Session 32 (19 January 2024)

Location: Kuyt (Far Home 0728)

Date: 171–5600

Travellers: Griff Kodiak (gunner), Nogudnyk (steward), Jacobe Kyman (pilot), Torka Jax (security), Sasha Danlami (comms)

You've saved a billionaire's industrial secrets and protected his party guests from ruthless thieves masquerading as terrorists. Artyom Flavelle thanks you with a reward of Cr100,000 to the Dejah Thoris' coffers and gives each of you a gold credit card to used anywhere on Kuyt. You treat yourselves to a series of luxurious spa days at Flavelle's expense. Nogudnyk and Griff go on a date and see a beautiful sunset. Sasha hits the electronics store and stocks up on communicators of all kinds, while Jacobe and Torka ensures the ship's stores are well supplied.

And then you resume your long voyage to Yimin Jiti, where you hope to find sanctuary for seven-year-old Idowu and thirteen-year-old Rajani, Jarumi's psionically talented nephew and niece. Eager to put some distance between yourselves and any ill-intentioned people from your past, you outfit the Dejah Thoris with drop tank mounts and purchase a 50-ton tank of fuel that enables you to traverse the four-parsec rift between Kuyt and Goyaren in only two weeks. Then you pick up the trade route known as the Wolf's Tail and follow it to your destination: Athune highport (Halcyon 2424), the gateway to the interstellar polity known as Yimin Jiti.

It's a long journey — nine jumps, with almost as many weeks spent in-system assembling bulk cargoes and booking low-passage clients between the independent worlds along the trade route. (Due to the risk of inadvertent psionic outbursts, you avoid high and middle passage guests.)  Around day 218 you leave the Far Home sector behind and enter Halcyon sector, following the Wolf's Tail spinward. Vast gulfs of empty space stretch away to coreward and rimward as you move ever closer your destination. Finally, on day 288, you emerge from jumpspace in the Athune system and make preparations to dock at the highport.

Along with way, you've done your due diligence, researching library data on local worlds and making discreet inquiries about Yimin Jiti and how it deals with psionic refugees from other polities. You're aware that there is a process in place and are persuaded that there are excellent chances that the children and Jarumi, their aunt and guardian, will be received humanely. 

Nika Jarumi

The two officials assigned to process Jarumi's application, Dipo and Ngoze, are quiet, compassionate, and competent. Rajani and Idowu are welcomed, examined, and integrated into the school and children's activities on the highport, where they are beyond delighted to connect telepathically with Yimin Jiti kids. Hoping to ease their transition, Sasha makes a gift to them of her robot guinea pig. Very quickly, a determination is made that their bid for asylum will be accepted. As for Jarumi, further investigation is apparently required, including a battery of bizarrely invasive medical tests. She consents, knowing that they are a condition of her being able to remain with her niece and nephew. 

In parallel with these procedures, Jarumi takes steps to turn the Dejah Thoris over to you. As far as she is concerned, the good ship has fulfilled its purpose: the children are accepted and safe and far from the government that sought to experiment on and control them. Five years of the 40-year mortgage have been paid and, despite having gone slightly into arrears on payments during the long run to Athune, you're well positioned to turn a profit with this well-maintained far trader. You decide to move forward as partners, foregoing your monthly salaries and running the ship as owner-entrepreneurs. On day 290, the papers are officially signed: the Dejah Thoris is yours.

A few days later, Jarumi summons you to a meeting at her temporary residence in the highport. Dipo and Ngoze are with her, looking grave. The children are playing with the guinea pig on a lawn under an artificial sky; Jarumi periodically waves and smiles at them, but when she turns to speak to you, her expression reveals worry and fear.

"I don't know where to begin," she starts. Dipo and Ngoze keep their eyes lowered and remain still, waiting for her to speak. "Those medical tests came back, and —" she pauses, takes a deep breath, and continues. Her voice is strained. "I am an android." 

Image credit: Jarumi's portrait by TRIPLE34 on deviantart.com