Traveller Solo: Tryanos visit

Note: I do notice that the Traveller blogs get more visits, at least according to the stats I look at. And yes, this was originally purely Traveller but like most gamers, I am a polygamer and play a lot of games. Anyway, just a note to let my readers know I do see where most of the hits are, and I will be making this mostly Traveller. You may note that when I ref a game there are a lot more Traveller posts, so I'll see about running another Traveller game ASAP. I am starting to itch to run a game again.

And now, back to our story in progress...

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The walk back to the No Refunds was quiet, neither the captain or first mate talking as they led Malik back through the short corridors. Malik paid a bit more attention, noticing the security checkpoint at the elevator terminal, the bit of grime here and there from the passage of many boots. He managed to bump the same elbow in the transition between grav systems. Even the second security check outside the ship's gangway seemed more ominous for some reason.

Back on board, Laux rechecked the refueling with the engineer Dietgard, and Malik overhead that they really need to hire a bit more crew, that the systems needed at least another engineer for proper maintenance. Laux indicated they would post a help wanted at the downport. Rechecking the comms and sensors while waiting departure, Malik saw that a military cruiser was approaching high port. Checking the call signal, it was a Space Patrol vessel from the League, and in fact the Wyvern (see one of the way early solo sessions here) Hailing the ship, Malik got a curt response back (rolled a 4 reaction) and that yes, both Chief Investigator Hunter was aboard, but that Corporal Lucas was on another patrol and no longer assigned to the Wyvern. During the brief conversation with Lt. Bartley, Dietgard indicated that refueling was completed. Switching channels, Malik contacted high port.

"\No Refunds prepared to disengage and approach Tryonas Ground Port. Awaiting confirmation." The response was quick: "You are cleared for disengagement. Port linkages disconnected. Please land at pad D45. Follow attached flight plan." The board registered a flight path that Captain Laux reviewed, and accepted into the ship's nav system from the bridge. With an audible clank as the No Refunds docking systems closed back up into the ship, the No Refunds drifted away from the port and with minor adjustments to the maneuver drive, headed down to the low port, sitting on the edge of the dark sideof Tryonas.

The landing seemed a bit rougher than normal (rolled a 4, +3 for Laux so 7; not quite the 8 I was looking for!) as the ship settled down. The dim red sun cast long shadows against the port buildings. Similar the the port on Krim, it was laid out with a large central control and processing building, and concourse with multiple gates spread out. Pad D45 was further out, and there were a few other traders landed nearby. The difference in this port were the warehouses in the section the No Refunds was in were large, boxy affairs. After setting down, our high passengers disembarked and headed to the terminal via the boarding ramp attached to the port airlock. Malik and Ewo shut down their boards as the captain leaned back in his seat. "Well," he said, "now to see if we can find another engineer while you two see about selling those fine vehicles you've been ogling all week."

Ewo started the bidding process for autonomous vehicles, and we managed to pull in Cr288,000 (rolled a 6 on the resale value, and +2 for a rich world for the advanced vehicles from the Mongoose v1 trade rules, and no brokerage, so we sell for 80% of the cost. That table really wants you to have a brokerage skill and sadly there is only Brokerage-0 for our Aslan first officer). But as those vehicles did not cost us anything, it was pure profit other than ship fuel, and after the ship costs we're still ahead with (and I really need to get back to the expenses which include maintenance broken down) Cr270,000. Captain Laux insists on having a reserve for emergencies, and we're up to KCr35 now. Perhaps he is saving up for some weaponry...

While working the port and in talking with the buyers, Ewo got ill with Ungra's Flu, something that seems to be a local version of the flu. Fortunately, Dr. Teag figured it out, and she was back on her feet the next day, ready to search for our next cargo (rolled a 7, and +3 for medic 3 means it was a successful roll. It was an interesting world encounter roll)

Now in looking for trade, I'm generally using the Mongoose rules (and v1 and v2 seem about the same, though they combined the trade goods into a single chart). From that you can actually get anything that is available based on the world trade codes. I'll have to look at how Cepheus handles trade and perhaps compare the various trade systems (still not liking T5 trade!). But per the solo rules, we're going to go a bit adventuring to get a -2 bonus on the purchase price. We'll also do another world encounter just because...

We went to Ifron, a small city closer to the terminator line of the dark side. The only time shadows moved was as we moved - it was strange to be on a tidally locked world with the dim sun hovering near the horizon. Having no immediate contacts on Tryonas, it was odd to actually be invited to a posh function: turns out the passengers we had were establishing the local branch of Psziz Inndustries Automotive and were having a gala. Talking amongst the rich and famous, we seemed to strike a cord with Madame Anne Defencra. She was CEO of Defencra Electronics, and from her we managed to find she had 20 tons of electronics that would make a good cargo for us. (and it turns out the Mongoose actual value table is a 3d6 table, not 2d6. So our selling price was low, but I'll leave it as is as I fluffed over the ship costs. So rolling 3 dice I get 11, +2 for the Solo DM for a 123 so we can get the electronics for 75%, or MCr1.5. Err, we are far short of that, but having also a 10 on the reaction roll, I'll bump it to 70% for MCr1.4. So, err no. But we could get 5 tons for Cr350,000. And then take freight for the rest. So going with that. We'll load that in a 337 cargo module - there will be a bit of spare room.

(yeah, another Kickstarter from 0-Hr. He has some standardized cargo containers, so will start to use those. I've got some cardboard, perhaps I should see if I can make some cargo containers for my cheap dungeon crafting!)

Okay, we've managed to get a few things done, but I am not yet done with this system visit. I need to roll up an engineer (or see if I have one in my 31 day challenge!) and Captain Laux may be up to something.