Rango Mirshari, a passenger aboard the Lady Leroy, has been submitting accounts of his adventures to the Spinward Marches Traveller's Guide.

Part I follows below.
Part II
Part III
Part IV

Journey Through the Marches
Part I

by Rango Mirshari

Rabwhar has a tourist brochure.

I couldn't get enough of that. It’s a TL 7 aggie world, for Minot’s sake! But it boasts of their equinox festivals, their music and their amazing irulper. Foolishly, I booked passage…and was promptly stranded on a planet with farmers who think spreading fertilizer is an excuse for a party. I wish I could say that their parties were interesting, but what do you think they talk about? Yes, you guessed it. Fertilizer.

Six days later, though, two ships arrived within days of one another. One, a subsidized merchant, looked barely spaceworthy. The other, the Lady Leroy, was more promising and within an hour of landing at the field the Rabs call a starport, they advertised for passengers.

And that was how I met Tara Troost.

Yes, I mean the actress. Apparently that holovid with Admiral Krrulonol wasn't enough to rekindle her career, and she’s now the purser on an Explorer-class survey vessel (though the lower deck has been modified to hold more cargo). Once I learned the captain was an older Vargr, though, it made a bit more sense.

His crew certainly made the starport a more interesting prospect!

The captain immediately ordered a schooner of some stinky Reginan beer and began lapping it up, his tail wagging furiously. That is a sight I never get tired of Vargrs wagging their tails. It makes me smile every time I see it.

Two of the crew -- the pilot and the gunnery officer -- drank heavily (big surprise!) The pilot was awfully proud of himself as he hauled the other man away and later I learned why. They have quite a Scout Service-Imperial Navy rivalry going.

Another (the engineer) walked right up to two Aslani and began chatting away like he’d known them for years. Apparently it went well, for before long they were giving him tips on how to disembowel enemies.

During an interaction with a would-be crew member, the captain’s pocket was picked. When he came back, that was a scene! He ran him down, put his teeth on his throat and demanded it back. That alone was worth the outrageous price he’s charging for passage, especially since I got it all on vid.

The worst part of the journey so far was seeing what happens when engineers go bad. On our way out of the system, we received an SOS from the subsidized merchant (subsidized by SuSag, no less). When they attempted to jump, their engines jumped…but the rest of the ship didn't. Their engine room was open to space, and their m-drives weren't in hot shape, either.

The captain brought the Lady Leroy around and mounted a rescue operation, though skeptically, for he called an alert and vented the ship’s atmosphere. There were three survivors: the captain of the sub (whom our own doctor had already made the acquaintance of, and two of her crew, both young women). Fred (or is it Sam?) went over with an assistant to check out the damage, and within six hours, they had their m-drive back. We towed them back to Rhabwhar, then refueled and left. I overheard the captain tallying up the bill he sent to SuSag! I'll be interested to find out if they pay it.

My new shipmates are an interesting group. Besides Tara, there’s the captain, who claims Bartholomew is a Vargr name. He's a charismatic devil, but other than that, I can't make head or tails (pun intended) of him.

The engineer I can't quite figure out. Either his name is Fred or Sam, and though he’s from a world not much more advanced than Rabwhar, he’s a wizard in the engine room. His assistant is named Al and hasn't said two words together in front of me.

The pilot is a Scout who is also the ship’s cook and an adventurous one at that. (After sampling one of Tara’s attempts at cooking, I was grateful for Craig’s attempts even at Vargr food.)

The doctor is one smooth character. Aaron’s goats, but I could learn a lot by watching him with the ladies. He had the captain of the subsidized merchant out of the bar and into bed before he’d sipped his drink!

Tara is exactly what you'd expect.

The gunnery officer is former IN. I know I've heard the name Druett Kerlon somewhere before, though…that bears some investigation when we reach Lanth.

They took on cargo at Rabwhar, which was fairly impressive. Mail and something they've got locked up in a secondary hold. There’s been a good deal of speculation about it, but Tara tells me it’s just pharmaceuticals.

We’re about to come out of jump in Arba, another backwater. I never thought I'd be excited to see Lanth. Just one more week!

EPs: 2