Old Stomping Grounds

When we last saw our heroes they were in full burn leaving Paquin headed to the planet Hera to help The Black Fox recover hidden treasures at an impressive estate that once belonged to him…

Fox and Captain Mitch were deeply effected by the thought of returning to Hera and each found their own way to deal with a somber mood. Fox shut himself up in his room while the Captain made extensive use of his whiskey bottle. After landing on Hera, Twitch prepared breakfast for the crew which helped to sober their minds and bodies.

Once Fox was able to resolve that he had returned to the planet where he had lost so much more than every possession he ever had, he became determined to go to the Serenity Valley Memorial before embarking on the task at hand. Eager to pay his own respects, the Captain agreed and ordered everyone but the pilot and security officer to come along. Some of the more observant attendees of the tour in progress recognized Fox right away and started to gather shouting insults. Captain Mitch’s attempts to calm the crowd failed came to an abrupt stop when one of the Alliance supporters landed a devastating blow on his temple knocking him out cold. The gang continued to swarm and throw punches, until Fox commanded their attention and shamed them for their behavior on this hallowed ground. The mob dispersed allowing James and Rook to carry the unconscious Captain back to his ship.

The Doctor worked his brand of magic on the Mitch, restoring his consciousness and health, and easing Fox’s mind. They all decided that it would be best to wait until nightfall to before scouting the property and its security detail. To be on the safe side, Rook helped disguise The Black Fox to help prevent future entanglements while on Hera.

The reconnaissance phase of the mission went decidedly well. No one was suspicious of the group. No one recognized Fox. And he was able to quickly determine that even with the recent renovations and added security, there was still a hidden entrance available and his treasures most likely remain undiscovered.

The team returned to the ship where Fox began planning the heist. Twitch informed the Captain that the current proprietor of the home they intended to invade was Magistrate Evans. This is the same Magistrate Evans that presided over The Black Fox’s trial for crimes of treason against the Alliance. Fox turned red with anger after hearing this news and became even more resolute in his mission, urging the team to begin immediately.

The troop manged to work their way along the outskirts of the compound undetected. James disabled the alarm on the fence, but his proud moment didn’t last long as he fell to the ground on his attempt to scale the obstacle. With some help, everyone made it over the fence and to the entrance of a hidden escape tunnel without attracting unwanted attention from the guards. Rook opened the lock on the tunnel gate, but found that the gate was stuck. Each member of the party took a turn to free the rusted hinges as they heard someone approaching. In a thick Russian accent, Adrik Dragunov, the ship’s new candidate for mechanic, introduced himself. He arrived at The Hera just in time to see the crew leaving and followed them to lend a hand. Unfortunately, Adrik is not very light of foot and everyone in the group could hear him coming. Fortunately, the guards somehow remained unaware of the infiltration and Fox managed to open the gate.

Inside the tunnel, Fox lead the way within the tunnel without hesitation. He stopped only to retrieve a chest and open it. “A down payment,” he said letting each member take Ȼ100 in paper notes and 200 Platinum. The tunnel continued on to a steel door with a mechanical locking mechanism that is designed to be released from the opposite side. Rook and Adrik used their lock picking and mechanical skills to make quick work of releasing the latches.

To give the best chance of escape, Fox and the Captain make their way to the master suite on the second floor while the rest of the team remained to guard the tunnel entrance. With great care and some dumb luck, the Captain and Fox make it to the master bedroom without stirring anyone in the house. However, their luck ran out once inside the bedroom when a creaky floorboard awoke the woman in the bed. Fox quickly drew his pistol on the woman to keep her silent and the Captain convinced her it was in her best interest to remain quite while he bound and gagged her.

An armoire had been placed on top of the hidden floor safe. So Mitch lightened the massive piece of furniture by throwing its contents on the floor and slid it out of the way without making a sound. Fox opened the safe, removed Ȼ10,000 and gave the Captain his Ȼ1,000 cut. Mitch noticed Fox remove something else from the safe and slip it into his pocket, but didn’t get a good look at what it could have been.

Their thoughts turned to escaping and they made their way hurriedly across the room. Fox ran directly into an obese man that filled the doorway just as he reached it. The man was startled to see intruders in his home, and Fox was startled to see Magistrate Evans, the man responsible for his imprisonment and present lack of fortune. Evans came to his senses first and yelled for his bodyguard, but his scream brought Fox back into the moment and he hit Evans square on the jaw. While Fox watched Evans drop to the floor unconscious, the bodyguard charged into the room and tackled Fox to the ground.

Game recap written by melinate