01 - Rogue Operator

Ages - Trials And Tribulations - Confessions Of A Space Anthropologist

When Professor Giles Kurns discovered a crucial piece of intel while being held prisoner by the exiled former Zhyn High Marshall, he returned to the ArchAngel command ship with a compelling argument for him to be allowed to reopen an old research project. Giles and his partner, Arlene Bailey, set out to the Orn System for a spot of tomb raiding. Together with the Empress’s old covert ops warship the Scamp Princess, fully equipped with Gate technology and a rather spunky AI, they embark on a swashbuckling adventure of danger and intrigue to uncover the truth about the Ascension Myth.

Welcome Home!

COASA 01/1, 2

Giles and Arlene return from a slow time to a welcome home party (on Gaitune-67, their safe house) consisting of themselves, Molly, Joel, Paige, Crash, Pieter, Jack, Maya, Brock, Sean, and Oz (AI). Giles starts on the story of their adventure. After we all got back from the Zhyn mission Arlene and I continued doing some digging into the mysteries of the talisman that Sean and I had retrieved from Teshov. When I went to Earth with Bethany Anne, to retrieve Michael, I was involved with the discovery of that talisman. I had learned about their magical properties, and had heard a nursery rhyme describing the properties of another talisman. (See Miscellaneous, Talisman, Nursery rhymes) .So,” he continued, turning back to his story, “when we started putting all this data together I started wondering if there were other talismans, like the one I’d found on the ship. And the six sections on it looked awfully like constellations as seen from areas like Earth, Estaria and the original planet of the Zhyn Empire - Zhyn. Arlene and Giles got the go-ahead to investigate for more talismans, (from Federation), so decided that they would start by asking permission from the Justicar, on Zhyn, to be allowed to research the project on the Moons of Orn

The Adventure

COASA 01/2; COASA 01/3; COASA 01/7; COASA 01/8, 9; COASA 01/11; COASA 01/12; COASA 01/13; COASA 01/14; COASA 01/16, 17

Land on Kurilia, met by Gh’herk, their personal liaison to Justicar, Minister to the Emperor, and six armed Zhyn, to train station for transport. Arrived, new station was more developed than the last one. It was also more attractive, with pattern tiled flooring, and though the doors were plated in metal it was more decorative and expensive than purely functional. New building they entered had a sense of space and grandeur that Giles had seen on only a few occasions before. There was ornate tiling on the floors and walls all in warm ocher tones. This new building was several stories high and resembled some of the Estarian religious and senate structures. Enter, led to throne room. Met by Justicar Beno’or as “Friends of Molly”. They request visitation to the Moons of Orn, to find a symbol of joint heritage. Arlene comments that they would enjoy having him with them, and he is able to go with them. Sabbatical granted by Emperor. All contemplate the childhood rhyme Eleven moons, a sight to reap, etc., displayed on Scamp’s screens. Land on Ramachandra, at Visitor’s Center.

Not the right moon. Through elimination, work through about ½, and find one, Aibek, with a force-field, terra-forming, slight atmosphere. Cannot land. Will have Scamp. EI, send distress request to land, might get on moon. Monks refuse to answer. Will not allow them to land. Scamp overloaded force field, will land. Arm themselves to exit. Find temple, no entrance. Find cave close by, go to examine it. Monks board bikes, go to temple to protect it. Tunnels out back of cave. Giles and Arlene go down tunnels, find bridge to temple. Put magic spell on bridge so guards cannot cross it to get to them.

Try to find way out of tunnel. Air breathable. Maybe Arlene can make fireballs for attacking. Freeze coming, all light, warmth gone. 16 hours before again habitable in suits. Find cavern, has air. Arlene makes fire for warmth and light. Can see glyphs for Giles to decipher!

Giles and Arlene discuss Giles’ wish to sacrifice to atone for selfish person he has been. Decide that hard way, to live and do better, is the right way to go.

