Galdate 4-26-5625
Arriving at Cambrinocon Prime, the crew were happy to find facilities at the starport sufficient to finally address needed repairs. The temperate climate was also a pleasant reprieve from spending several weeks in jump space. The group scoured USIN to find potential opportunities and found an interesting offer, the reclamation of a local cultural artifact from an Atlas megacorporation office. The job looked applicable to the crew’s skillsets, and they sought out Idris Kader, the patron for this contract.
Meanwhile Ethan felt it prudent to visit the local Federation embassy given the system was under their control. He came across an old colleague, a vivacious (if somewhat superficial) diplomat, Regan Ronaldo. A former performer and actress, she immediately recognized Ethan and sought to catch up. She told him of some chatter she heard, about he and his companions had helped an Imperial noble with some interesting family issues. Ethan confirmed this leaving out many details, being as evasive as he could. However, Regan confided she had heard rumors among the Federation of unusual incidents among various levels of government officials and megacorporation chair members, of erratic behavior, commonly ending with suicide. She chided him to promise another chat over dinner before he left the system, and Regan scampered off to another dignitary event.
Meanwhile the crew set about repairs and getting more details of the job offer from Idris Kader. A government official from one of the several local nations, he explained that a revered cultural artifact was given to Atlas to obtain economic and political favor from a neighboring country. His country objected but were unable to sway Atlas to return the item. His government authorized Idris to obtain it through other means, but to avoid political fallout, felt it best to employ off-worlders to secure the stone sarcophagi from the system headquarters. Hearing that it was expected that only security drones would be involved, and that physical harm to living personnel were to be avoided at all costs, the group felt the avoidance of wanton bloodshed was ideal, and agreed to the operation.
The group set about planning and conducting the heist. Two teams infiltrated the building. One creating a diversion of a false fire, and hampering key security, while the others adopted the garb of local firefighters and landed on the roof with a rented flier altered to look like an emergency response vehicle. Making short work of the security droids the top group were able to secure the artifact, while the lower group sneaked out of the building among the crowd of evacuating civilians. Landing at a small flier field, the artifact was transferred to a waiting party and the job was done. The payment was saddled with additional costs to create the subterfuge of one team being local firefighters, but it was enough to get Orion’s Money Belt in the black.
Ethan kept his promise, having dinner with Regan. She knowingly told him of a recent break in at the Atlas megacorp main building, with a historical artifact being stolen and a handful of security droids destroyed. She commented she was willing to direct any unwanted attention to him, but suggested he leave the system in a timely manner, and as a favor, to drop in at 224-694. A restricted system, it was home to a Federation marine outpost and a xenobiology research facility. Expected routine communications from the system had lapsed for several weeks, and she expressed the Federation would greatly appreciate any information on the status of the facility.
