Tully arrives at Ray Jay's tower. After knocking at the door and waiting for a few minutes, it is finally opened and he greets Ming.
"How may I be of assistance?" the half elf asks.
Tully says, "Do you know a way to make the ship and robot work on the outer planes? I was able to recharge the robot, who knew about the ship, but neither really worked there."
Ming shakes his head.
"Technology is unpredictable, even at the best of times. On the outer planes...who knows? Maybe Master?"
Tully says, "Oh, ok. Well, I will try to master the abilities of the ship. In the interim, would you be willing to create an item of strength enhancement for me? I need a way to become better in battle so that I can help our group more."
"Hmmm...such as? A girdle? Gauntlets?"
"A girdle would be ideal."
"That would be pricey. You would have to supply the giant hide. Then it would be up to Master."
"I can probably do that."
"Master will want 50% down in advance...the rest upon completion. That would be 100,000gp up front and 100,000 upon completion. Of course, Master cannot guarantee that the item will be successfully enchanted but the full fee would still be payable."
Tully says, "Uh, I don't have a 100,000 gold to put down, so I will have to wait on that for the time being."
"Also, I was thinking...with the ship and the war, I, or we if you want to be involved, could open up some trade routes that have been closed. I could also use the ship for transport of troops and the like. It would probably be a great way to make money. Everyone wins. What do you think?"
"You mean for the war against Imrilil? Nlad has little trade with the dwarves. As for the lands beyond Kludar...they are accessible via the Imperial Road through Saltar or by sea for what little trade there is. As for transporting troops, I do not know of any plans for Nlad to enter that war. As long as the present king remains king I doubt if that will happen."
"Also, do you know if there is a way for me to continue to rise in experience as a fighter?"
"Whatever would you want to do that for?" sniffs Ming.
"I would like the option to continue to get better in any of the areas I have chosen. That way, over time, I could be a great fighter as well. As it is...I am good, but not great. I love the bardic colleges, but they don't help much in a fight."
Ming sips his tea and thinks.
"I do not know much about such things," he says after a moment. "It has always been my understanding that one must focus exclusively on one skill - be it warrior, thief or bard - at a time in order to excel at it. But why don't you give it a try and see what happens?"
Tully suddenly gets a bright idea. "Actually, is there any way I could learn to be a mage? That would be even better!"
Ming smiles.
"Now THAT would require your full attention, at least for the first few years. You would have to take the entrance exam at the Guild, of course."
Tully returns to Occa's house and activates the Jupiter 2.
It expands to stand on only two legs...then the third one extends and the ship rights itself. Going aboard, you find everything operating normally.
"Greetings, Will Robinson!" says the robot. "What do you want to do today?"
Tully says, "I want to learn how to fly this ship and use everything in it. Will you train me?"
"AFFIRMATIVE," replies the robot.
"IT IS BEST TO LEARN BY DOING," continues the robot. "LET US VOYAGE SOMEWHERE. HOW ABOUT ALPHA CENTAURI?"
"How long will that take, Robot?"
"THE RETURN JOURNEY SHOULD TAKE NO MORE THAN FOUR DAYS IN NON-RELATIVISTIC TIME, WILL ROBINSON. HOW LONG YOU STAY THERE IS UP TO YOU."
Then he pauses. "Uh, non-relativwhat? What kind of time? What does that mean?"
"WE WILL BE TRAVELING AT CLOSE TO THE SPEED OF LIGHT FOR PART OF OUR JOURNEY, WILL ROBINSON, AND AT MUCH GREATER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT FOR MOST OF IT. THE PASSAGE OF TIME WILL DROP TO NEAR ZERO FOR US, WHILE IT WILL PROCEED AT ITS NORMAL PACE FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD."
Tully thinks about this for a moment then says, "Ok, if we travel to Alpha Centuari over the next few days with near zero time for us. How much time will pass here on this planet?"
"ABOUT FOUR DAYS...NOT COUNTING ANY TIME YOU SPEND EXPLORING THE SYSTEM."
Tully smiles, "To Alpha Centauri then! This should be fun. Hmm, maybe I should bring someone with me. Give me a few."
He goes back to Occa's house.
After that EARTH party departs for the outer planes again, Tully - who stayed behind to play with the Jupiter 2 - comes to the rest of you with a question.
