What’s our ship? Rifthauler 4A4, with J-3, but it’s far more fuel-efficient than normal. We jump to Kiiguuroesa, refuel off the gas giant, and then do our two jumps to XF-1402.
Konash is an Answerin, a bit oblivious, 6’5”, built like a broomstick, he’s a good navigator and likes to wander.
Gani is a Vilani, a freelance engineer, ex-navy, likes to meet aliens, has spent time with the Aslan.
The other three mechanics are
None of them are pilots.
The missing ship, Rifthauler 5A7, had six crew, and the station had thirteen, ex-Navy or scientific.
We do our initial jump, refuel, re-do our navigation for the jump into nowhere and Akashirsha points out the expired part. We arrive at the buoy OK, nothing else around. We make the second jump. We know where Akashirsha’s still is by now.
We arrive near the brown dwarf, and spot the planet. No immediate radio signals.
The planet is close to the brown dwarf, low-G, atmosphere breathable in low-lying areas, some basic life. We head towards the planet, signalling by radio and laser and keeping a sensor and radar watch.
We have two neutrino sources on the planet, close together. One is sizable, plausibly the base power supply. The other is much weaker, but fairly close by. At a reasonable orbit, the base is there and so is a ship, plausibly 5A7 and plausibly the weaker neutrino source. That level is below dockside idle, but not fully shut down. On IR, the buildings are visible.
We fly round the planet to check there are no artificial satellites. We land next to 5A7. The base has lights showing, but 5A7 has none, and no transponder. We leave A, D & M to look after the ship, suit up and walk over to the base. We cross the bridge (metal, prefab), and go to Mission Support. Looking through the windows, nobody in sight, but the buildings are furnished.
In Mission Support, we find sewage processing and nutrition production. Everything seems OK. There is also a general repair workshop, in rather a mess. Looks as if the place was hastily searched.
We move to Mission Control, which has an upper floor. The ground floor has everything openned or pushed over. All the food is gone. On the upper floor there is a lot less damage and most things on the computer are locked up.
At the Science Building, one of the inner doors is open, and there are plant tendrils on the floor leading through it. There’s a human leg in trousers incorporated into the vine, which is twitching a bit. That lab space is full of vine. The other main lab is computers. The doors of the small offices have been torn off their hinges.
Gani spots something outside: it’s a human-shaped mass of vines and tendrils. It’s trying to herd us back in.
Konash shoots it to some effect; I laser it to more; Gani shoots it; Konash shoots it again and it collapses.
No more immediately around. Gani thinks he saw something in the distance but the rest of us can’t see it. We go back to the ship, check they’re OK, and equip ourselves for burning stuff. There are plenty of lubricating oils.
The accommodation block nearest the bridge has had a fire inside. The ATV looks intact, has a card in the slot, and has cables to Mission Control. The tools and ration packs are still there. We sweep the base looking for the mass of tendrils, which is gone, and don’t find it. We try to get into the power building, but Gani messes up the door.