Solo Session 1 - the Journey Begins

I've gone way overboard on background as is normal for me...and now starting the real game. So the first thing is, we're looking for cargo. Going outside the port to look for cargo gets us a bonus for the purchase price, so Ewo and Malik head off to see what they can see. Unlike Classic, we can roll every 3 days to see if we can find anything, and with the port being an A class port, there is also a hefty bonus to find things. Not having all the Cepheus rules, going with Classic Book 2 for cargos, costs and all that. Nothing like a nice mishmash of rule sets!

Date: 221-1106  Location: Yllom A689997-A (Hi Pop) Finances: Cr100,000

The first 3 days out, the ship's broker and Malik find an available load of electronic parts. This would be great, other than way outside our current finances. Even with a 30% discount (rolled a 6 on the purchase table, and being outside the port we're allowed to subtract 2) it is way beyond our finances, as we're currently at Cr100,000. We're also assuming the ship maintenance and costs for refueling are already done - doing a not-quite-accountants in space.

So, despite our haggling, we're still not able to get what we need, but we are pointed to another set of industries and possibilities. Communicating back to the ship, we're told find something or come back & we'll load up at the port. Part of the Antares Ship Builders is similar to subsidized merchants: the ship will never deadhead (run with no cargo) as we can always take freight at cost. No profits there but it does reduce the loss of revenue.

The next three days, we find a large supplier of aluminum. Looking at the trade codes, Preacep, 1 jump away, is non-industrial, which gives a +4 on the resale price. Pure gold, so to speak. Malik observes as Ewo haggles the price down to 70% of market value. While there is 150 tons available, we'll be loading only 75 tons, enough to fill the main hold. The 2ary hold will be carrying other things as required by the contracts. Preacep is the end of the line for this particular route.  We arrange for transportation.  Payment of Cr52,500 will be paid when the cargo is delivered.

New Contact: Loisa Phowats, CEO Molten Electronics of Yllom

Now, as we were searching on-world, we roll on the world encounter table. We're offered the chance to do a small job for someone, and get paid Cr1000 or a favor for 1 day of work. Seeing as we were previously directed towards what turns out to be a probably lucrative deal, we did a small job while on one of the islands for Loisa Phowats, CEO of Molten Electronics. This does not seem to require a plan with the success and consequences rolls, so we're going with something simpler at the moment. We're given a small package to take to Preacep. What is in the package? No idea at the moment, but being the size of a breadbox or so, easily stored on board and does not take any significant space.  No, this is not a 1 day job, but it may mean another contact on Preacep as we deliver the package. And then we can also roll on the type of person and all that. But for the moment, we head back to the port. We'll actually fly back with the transport group going to the port.

Back at the port, we load up the lower cargo bay, which is now stuffed with standard shipping containers carrying aluminum. We pay the money owed, leaving us Cr47,500. We have no warehouse costs as we managed to find cargo. The ship is fueled, and Robard is plotting the jump to Preacep. Rolling on the port encounters table, we hear of a ship that limped into port, damaged and with crew casualties. Seeing as Yllom is a busy port, I'll give it a 1/6 chance of being a ASB&TS ship, someone the crew may know. Rolling a 4, it is no one we know, so that's good news. Assuming it is a jump 1 ship, there are only 3 systems within range, one of which is Preacep! Rolling, it turns out to be from Finnigan's World, a class C port with a scout station. No travel codes, there is also a gas giant. Was the ship refueling and attacked there? It was obviously ready for a jump and managed to get out. Argh, there be pirates deeper in the D'Arlee Quadrant than expected! No wonder the good captain wants to get some credits towards more turrets, seeing as we've only the one triple turret at the moment.

Seeing as the port is taking care of the ship, and we don't know them, we lift off at our designated time and head to space.

Rolling on the space encounter, we get small trade craft, and then a 300 ton modular shipping craft. We radio back and forth, and as I rolled an 8 on the reaction table, while we don't make instant friends, neither is there any aggression. So this can be another contact.

New Contact: Davin Dangant, captain of the Ptolemy Traveler 300 ton modular trader. 

Rolling again for the next system, they too are headed for Preacep.

I'll work on the transit (roll during the week in jump) in the next post hopefully. I guess I could have fleshed things out a bit more, and I may still do that. But this is more of an outline of the story, and not only am I playing a solo variant of Traveller, I am going to be able to flesh out my Traveller universe. I already have two new contacts and a ship. Just need to figure out HOW to save this info in a useful way.

Looking at what I do have, the GURPS Cutter supplement does have modular ships. This one could fit the bill:

The “‘K-frame” was GSbAG’s attempt to get in on the modular act with a fully modular spacecraft. The basic hull is a shell containing  nothing  but  grapples, airlocks,  and  connecting  passages. It doesn’t become a ship until modules are attached. A K9 frame is 325 tons, close enough to the 300 above. I'll try & spec that out as well - the GURPS Traveller rules are a bit different but we can file off the serial numbers and make this work.