7-001: Previously on Dominion Space
Oliver is the first to arrive at the Illuminator, a Vizierate research ship aboard which he and
the rest of the project team of which he is a member will travel to Zargonia. Once at Zargonia, they have been briefed by Vizier Lilith ‘Nanny’ Saden-Ejder that they may be asked to track down a former colleague of Willard Argyle, who is the focus of their mission and believed to be a threat to the security of the Dominion. Unknown to the Vizierate, Oliver has been recruited by the Legion to report on the activities of Minor Vizier Frederick Salfield, who is believed by Commissar Commander Cadmon Usher to be a threat to the security of the Dominion. Oliver reports to his Detachment Leader, Staff Under Officer Felicity Lazar-Opes. During the journey, Oliver has been asked to continue investigating the
The boarding tube from the GRRAS dock leads to an airlock, which has both inner and outer doors open. A Vizierate Warden in a Combat Vacc Suit is stationed in the lock and bids Oliver present his tag to the sensor. He points at a sign on the wall.
Follow Yellow Line to Habitat Decks.
On the floor beyond the airlock are yellow, red and purple lines. Ahead is a square corridor about 25m long with an intersection about 15m in. At the intersection the red line turns left, the purple goes straight on and the yellow line turns right. After another 5m corridor, there is a lift lobby. The walls on this level have an industrial feel, with tan paint over metal. Occasional handholds are recessed into the walls, presumably in case of grav plate failure. The hand holds double as light fittings, and the uneven light make brighter and dimmer patches along the corridor. A durable, slightly ridged runner provides traction along the floor. The air has a slight chill.
In the lift lobby, a young Vizant seems to have taken control of the lift and is letting people fill it before sending it on its way. After a short delay, Oliver rides upwards from Deck 30 to Deck 7. The Vizant rides in the elevator, lets someone off at deck 16 without a word and then at Deck 7, asks Oliver for his Cabin number. The Vizant informs him it’s, “pretty much on the opposite side of the ring. Turn right, count the numbers up, then down, 709 should be on your right.”
The cryptic instructions do make sense when he sees things in context.
Outside the elevator is a small lobby, beyond which is a circular corridor curving back around behind him to the left and right. The corridor here is much more inviting. The walls and floor are coated in the common rubberised coating, which has been imbued with an apricot colour, and the floor has a geometric grey and orange decorative pattern. Vertical strip lights run from half-wall-height to ceiling every 3m or so. Unlike the lower deck area, the corridor is a pleasant and temperature controlled 22°C. Doors with numbers, presumably cabins, are spaced along the corridor at approximately 3m intervals.
Walking around to the right, Oliver passes even numbers that rise to 32 on his right and 84 on his left before becoming 31 and 83 and descending. He walks past another elevator on his left before finding 709 next to a third elevator lobby, which he estimates is indeed, half way around the circle that he has just traversed.
His door opens when he presents his ID Tag.
Oliver’s cabin is the shape of a slice out of a ring, the wall with the sliding door through which he has just entered is longer than the opposite. His bed is high bunk, with enough space below for a configurable area that has a fold-down table, a fold-down chair, or a fold-down couch. Storage space for clothes and gear, including a small safe, is along the corridor wall, and a compact fresher unit (combination toilet, basin and shower facilities) is nestled on the inner wall next to the bunk. One hopes Oliver isn’t claustrophobic.
A large vid terminal is along the wall opposite the bunk, placed so it can be seen from the bunk or the small living space beneath.
Oliver fiddles with the controls and brings up what appears to be a Welcome screen.
The vid fills with the image of a petite, grey-haired woman in a Vizant orchid uniform jacket with a short collar and four bars on her epaulets.
“Greetings, I am Vizant 4 Captain Idida Attenborough. Welcome aboard the Illuminator. On the menus below you will find safety briefing, directional and layout information, and your assigned areas for sleeping, working and emergencies. The Illuminator is crewed by Viziers, Vizants and Contractors, but you can distinguish ships’ crew from carried project teams and passengers by our uniforms.”
Captain Attenborough indicates her eapuletted jacket, which also has Captain and Attenborough written on tags above her left beast, where a Legionnaire would have their role badges.
“Should you have questions, our crew of Stewards will be happy to help. For now, please settle in, stow your gear and review the briefing information. I hope your time and travel aboard the Illuminator is productive.“
The menu options are:
- Illuminator induction
- Directions aboard ship
- Routine procedures
- Safety procedures
- About the Illuminator
- Duty assignments for Oliver Starr (F-203471-TZ-MLE-77-001-A)
- Berth: Deck 7, Cabin 709
- Routine Duty: Deck 11, Office 1116
- Emergency Assignment: Nil, follow crew instructions
- Messages
- Captain Idida Attenborough, Welcome [Autoplay, Seen]
- Minor Vizier Lilith Saden-Ejder, Shipboard Assignments Meeting [Meeting, Unseen]
- Cyclic Meditation for 211.352
- Apathy flows easily, kindness sweats and strains
Questions or actions before we continue?
Is there a possibility for rough estimate of how many people this ship carries?
Is there anything indicating there’s more crew on board, like Oliver and his peers that are here to do other missions?
Oliver will open the Shipboard Assignments Meeting message, then check through the Induction menus to see if there’s anything that strikes him as out of the ordinary. If the directions and procedures all seem normal I’m happy to just say Oliver understands it and we can deal with it when they come up, if you’d like.