Tully says, "Do any of you want to go travel to the stars? I am planning on a 4 day journey into space. I don't expect any trouble, but just in case, you know the old adage."
Zanax sighs and pats his full stomach, "I'll go. Anything to relieve the monotony of this place."
Tully says, "Great!"
Darian looks at Jesse. "Um... I'd like to go..."
"Fine, go. Whatever," says Jesse.
"I think I'd better stay here, though."
"No, do not think you better stay here. Do what your conscience tells you to do. Don't let me sway you one way or the other," says Jesse.
Darian chuckles. "I'll stay here."
Tully says, "You could both go. Just imagine what it is like out there, Jesse! I expect we will all have tales to tell of the sights."
"No thank you, I need to finish supervising the temple construction as well as complete Lo's training," Salaam replies.
Zanax rises and gets his adventuring gear. His outfit seems to be a much tighter fit than it used to be.
Tully also brings a bevy of brazen beauties aboard too.
You all head outside to see them off.
There awaits the Jupiter 2. A deep hum now emanates from it, and lights flash around its perimeter and from its top and bottom. A group of neighbourhood children peer at the scene through the iron gate that opens onto the street.
Zanax and Tully climb the steps on the outside of one of the ship's legs and disappear inside. A moment later you see them waving to you through the main view port. The robot is there as well.
A few more minutes pass, then the pitch and volume of the hum starts to increase. The air starts to throb, and those of you who mare outside almost feel as if something is pushing you back from the ship.
Then, it slowly rises into the air, and as it does its three legs fold up into the underside, and hatches slide closed once they are in.
The Jupiter 2 hangs in the air for a moment and then rotates about its vertical axis to face south. It begins to move away, gradually gaining speed and velocity. Soon it is lost to your sight.
Aboard the Jupiter 2, you gaze in awe at the landscape below as the ship slowly gains altitude and velocity. You see Castle Yuri pass underneath you as Sandas recedes. The Rocky Mountains remain to your right, though they seem to be shrinking as the ship climbs heavenward.
The robot, meanwhile, is trying to point out a few things to Tully about the ship's controls; things such as hydrogen-deuterium intermixing, fusion regulation, antigravity control and shipboard environment monitoring, but it is difficult given the view outside and the clamour being generated by the bevy of beauties that Tully talked into accompanying you.
You see, this is all to much for their simple medieval minds. Serving wenches and scullery maids, the three ladies are completely out of their element aboard an artifact of technology bound for the stars.
In short, they are having hysterics, and the noise is deafening.
Zanax, with his hands firmly clamped over his ears, yells to Tully, "Can you do something about the noise?"
Tully uses his bardic ability to sing them a song to inspire and calm them.
They calm down somewhat but are still very scared and nervous.
After all of that is done, he reassures them that they are safe and will return home safely with grand tales to tell.
"Take us home, now!" says one of the wenches, "Or I'm telling master Occa!"
Tully says, "Do you know what kind of grand tales you will be able to tell Occa after this adventure? I am sure he would be here with us now if he were about. Anyway, we are already on our way. You shall be home in a few days. Relax and enjoy the ride for it is something you will be able to tell your children's children about."
"I won't if we all die!" she replies and bursts into tears.
Tully says, "You have nothing to fear. No one is going to die. We are going to have fun trip for a few days that is all. It will be like a party!"
The women retreat down to the lower deck, where their crying and carrying on is somewhat muted.
You turn back to the main view port, and see a rapidly darkening sky ahead. Earth is far below, now. You are traveling over water - presumably the Bay of Hork - and the horizon has a decided curve to it. The first stars come into view...seen even in sunlight.
The Jupiter 2 is moving very quickly, now. A hundred miles below you see the Gulf of Mexico...then the Caribbean Sea...and then the cloud covered lands of South Amrica. Then, more ocean, darkness falls and the constellations blaze forth like you have never seen them before, illuminating the icy wastes of the Southern Continent hundreds of miles below.
Earth finally drops away altogether, as a bright yellow star becomes centred in your field of view. The pulse of the drive increases, and you notice that the bright star ahead is becoming more blue tinged, as do the stars around it. Steadily it turns violet, then fades away. A growing dark spot appears where the star was...surrounded by violet stars which steadily fade out as the darkness spreads.
Finally, no stars are visible at all...just a black void.
"PREPARING TO JUMP," announces the robot. He presses a switch. There is a slight jerk.