Seymour's dinner party

<snip>
“Captain?” asked the communications officer. “Yes?”
“We’ve received a coded message from Little Hand.”
“Start decoding it!” Amber said excitedly, placing her cup down. Butterflies flitted up through her stomach as the comm. officer scribbled away, decoding the short message. A few minutes later the officer stood up and handed her the message. It read: “Transporter located in unmarked building between parking lot and barracks. Flush toilet, wall slides back. You can’t miss the transporter, it looks like a Star Gate.” 
Amber smiled as a rush of adrenaline shot though her. “All hands to battle stations!” she shouted into the ship’s intercom. “Fleet wide announcement.” She told the comm. officer, “All cruisers and vessels prepare for wormhole travel!”
After a few seconds Blue Dwarf led the fleet into a wall of multiple wormholes, flashing off to Jupiter.
<end snip>

When the Blue Dwarf entered the solar system, everything became a lot more tense. The area around Jupiter is normally busy with spaceships passing through the solar system, a bit like the M25. Many of the smaller civilian spaceships and trading crafts scurried for cover as they saw the renegade starship appear, expecting a big fight and not wanting to get caught in the crossfire, a bit like an old western when the baddie arrives in town.

Several larger JMC ships in the area noticed the troublemaker, and started to square off towards them.

In the Blue Dwarf's Drive room, Amber stood looking through the forward window, to her left and right she could see the Mollopod starships she'd invited to help. But still they were only a small fleet of just 4 ships.

Lining up in front of them were 6 JMC ships, each the same size as the Blue Dwarf, but with much more modern specifications. They all approached together, at a steady speed, and it was the centre ship that fired first, followed by the others. The concentrated all their fire onto one Mollopod ship and it exploded into a ball of flames. Amber's fleet was down to 3.

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Who: Ambassador Seymour Niples
Where: Ambassador's apartment, Blue Dwarf, near Jupiter
When: During the fight

Seymour wheeled himself around his table of guests, dressed in his best Tuxedo with the legs folded up. He'd wanted to wear some fake legs that Keto had found for him but didn't for two reasons:
1) They been in storage for a long time and smelled like cat wee.
2) For the purpose of his meeting, he wanted to look like a war hero.

He'd assembled all the starship Captains he knew, especially ones that were on the fence about the new nazi-style JMC. He knew he'd be able to convince just a few of them. He wheeled himself around the table with a large plate of Ferarro Rocher and offered it to the nearest Captain. It was Captain Johnson Biggles from the JMC Tarka Dhall, who had a massive moustache.
“Thanks old chap” Said the Captain.
“No...” Seymour said. “What do you say?”
“Err...” The Captain looked confused. “Thank you Ambassador Niples?” He guessed.
“No! You're supposed to say 'Ambassador, with this Ferraro Rocher you're really spoiling us'.” He sighed and gave up, allowing the Captain to chew the chocolate as he handed it out to his other guests.

He moved on to Commodore Jason Wigglesworth. “So Commodore, I've explained the situation. The JMC is being controlled by Kinitawowi, it's corrupt from the inside. Will you join us and make a stand against them?”
The commodore cringed. “Well... to be honest Mr Ambassador, where's you evidence? What if it's all lies? If we all quit our jobs and join up with... lets be honest... the scruffiest-looking ship in the fleet, we'll look really stupid if it all turns out to be a load of old hokum! Total embarrassment!”
Seymour hung his head. “Well you're entitled to you're opinion Commodore, but you're wrong.”
“However, your food is fantastic Seymour. You know how to hold a good party!” Said the Commodore as Seymour was pushing himself away, causing him to stop and pivot.
“Are you telling me Commodore Wigglesworth, that you're just here for my food, and have no interest in helping us fight the corrupt JMC?”
The Commodore cleared his throat. “Well...err... it IS lovely food!”
Seymour's face turned red.
“Right! And who else here is just here for the food?” He shouted across the table. Nervously, a few people slowly held their hands up.
“Right, well. Get out, you ungrateful nincompoops!” He shouted, slamming his fist down on his wheelchair arm. “When we restore the JMC back to what it was, you'll all be the first to be fired... or shot!”

The people who held up their hands started to leave, and a few others looked nervous and started hovering in their chairs.
Before they got to the door, Seymour wheeled himself over, stopping them from leaving. “Actually... listen, I'm sorry. Please don't leave!” He said sheepishly. “You're right, I need to convince you some more. It just so happens I've got a spacial guest coming here- oh here she is right now!”

Brittany entered the room and smiled to all the Captains. “Oh are some people leaving?” She asked Seymour.
“No of course not. Everybody take a seat!”
Seymour caught sight of someone walking past his door. It was Storm Thrasher, a lacky from the Medical Department. “Hey you!” He called out to her and thrust a fiver into her hand. “Go and buy some more Ferraro Rocher for me will you, there's a good girl.” Then he slammed the door in her face.

“But Seymour...” Commodore Wigglesworth started. “This isn't the real Brittany.”
Seymour started to sweat under his Tuxedo collar.
“She's some sort of imposter. I was speaking to a Mollopod Captain earlier today, nice chap, but the conversation became awkward when he told me his favourite food was Jamaican Jerk hot dog, with real Jamaican people. However he did tell me that Brittany was alive and well, and living on the planet of Little Cheftonia, and only had one foot. This young lady however has two very healthy feet.”
“Err...” Said Seymour. “No... of course this is the real Brittany. It's just a skin graft. The foot's detachable. Isn't it Brittany?”
“What?”
“Take it off. Take your foot off.” Seymour insisted.
Brittany looked at her feet. “Are you mental?” she yelled back, and stormed out of the room, leaving Seymour looking embarrassed with all his guests looking at him.
“Her majesty is very passionate about the war effort. She can't wait to topple this corrupt JMC.” There was an uneasy silence that was broken by an explosion which toppled the pile of Ferraro Rocher and send Seymour's rolling backwards. “Ahh, it looks like the battle has started.” He said. “So... who wants more congac, and then help us destroy the JMC HQ?”

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2 more JMC starships joined the fight, at first lining up next to the enemy, which for a few moments panicked Amber, until both ships started firing on their counterparts. With concentrated fire from both sides, the two newcomers destroyed one of the JMC ships, and had heavily crippled another before they were both destroyed.

The distraction however had been worth it, allowing time for both Mollopod ships to get closer. The nimble alien starships shaped like Italian bistros unleashed a barrage of meatballs (or that's what it looked like) onto the crippled JMC ship, finishing it off in a spectacular explosion.

Things were now much more even, as the enemy only had 4 ships, and Amber's fleet was 3. But Amber knew more ships were probably on their way. They had to move fast.

“Prepare the Starbug for launch!” She ordered. She already had intel that there was a secret portal into the JMC base behind a toilet on Callisto, one of Jupiter's moons.

<Tag – who wants to be on the away mission to Themisto, and hopefully to the JMC HQ? If you do, get into the Starbug now and make your way through the battlefield to Callisto! >