Chapter 3: Red dwarf and purple planet

Dotty looks at the pirate with a raised eyebrow, "Well you fella's done made an awful mess of things now didn't ya?" She glances over their shoulder back into the camp and shrugs, "To be honest Scott didn't tell me much about you that I didn't already know and the guys what attacked us in orbit, well that kind of made the bad impression for you."

She holds up a hand before the pirate can say anything, "Lemme guess, those guys weren't with you." Her mechanical eyes flicker back and forth between the two men, she looks back into the camp again to see if she can figure out what they're so anxious about.

I'm for moving closer. Looks like they're real interested in what Dotty is saying

ChiHiRu will move closer also.

Aye champion Says Scotty with polite smile on his face to the pirate that is not talking to Dotty We gave you the best part of our food ratio. You can image the quality of food we had to deal with

Derek moves as quietly as he can having the shotgun ready if there is trouble

Distraction Group:

THAT was the best you could offer? You're the worst host I could think of. I think you're lyin... the left begins to reply when the right one raises his hand in order to silence him.
We won't have to rely on our generous hosts any more. Our leader wants to book passage on your trade ship. He'd like to negotiate a fair price.
he says and lowers his weapon to the point where it's just dangling from his shoulder on a strap.
And we are aware that there were some bad apples on our ships. We are very sorry that they attacked you. They weren't under our control any more. We are ready to take on fair and equal negotiations
he continues. The pirate says this sentence in a way that makes him sound like a pupil who has to hold a speech in front of the class because he did something bad.

---

Assault Group:
You all sneak forward. As you are about halfway to the foot of the hill ChiHiRu falls forwards and nearly gives away your position if it weren't for Jeff, Adonis and Anu who caught him right before he was about to roll down the hill.
Other than that incident, you reach the foot of the hill unharmed. The pirates at the camp didn't change their positions, seeming eager to meet whoever comes through the main entrance to the camp.
If you want you could sneak to the building with the dish on the roof (no check required) or sneak up on the pirates (another perception/sneak check required)
The background sounds of the nature around you allow you to communicate in whispers

Derek whispers Let's check out the building. He swaps the shotgun for his stun pistol figuring a silent take down if needed is better than alerting the enemy.

ChiHiru wipe some dirt from his tablet and show it to the group so they can read :"As the seed fall before the fall."

The building it is, Jeff whispers in agreement. He follows the others that way.

"Look," Dotty says watching the pirate carefully, "I already know you were assigned a milk run and you messed up. I get it, I've been on the wrong end of the deal too sweetie."

She glances at the other pirate, "Someone backed a truck load of money up to your bosses house, told you it was an easy job, and you're just trying to salvage something from the wreckage so that this job ain't a complete cockup. Believe me, I've been there." Her mechanical eyes go back and forth between the pirates and the dig site in the background.

"What's your offer?" Dotty shrugs, "I'll talk to my boss and we'll see if we can't come to some kind of an arrangement."

Distraction Group:
The pirate is apparently very surprised by Dotty's knowledge of their mission. He opens and closes his mouth a few times.
After a minute of somewhat awkward silence he says Erm... I think you should talk to the boss. I'll search your crates and then you can drive into the camp
He jumps on the back of the electric car opens the crates and inspects the contents while his colleague is watching you all very closely with his hand on his gun

If you want to you could try to get a jump on the two pirates. Or you can let them finish the inspection and drive into the camp with them

---

Assault Group:
You all sneak towards the building, always eyeing the pirates. As you arrive at the door you notice that it is barred by a large piece of wood.
Easily you remove it, open the door and slip inside.
Apperently this building is some kind of laboratory that his been retrofitted into a prison. All the lab devices are pushed towards the wall to make room for foldable beds and matresses.
You can count six people who stand up and stare at you.
A man who is about 40 years old and wears a sweat-stained shirt stands up and makes a careful step forward. He stares at you and his facial expression turns from serious to joyful
Who are y.. Wait? Jeff? And Anu? You here? Are we... are we free? What happened? he says

Please keep it down, we are here to try and get you all out safely. Derek says.

It's good to see you folks as well, Jeff whispers. We've got some folks at the front gate, keeping their attention. So tie your shoes and be ready to move when we say go.

Jeff huddles up with the rest of the assault team. Do we start them moving into the trees now, or wait for the bloody racket to begin?

ChiHiRu stand by the door, ready for action when things will inevitably become hectic.

He extands his tentacles, showing his tablet :"Is there stray saplings elsewhere?"

Scott "helps" inspecting the crates but in fact will do what is possible to slow down the process by long descriptions of the content, fake problems with locks etc.

Distraction Group:
Ey... go... I can do this by myself... what do you mean the lock's jammed.... Get away I'll do it myself! Scott's "help" proves to be a useful tactic to distract the guard and delay entry into the camp.

---

Assault Group:
I... the man looks at each of you in turns, reading ChiHiRu's tablet last.
Stray sap...? Yeah yes.. ChiHiRu, you and your plant analogies. Hehe...
We can't go. Not now. There are still some people inside the temple complex The man runs his hand through his greasy hair.
You see.. 'Bout a week ago something happened down there. Those bandits where very nervous. Some of them were down there as well as eleven of our people. They ran around, panicked. We were terrified that they'd shoot us. They pushed a crate onto the hatch that leads down there and if we asked what happened we'd get a blow to the head. I fear for the worst but I don't want to leave our people here

Dotty walks over by the guard who’s not searching the crate, she’s looking into the camp instead of at the guard. "So who’d you fella’s get in bed with? I mean I been there," she grins and winks, "how you think I lost my eyes?"

"Barrister Cheng in Chennai Town," She winces at the memory, "another dead girl in an alley ain’t gonna send no message he said right before his Atlas bot pulled them our of my head."

Barrister Cheng, never heard of him... The only one we are 'in bed with' is the boss. He's not really into eye plucking but he sure as hell knows how to deter nosy people the guard says and yawns. He looks back at the camp as well but quickly turns around again to focus scott and the other guard as they go through the contents of the crate.
The sleeves of his uniform are rolled up, exposing his forearms