Episode 2.3

From HOTGT

Episode 2.3 Sex, Lies and Audiotape

The Mao's Claw having left the Speedwell adrift in space headed to Serafina to complete its original mission. En route, their erstwhile prisoners confessed that they never intended to make landfall on Serafina, which was in fact a black rock. They intended to shuttle the comatose passengers to Angel (minus their goods) and take on the Mao's Claw's cargo as well.

Nadie ordered the ship to Angel for refueling, and dropped off the Speedwell's crew in a somewhat remote settlement on Angel. Then they sped off across the continent to Angel's largest city, Jibril on the opposite coast.
Jibril, a growing city of contrasting images welcomed them. The city of 180,000 is predominately of Arab descendants with a modern version of Sharia law in effect. They took the Paxified passenger, and Vincent to the hospital. The hospital staff was quick to take the passenger into their care, his most pressing need was fluids and intravenous food. They scanned Vincent and recommended two courses of action, months of bed rest to heal up his injuries, or a high tech osteo-mending to repair his damaged ribcage. The latter procedure would be relatively quick, but cost in excess of €1000. Not having that kind of cash Vincent and Del left the hospital. They were followed out by a nurse who caught up with them and made an unusual proposition. She asked if they were from off-world, and suggested that if they were, a man like Vincent might be able to get the procedure in exchange for special services. She explained that due to irregularities in the terraforming of Angel, its magnetic field allowed in an inordinate amount of cosmic rays, which have impacted the fertility of the men who've been here for very long. The women of Angel (a small minority of the population) have sought out other means of conception, and Vincent could help, in exchange for his treatment. If there were other fertile males on their ship, they could make some good money as well.
They brought all this back to the ship, and Vincent and James decided to trek out to the Harlequin Ranch (as it was called). Del and Bob would head out to the space port and see about selling their goods, and possibly pick up new cargo. They found a potential buyer in the Construction Workers Union headquarters (construction being the biggest business on Jibril). While waiting for a meeting with the purchasing agent, they met a shady looking character who called himself "Vito." Bob quickly suspected that "Vito" might be a member of the syndicate, and was desperately trying to get out, but Del pressed on. Bob's suspicions were confirmed when the purchasing agent later referred to "Vito" as Mr. Gudducci (a member of the crime family Bob had helped put away before he fled into anonymity). "Vito" hit on Del and tried to arrange a date in the near future.

Meanwhile Nadie, Vincent and James traveled to the Harlequin Ranch and learned that was a "Woman's Retreat" that did a side business in fertilization. The three of them were allowed to enjoy the facilities, showers and baths, before they would assume their duties. Nadie decided to return to the ship and pick up the boys in a day or two. Vincent was taken to the clinic and put under for surgery immediately. James had to spend his idle time in the good hands of the 'ranch hands' a bevy of attractive women (the ranch hired only women as staff). He was wined and dined and center of attention for these attractive women throughout the evening. Plied with wine women and song, James soon found himself passed out with a wide smile on his face.
Del and Bob returned to the ship to prepare the cargo for sale to the union. Bob was unhappy about the arrangement and admitted his past connection to the Gudduccis. They were interrupted by a local police captain (Mustafa Hassani) who spoke with them about this Vito. Alluding to difficulties the Mao's Claw might have with undocumented passengers, mysterious cargo and such, he offered to expedite their departure if they would help him get some information from the Gudduccis, in particular, their 'main man' in Jibril. Grudgingly they agreed to consider the plan of Del wearing a wire on a date with Vito. Del, still feeling some guilt from the Speedwell incident wanted to help. Bob counseled against the plan, and when Nadie returned to find Vito waiting outside the ship about to present Del with flowers and a request for a date. Nadie was cautious, but she made a compromise of joining Del on the date. They agreed to meet Vito later that evening. They contacted the police and were set up with a wire. Vito, who admitted his real name was Marcello (or Chelly) was pleased as punch to escort two lovely ladies, and seemed more interested in showing off his 'conquest' to the others at the speakeasy, than groping Del and Nadie.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Vincent woke up, groggy and weak, to hear the nurse and doctor discussing what he assumed to be his operation, but which sounded odd. When they left, he found he had suffered some chaffing below the belt and felt strangely sore. He crept out of the room and explored the small clinic. He came across another man who was hooked up to some strange contraption that was extracting his semen. The plan was seeming less and less attractive by the minute. When he was about to leave he heard some more people dragging James into yet another room. They prepped him, and debated what story they'd give him about his 'wild night.' Vincent waited and snuck into the room. He found James in a similar room with the 'extracting apparatus.' He woke James and together they planned their escape.

Del, Nadie and Celli spent some time at the speakeasy and met "Fred", Celli's handler. "Fred" showed some disdain for Celli's public appearances and indiscretion, urging him to take his friends to his hotel. Eventually they did leave, and Celli bragged that Fred, a.k.a. Aaron Borgias, was worried about Celli taking over his turf, which Celli found hilarious. This was the key information that they'd been asked to get, who was the Syndicate in charge here in Jibril. The women started to look for a way out, but before they could do anything, Borgias showed up again gun in hand and showed his suspicion of the crew. He produced a bug detector and Del handed over the device. The gig was up. They were driven to the massive construction site and the unfinished tower, while their backgrounds wee checked out. After a brief standoff atop the tower, on an unspoken signal Del swooned distracting the two mafiosos, Nadie threw a power tool at Borgias. Knocked off balance Bogias tried to recapture control of the situation, but Nadie pressed the fight to him disarming him with a sudden strike. Del looked for a way to get some help and saw a nearby torch, she grabbed it and hurled it a nearby pylon, cracking it open and letting it spew fuel into the air. Nadie and Borgias engaged in brief melee, and Del grabbed Celli's cigarette and threw it into the stream of fuel from the torch. It exploded into an enormous flare, visible for miles around.
Bob, having launched the Mao's Claw in response to the word that Del and Nadie were captured saw the flare and flew towards it. Vincent and James who'd since managed to convince the Harlequin Ranchers to bring them back to the city to confront their mutual enemies the Gudduccis. The two met up at the tower just after Nadie knocked out Borgias, and Celli decided to flee the scene before the police arrived. They packed up Borgias and returned to the spaceport. Upon leaving, they agreed to let bygones be bygones with the Harlequin Ranch. They returned to the space port, and made ready to make a quick departure, as soon as they could get refueled and ready to go.

Heroes of the Great Tree Topics
Impossibilities	I-verse background • Player Characters • NPCs • House Rules
Phantapunk	Aeryn Background • Player Characters • NPCs • House Rules
Concrete & Crimson	World Background • Scoobies • NPCs • House Rules
Keep Flying	The 'Verse • The Crew • NPCs • House Rules
Polybius	The World • Investigators • NPCs • House Rules
Labyrinth	The World • PCs • NPCs • House Rules