Scamp deciphered glyphs. Look like ancient Esterian magic spell, a revealing spell. Magic used by them before civilization took over. Arlene invoked spell, revealed a door into the temple. After recovering all of the energy she had used, they went through door. Spiral staircase down into a chamber. Altar, wooden door. Opened, found a force-field with the Talisman inside it. Will get Scamp to simulate conditions, overload force field so they can get talisman. Scamp does, and Arlene reaches in to grab the talisman

After freeze, all monks go back to tunnel, cavern, to find dead aliens they had been chasing. Giles and Arlene find the monks ready for them, guns drawn, as they exited the temple. . Escape on drop chain Scamp has let down, protected by force field of ship. Giles, Arlene, Beno’or and Jendyg (One of the escaped monks) meet in mess, doctor Jendyg, who had been shot, sleep.

Molly and Realm-jumping

COASA 01/5

Molly’s tendency to realm-jump (pull facts/occurrences out of space and time), showed them in the Orn system, with an older temple, stone doorway, above-ground, with carvings in strange language, similar to Zhyn but not, with a beam of light falling on the glyphs on the temple, and then the bedroom of a young girl, with tablets on a bedside table, not taken.

Aibek, Moon, Orn System

COASA 01/3, 5; COASA 01/19

Jendyg (carving wooden statue), Gagai (Leader,hunted, caught rabbit), Naldrir (sharpening his sword), Mennynad , Ammo, Koryss (Second in Comm), guarding moon, have force field for protection of the temple in the most vulnerable part of the cycle. Monks. Originally ten, relieved every ten years, nor six, not relieved in decades. All men, members of the Sacred Warrior Order of the Zhyn. System detects ship approaching Aibek. (See Adventure, above)

After the freeze, the fight, and the meeting, the remaining 5 monks decide that teir mission on their moon was finished, and that they would need to go back into the real world, and recapture the talisman, as their remaining life’s work. Gagai went on to afterlife, so he didn’t join them. Only four, now, as Jendyg had gone with ship. Ammo is the new leader.

Beno'or and Scamp

COASA 01/13

While Giles and Arlene are off ship, investigating the temple, Beno’or and Scamp have been talking about his function on the ship, and his interactions with “organics”. Mostly supportive, never original on Scamp’s part.

Anne, Estarian Child

COASA 01/3, 5, 6, 12 - 16

Sister Lorraine, Bridgette talk about obstreperous child, Anne. Anne cannot control her energies, and levitates at odd moments, snuffs out all of the candles. Drives Sister Bridgette almost to drink, but she’s a nun, and there isn’t any. Anne causing more trouble, getting stronger.

Meeting at Convent, “I think we need to consider halting her training and taking her off world somewhere where there isn’t the power source for her to channel.” Anne overheard conversation.

Anne escapes from Convent, and is captured by traffickers sent by Charles from the convent. Taking her to Space Station. Deliver her to ship. Locked in a cargo hold aboard. No escape yet. Two more prisoners brought in, an older man (Dr. Brahms) and a younger woman (Lana). Visited by two of Giles’ group. Molly will get them out.

Sean and Maya put into cell with them.Had been captured. Sean opens vent hole, puts Anne and Lana in, tells them to get to top, where Brock would be waiting. He is, and they get to Little Empress, away to ship.

Anne is taken back to Gaitune-67, with no plan as yet for her future.

After the Adventure

COASA 01/18; COASA 01/19, 20; COASA 01/Epilogue

Beno’or offeredArlene a place on Kurilia, in their Anthro Dept., if she might like it. NO. Would she promise to visit? Yes. He lands, goes down skylift to planet. Jendyg debarks also, pledging friendship on planet if she ever needs it.

Giles surmises that the Estarian talisman, the first one they had retrieved, was probably still on Estaria, because of the visions Molly had told them of, about its appearance and whereabouts. Probably cloaked, so that it was well hidden by the Religious Order, The Order of the Sacred Ascenders on Estaria.”Have set OZ onto researching the Sacred Order. Giles and Arlene probably to take positions at Molly’s University, on Estaria, as cover for research on other Talismans.

Anne talks to Giles, offers to help him find other Talismans.