Main / FreeAndClear

Cal Cooper - Ship's Log

Free & Clear - Beowulf class Free Trader

Free & Clear System History

The Free & Clear was an older Free Trader (The Ship With No Name, or perhaps The Ship With Many Names - see below) stolen by Cal from his last employer (See his background for details). While originally stolen, it has been modified/sanitized (at the Five Points Repair & Salvage, on Cordan) to the point where it is effectively now his. An older ship, roughly 40 years old, but with a number of oddities that are likely to affect any future modifications. Additionally, there is a weird problem with the water system, such that all fresher showers never leave anyone feeling truly clean. The ship was modified by adding a pair of collapsible fuel tanks, 20 tons each, allowing it (if both tanks are filled) to make 3 consecutive jumps without requiring refueling; the space required for the extra fuel comes out of the cargo hold; the tanks themselves take up only a single ton. Cal also upgraded the computer to Computer/10/bis and installing Fire Control/1, Security/2, a TL10 Translation package, and Intelligent Interface software, as well as installing a triple turret, with 2 missile racks and a sandcaster (the turret takes a ton of space out of the crew common area). The turret access, support pillar, and power conduit run through the center of the crew common area, proving an obstacle to anyone trying to get through. The kitchen cannot be used while someone is in the turret. The intelligent interface insists on apologizing each time the weapons are fired. Occasionally (on a gunner critical failure) the computer may just refuse to fire, insisting that "Surely we can talk this over like reasonable sophonts." Other common phrases are, "Oh, I'm so sorry," or "I hope this doesn't get out of hand," or "Oh, dear, I hope no one was hurt."

The missile racks are by default loaded with Standard and Fragmentation missiles (one each). The Sandcaster is loaded with alternating rounds of Sand and Chaff canisters when in space, but in port, they are loaded with AntiPersonnel canisters. Cal is not a trusting soul.

One of the tables in the galley has a poker felt layout painted on. There's always a deck of cards available, and a chip rack. Cal keeps the stakes low, "nothing you can't afford to lose", and takes a dim of what he considers 'silly games', favoring the traditional versions of the game over weird variants. Cal has two strict rules - cash only, you buy in when you sit down, and cash out when you stand up. And no cheating. Anyone who cheats, well that's trouble (see "Ship's Charter" below for Cal's attitude about trouble).

The Ship With No Name, or perhaps The Ship With Many Names

When Cal tells the story of how he got the ship he will always claim to have changed the name. If speaking to someone he genuinely trusts, he'll tell the 'true' story of how he stole it out from under a bunch of stupid thieves. Others, he'll say he won it in a high-stakes poker game, or inherited it from a rich uncle, or bought it as salvage off a tip, or . . . whatever. A different story every time. When asked, he'll claim the ship was formerly called "The Swan", or "The Robin", or "The Wallaby" or "The Turtle". It's always a single word, and always an animal. Birds feature more often than others, otherwise almost always a mammal - insects and arachnids show up almost never. If you want to read something into this, feel free to speculate to your hearts content.

Crew

Cal Cooper - Captain/Pilot (J-Drive Engineer)
Kalidaren - Astrogator/Broker/Purser (M-Drive Engineer)
Ashe Volare - Steward (Pilot Trainee)
Jeet Pringtip - Engineer/Bot Wrangler (Power Systems Engineer)

Ship's Charter

"It's my ship. I'm the captain."

Cal will further explain that he pays a fair wage, and covers all expenses for crew. Any 'big score' pays 10-25% of the profit to crew, the amount going to each crew based on seniority and their contribution to the job.

"One last thing. You cause trouble, you're off the ship. Too much trouble, and I don't wait until we make port to do it."

More about Cal's command style, and how he runs the ship

Contrary to what many would expect (Cal included), he's not looking for The Big Score, or anything particular like that. Think Mal & the Serenity from Firefly. He's looking for freedom & security, and hopefully some friends he can rely on. So long as he can pay his crew, maintain the ship, and live well himself, he's happy.

Stats

TL: 12
Size: 200 tons
Speed: Thrust 1
Range: Jump 1 (but with collapsible tanks, 3 parsecs)
Supply duration: 1 month supplies, 2 month's fuel
Crew: TBD
Cargo: 79 tons (but one ton is taken up by the extra rack of sandcaster canisters)
Passengers: 10?
Low Berths: 20
Maintenance Costs: 4298 Cr / Month
Life Support Costs: 8000 Cr / Month (plus 500 Cr / jump for passengers)
Crew Salaries: 12,500 Cr / Month

Equipment

Archived

Potential Crew

These are a couple of generic-y crew I came up with - individuals from Cal's past that he might have recruited for the Free & Clear

Angel Malarent. Former? con artist/grifter. While she has done a variety of scams, her bread-and-butter was real estate. She could pull a mark in, "sell" them 5 or even 10 different properties, and alter the financing paperwork. She would disappear with the money leaving the banks, the buyer, the sellers, and others scrambling around trying to figure out who did what to whom.
She could be anybody on the crew - the only thing the background really specifies is a decent Admin skill (although deception and streetwise probably come with it). She's probably more likely for the steward/medic/broker type roles.

Jack Twigg, another character who came from a hard-scrabble background and never looked back. Rather reclusive fellow, he's not one for hanging out in the galley and swapping stories, but you can count on him to be there in the clutch, with his toolbox ready to make sure the ship gets where it was going. And, in the bottom of that toolbox? Well, a pistol still counts as a tool, right? Jack will stick with you through anything. And if the story is wild enough, sometimes he'll even stand a round to celebrate before disappearing back to his engines.
Jack obviously isn't a social character, but would make for a good engineer, astrogator (swap 'engines' for 'charts), gunner, or even a medic.