's assessment proved the most cynical. Given Vesh's demonstrated willingness to eliminate loose ends, what guarantee existed that Option Two wouldn't simply become Option Three with additional delay? Walking away might buy time, but it wouldn't buy safety. If conflict with Vesh was inevitable, better to face it on terms that offered potential advancement rather than merely survival.

Androni's position surprised no one who knew his ambitions. Rising within the Syndicate had been a long-term objective since their earliest operations. Option One aligned perfectly with that trajectory. Proving their worth to Vesh could transform them from expendable assets to valued operatives - exactly the status he had been working toward.

The consensus emerged naturally: Option One. But prudence demanded clarification before commitment.

Intelligence Gathering

While Androni prepared to address Vesh, the others conducted their own assessments. Narik and Klix turned their attention to the sensor readings, probing the nature of Vesh's hidden vessel.

Their analysis revealed crucial details. The ship was a Klingon Bird of Prey, its cloaking device generating the tachyon emissions they had detected. More significantly, the nearby nebula was interfering with the cloaking field's efficiency - explaining why they had detected the emissions at all. Under normal circumstances, the Bird of Prey would have remained completely invisible.

Klix filed this information away. The nebula's interference created vulnerability - a tactical consideration worth remembering for future encounters.

Meanwhile, Bum monitored their own ship's systems, confirming that everything remained consistent with their initial engineering scan. No remote access, no hidden subroutines activating during the confrontation. Whatever Vesh's intentions, he hadn't compromised their vessel electronically.

Terms of Engagement

Androni returned to the viewscreen, his posture conveying confidence rather than desperation. The negotiation that followed would set the parameters of their new relationship with the Syndicate.

Vesh observed his approach with evident interest. "Quick decision you took."

Androni began with practical matters. "What about the ship?"

The dismissive response carried unexpected relief: "No interest in your rusty hunk of junk. Keep it."

Their vessel was theirs - no strings, no Syndicate claim. One concern resolved.

Pressing his advantage with four successful negotiation checks, Androni pushed for operational details. "The job. We need to understand what we're committing to."

Vesh's expression shifted subtly - respect for the attempt, but firm boundaries. "Something that will change the Syndicate. New directions being set." A pause for emphasis. "If I told you more at this stage, I would have to remove you from the equation entirely."

The implication was clear: the operation's significance demanded compartmentalized information. Trust would be earned through performance, not granted through negotiation.

Behind his console, Klix made a quiet note: Two layers of security are not enough. Their communications and operational security would need to improve significantly for Syndicate-level work.

Narik, meanwhile, transmitted a discrete message through their internal chat system: Perhaps the transaction records from Grell are relevant. Their previous intelligence gathering might prove valuable for the coming operation.

Recognition

As the conversation continued, a moment of clarity struck both Bum and Androni simultaneously. The woman standing beside Vesh - the familiar yet unplaceable presence from the previous transmission - suddenly resolved into recognition.

T'Sar.

The name carried weight, though the specific context of their previous encounter remained frustratingly incomplete. She had been evaluating them, that much was certain. Her earlier comment about recommending "reassessment rather than pursuit" suggested significant influence over Vesh's decisions.

The Mission

Androni pressed forward. "What are the next steps?"

Vesh's response demanded explicit confirmation: "So you take the job?"

A moment's pause. The point of no return. Androni confirmed their commitment.

"Smart choice." Vesh leaned back, his manner shifting from negotiator to briefing officer. "It's about Tavik."

The name landed with impact. Tavik - the rival Syndicate figure whose operations they had been ordered to observe. The same Tavik whose enforcer Grell they had knocked out.

"He is expanding into my territory," Vesh continued, his tone carrying cold displeasure. "His ambitions exceed his respect. I want him... removed."

Bum's expression brightened visibly at the word "removed" - direct action was his preferred operational mode.

"Capture him alive. I have questions."

Bum's enthusiasm dampened while Klix's tension eased. Capture operations were more complex than elimination, but they offered more variables - and more opportunities for creative problem-solving.

"Or if that proves impossible..." Vesh allowed the alternative to hang in the air before completing the thought. "I need his security codes."

The mission parameters were clear: Tavik captured alive as primary objective, security codes if survival is not possible. The stakes couldn't be higher - success meant elevation within the Syndicate hierarchy; failure meant either death or permanent exile from Vesh's considerable sphere of influence.

Operational Details

T'Sar stepped forward to handle the practical arrangements. She transmitted coordinates for Farius Prime - Tavik's headquarters and the operational theater for their mission. Following the coordinates came communication frequencies and encryption codes for maintaining contact during the operation.

"We will be in contact there," T'Sar stated, her tone professionally neutral.

Then, a final comment delivered with subtle emphasis: "I will be watching you."

Whether intended as reassurance or warning, the message was clear. Their performance would be monitored and evaluated. Every decision would contribute to the ongoing assessment of their value to the organization.

Departure

With terms established and mission accepted, the tactical situation shifted. The crew configured one of their surveillance drones to relay system status to their PADDs, maintaining awareness while exploring the remainder of their vessel.

Vesh's Bird of Prey began moving - slowly at first, almost leisurely. Then it stopped, hung motionless for a long moment, and suddenly decloaked entirely. The warship's aggressive lines became fully visible as it accelerated directly toward their position.

Androni's hands moved to piloting controls, executing evasive maneuvers to avoid any possibility of collision - whether accidental or deliberately intimidating. The Bird of Prey swept over their hull with theatrical precision, close enough to feel aggressive but never truly threatening impact.

The Klingon vessel continued toward the nebula's edge, accelerating steadily. At the boundary of the sensor-disrupting gas clouds, contact was lost entirely. Vesh had departed, leaving them alone with their new ship and their new mission.

