Joao nodded as he replied, "Hex-Cinq can gather the files himself, so long as he sticks to our retrieval protocol. I'll have Roberto prep the file right away so you can retrieve them at your leisure."
Joao took a step away and turned politely before pressing a point on his collar and opening a local communications channel to the Diomedes, "Roberto, I need you to prepare our full commodity lists for transfer to the local AI here, Hex-Cinq. Just draw up a standard retrieval protocol and it should connect to the ship. Also, we need to bring in 500 units of holotainment-bands, either plot us a good route or get in touch with Jose and the Meriones to see if they can help."
Roberto Santos, the communications specialist and navigator responded sharply from his seat on the bridge, where he had been studiously studying data picked up on scanners from the flight into Montbard, "Sim. Shouldn't take long. Hope everything's well down there."
"Estou bem. Obrigado." Joao replied over the radio.
Turning back towards Jasmine, he added, "The transfer protocol should be done shortly, then Hex-Cinq can retrieve the data. Roberto will also bring up the best way to get those bands you need."
Jasmine nodded slowly. "Of course, of course. They are rather necessary, but take your time." Then she looked around, blinking a little awkwardly. "Uh...will that be all? If you intend to stay on Montbard a while longer, some arrangements can be made. However, I believe that I need to get back to work. What we've accomplished here is but a mere candle to what we intend..."
A million dollars isn't cool. You know what is cool? A basilisk.
Joao listened, to Jasmine's reply, then cocked his head slightly. His comm-unit was connected to an non-descript ear-piece, but it was an old habit from having the mic on his collar.
"Right, good. Make sure we're ready to go then. Vamos," Joao said back into the comm.
Turning back to Jasmine, Joao said, "Of course, do not let us keep you. We will be shipping out shortly, so there's no need to arrange accommodations. Roberto has completed the transfer protocol so HexCinq can get the files, and also contacted an old friend of mine. He's will transport the holotainment-bands to Orkney on his ship the Meriones. We'll meet him there and bring two loads in to Montbard with the Diomedes.
"Jose is a rather efficient man, so if we don't head off as soon as the ship is ready, he'll be waiting for us on the other end. If you ever need larger hauls of anything I can put you in touch with him, he won't appreciate the Navy lobbing plasma at his transport, but we can work out the security.
"Other than that, thank you for your hospitality Jasmine, it was great to see what the goods we brought in are doing. And your work is quite something for sure."
"Yes, that it is. What we could do to the ship's systems with a fraction of this.." Gunther mused, "And of course, thank you for taking the time to show us."
"Indeed, thank you. Now, we will be off and should return in short order with the holotainment-bands you require," Catalina added, giving Gunther a slight elbow in an attempt to cut his sense of awe at all he'd seen.
"Yes, we'll be off. Thank you again Jasmine. Au revoir, I believe you say? And of corse as we say, boa sorte," Joao added finally.
Joao, Catalina and Gunther strode up the ramp onto the Diomedes, the small crew busily finishing the final preparations for launch. The main power on the Ahourdori class was already up, the ship emanating a fine mechanical hum.
Stepping onto the bridge, the three officers settled back to their usual posts, Joao proceeding to the helm, "Catalina, I'll fly the first leg to Orkney. I want either you or me on the stick at all times on this run. The GRN have those bomber squadrons flying about." Catalina nodded understanding, taking her position in the ship commander's chair. Called that out of tradition, whoever sat the chair had the duty of organizing all information coming in and making decisions based on that without having any specific tasks to worry about such as piloting or weapons operations. Typically, the captain sat the commander's chair, but Joao liked piloting the Diomedes himself, and taking shifts with Catalina to keep the pilot fresh.
"Everything's ready for cast off Cap'n." Roberto said.
"Alright, cast off then. Lara, keep those turrets hot. If we get hit with a disruptor I want whoever launched it to be facing our guns strait away. And John, well nevermind. I know you're ready." John Steele simply cracked a smile across his square, shrapnel scarred face; one had rested on the hilt of his characteristic dirk and the other on the holster of a heavy-looking pistol.
"Here we go, coming out of the dock, now," Joao said, The Diomedes slipping into the asteroid field surrounding Montbard. Joao, turned out from the base and started the cruise charge, the engines kicking in full and pushing the crew back as the ship accelerated up to full cruising speed.
"Scanners clean, course for Reunion set," Roberto informed everyone on the bridge.
The Diomedes traveled on, making clean headway all the way to Reunion. Joao guided the ship past a handful of GRN patrols, who came within scanning range but never near enough to intercept the gunboat. Once in Orkney, the Outcasts proved even more scarce.
Landing in the specified hangar at Orkney, the Diomedes glided smoothly in, coming to rest right alongside the Behemoth class Meriones. Having landed, the two bridge crews walked the short distance, greeting each other as friends not seen in some time.
"Jose you cabeca burro! How are you?" Joao asked.
"Fine, fine. The legitimate trading pays well. I've made some friends with the miners over in Omega-7 as you know. How have you all been?"
"We're doing well, just have some business up in Gallia. Seems like the royal navy there has it in for Sirius, their getting ready to invade but local resistance is holding them up," Joao replied.
"Hmph. Well that's a bad deal. I'll see that information gets back to Crete, though I don't know if anyone will listen to me anymore. I wonder, if these Gallians do invade, think there's any chance of the flotilla happening again?" Jose asked.
"A armed formation of independent Sirian pilots again? Well, we may certainly try. Would give them a neat surprise anyway. Let us hope the Council does their work and it doesn't come to that. I should probably let you get back to your runs, and we still need to take two loads up to Burgandy."
"Sim. That would be best unfortunately. Come to seven sometime. We could use the security some days. And we both need to do some catching up. For now, time is money and I have barely enough of either to keep us running."
"Fair is fair. We'll move the cargo over and let you and the Meriones get out of here. Watch the addicts on the way out. And I'll pass along a fair share once the cargo is in Gallia. Boa sorte meu amigo."
"Obrigado. Also, we had room so we brought 625 units of the bands. A 25% contingency just in case. Boa sorte Joao," Jose finished, walking back to oversee the offloading of the transport, even as Joao smiled at the caution of the man. Well, there was a reason he was and still could be a fine smuggler. Joao turned and began helping with the loading of the Diomedes, every man and woman on board pitching in with the effort.
The rest of the trip went quietly, Catalina and Joao taking anti-climactic turns at the helm. The whole crew was a little on edge, travelling through the relatively unknown space of Gallia with the navy clearly ready to engage them in a ship of Sirian make. They flew well and fast however, bring both loads of the holotainment-bands into Montbard and offloading to the same hangar as before. With the final crate unloaded and the Diomedes powering-down for a post-flight check over, Joao sent a brief notice to Jasmine of the cargo's arrival.