Start of Dutta’s fall

2225-12-10, NEZ

  • The Doomborgs receive a new contract that voids the exploration framework of the previous contract, but maintain taking down the directorship of BrightsideStation
    • The crew will be paid C5k for each Hull cargo space full of unrefined mRNA-rich ice. This value is doubled if the ice is refined.
  • The Doomborgs try to find a mobile extractor micro refinery to install on their ship, but that was too difficult in a planet like Defiance. Oni sends a message to her friend in The Solomons and asks her to buy one and bring it to Brightside. The message ends with ‘Don’t rip me off’.
  • While trying to find an extractor, Danny inadvertently tells Harry Tungla that there was someone inside the box his trucker carried to the farm.
  • The crew then decides to take Cassian Vireo with them to Brightside, for what she pays C2k.
  • Flying off defiance is delayed in 4 days, due to weather. But even when the weather improves the Frostbreaker barely does it, with its fusion reactor shutting down due to load as the ship gains orbit.
  • They dock the ship in a refuelling station in high orbit and get a new drone, and from there depart to Perdurabo

  • Upon arriving in Brightside, the Doomborgs learn that Dutta has fallen ill, and RolandLomax is now in charge. It became useful that the crew had a night drinking with Lomax when they first arrived in Perdurabo.

  • Lomax asks them to offboard the Frostbreaker and explains that in about 6 days a large Haruna bank transport will arrive to carry the Novium ingots. A bank auditor will be on this ship, and Lomax intends to share the information he has about Dutta’s embezzlement.
  • Lomax asks the Doomborgs to be around when this happens, to show strength against YashDutta’s faction on the station.
  • Lomax also mentions that another tharsisMining ship (the Ore Voyager) recently refuelled in Brigthside, and the crew updates him that they also work for Tharsis. ‘Why is Tharsis Mining involved in finding alien artefacts?’.
![ 400](https://i.imgur.com/dyogS6G.png)
  • The crew goes back to the Cold Tomb to mine the mRNA-rich ice around the construction (that is now destroyed).
  • Mining was a dangerous endeavour, where one drone and many ice cargoes were lost.
  • Incidentally, the crab infestation in the ship attacks Danny while he is piloting, in one of the most critical moments: Olaf and Oni are on an EVA, while Bennet is monitoring the harness. Danny is alone in the bridge and tries to fight off the crabs. He was unsuccessful and falls with a mortal face wound when one of the crabs lands on his face.

  • The other crew members rush back when they notice Danny screaming, and Olaf in a heroic save fends off multiple crabs while grappling an unconscious Danny.
  • The Doomborgs are able to seal the crabs in the bridge and Bennet with his laser sharp medic skills is able to stabilise Danny - who looked dead already.
  • After this accident, the crew decides to go back to Brightside with a partial load. They would come back later with someone skilled in piloting the drones.
  • Upon arrival on Brightside, Danny is rushed into the infirmary. Olaf speaks with the doctor, Suyin Indrani, who supports Dutta and thinks Lomax has poisoned the director. She also shares that Lomax is not liked by his own employees.
  • The personnel on the station start to go about quickly now, as the bank’s transport is arriving. Lomax is ready to share what he knows.

Connected to