Claiming Their Ship

With external threats departed, the crew completed their systematic exploration of the remaining compartments. The tactical sweep continued - drone forward, tricorder scanning, visual confirmation - until every space had been catalogued and cleared.

Bum wasted no time establishing his domain. The engine room became his personal workshop as he sorted through available tools with evident satisfaction. His previous toolkit was reorganized into a "grab-and-go" emergency kit, always ready for crisis deployment. A new toolbelt assembled from ship components would serve daily operational needs.

"My area now," he declared, surveying the engineering space with proprietary satisfaction. Future projects already formed in his imagination - modifications, improvements, the transformation of this "rusty hunk of junk" into something worthy of their ambitions.

The Question of Names

As the crew gathered on the bridge, taking their stations on their own vessel for the first time without external crisis demanding attention, Narik offered an unexpected suggestion.

"We should name the ship after Androni's mother."

The proposal prompted immediate laughter from Bum, while Androni's rejection came with an amused shake of his head. Whatever their ship would eventually be called, that particular honor would not be bestowed.

The moment of levity carried significance beyond the joke itself. After everything they had survived - Xunil, Lyseria VII, Kepler Station, the sabotage, Vesh's attempted elimination - they could still laugh together. Still function as a crew. Still face the uncertain future with something approaching optimism.

TODO: include ship name decision: "Phex"

Season's End

The bridge of their unnamed vessel hummed with quiet potential as each crew member settled into their role.

Bum, in the engine room below, happily organized his new domain. Every tool found its place, every component was catalogued for future projects. The ship modifications he had dreamed of during months of operating with borrowed equipment and improvised solutions could finally begin. His hands were already planning the first improvements.

Narik maintained his station with characteristic watchfulness, his analytical mind already processing the mission parameters. Farius Prime would require careful planning. Tavik's security would be formidable. But they had advantages - intelligence gathered throughout their time in the Syndicate's orbit, skills honed through repeated crisis survival, and now, finally, their own base of operations.

Klix monitored the communication systems, already considering the encryption protocols T'Sar had provided. Two layers of security weren't enough - he would add more. The Xunil isolinear rod still held secrets worth pursuing, and their new ship offered processing power and privacy that had been impossible to achieve on Kepler Station or aboard commercial transports.

Androni occupied the command chair, coordinates for Farius Prime laid in and ready for execution. The path from desperate fugitive to Syndicate operative had been longer and more dangerous than anyone had anticipated. But here they were - alive when they should be dead, trusted when they had been marked for elimination, and committed to a mission that could reshape their entire future.

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Notes

Session Notes

Crew Discussion

The crew discusses the three options presented by Vesh:

• Narik:
  • kurz nachgedacht: kurzfristig nützlicher wenn auszahlen und "verschwinden"
  • aber für Option 1 ausgesprochen (wegen Misstrauen gegenüber Vesh, kein Vertrauen dass bei Option die Ruhe)
• Bum:
  • tendiert zu 2, weil am meisten Freiheit
  • am Ende egal, hauptsace Action und Cash
• Klix:
  • wegen Misstrauen gegenüber Vesh, kein Vertrauen dass bei Option die Ruhe = das gleiche wie Option 3, nur verzögert
• Androni:
  • option 1, weil schon länger geplantes Ziel im Syndikat aufzusteigen

They agree on Option 1, but want to ask the following questions before committing:

• Was ist mit dem Schiff?
• Was passiert nun als nächstes?

• Was ist der Auftrag?

• Androni prepares to speak with Vesh

• Narik & Klix perform sensor scan: Vesh ship interferes with nebula
• Klix analyzes: klingon bird of prey is affected by nebula, tachyon emissions come from cloaking device
• Bum monitors the own ships systems: everything still the same like initial scan in engineering room

Answering Vesh

• Vesh: "Quick decision you took"
• Androni: "what about the ship?""
• Vesh: "no interest in your rusty hunk of junk, keep it"
• Androni: Details about job? (4 successes, good try!)
• Vesh: something that changes the syndicate (neue weichen stellen)
• Vesh: if i would tell you more, i would have to remove you
• Klix makes notes: 2 layers of security are not enough

• Narik writes to chat: maybe transactions from grell are relevant

• Bum & Androni recognize: the woman is "T'Sar"

• Androni asks: What are the next steps?

• Vesh: "So you take the job?"

• Androni confirms

• Vesh: Smart choice.

• Vesh: Its about Tavik. He is expanding into my territory. His ambitions exceed his respect. I want him... removed.
• Vesh: Capture him alive - I have questions.
• Bum hapyy about "want him removed", unhappy when "capture him alive"
• Klix: other way round: first shocked about "remove", happy when "capture"
• Vesh: Or if that proves impossible...

• Vesh: I need his security codes.

• Tsar sends coordinates for Farius Prime (Taviks HQ)

• Tsar sends communication frequency and encryption codes for contact while operation

• Tsar: "We will be in contact there. "

• Tsar "i will be watching you"

Clearing the ship

• use drone as camera to relay system status monitor to PADDs when exploring ship
• Vesh ships moves away, but very slow. then slows down again, halts, decloaks and accellerates towards player ship
• Androni pilots the ship to avoid any collisions
• Bird of Prey flys over the player ship towards nebula edge

• at nebula edge, sensor contact lost

• clearing remaining rooms.

• Bum prepares his previous toolkit as "to-grab" kit for emergencies

• craft toolbelt with ship tools and parts for day to day use

• engine romm: my area now

• Narix suggests to name the ship after andronis mother

• Bum laughs, Androni rejects but also laughs

Final

4 Character shots:

• Bum: happy sorting all the tools in the engineering room, looking forward for his future own projects and ship modifications
• Narik:
• Klix:
• Androni:

Session and Season End