Path of the Lioness - Campaign Journal #1

Captain's Log Federation Science Ship Lioness
Captain Josiah Greene reporting

Ferret Hunt

     We left Zephlenn, and returned to Mavellar to complete our contract with the pharmaceutical firm. After delivering the plant samples we were able to turn our attention more fully to figuring out what we had found in the cave on Zephlenn. The triangular metal plate which we had until the mysterious team of soldiers took it from us seems likely to be part of a set, which make up the pentagon design on the wall of the cave. 
The star field projector was easier to understand; but it took our ship's computer nearly the whole jump to correlate the image with a location in space. It looks like our next destination is the planet Klah, two parsecs from Mavellar. 

     Some local scholars were able to give us a lead on the inscriptions on the cave entrance and walls, we now know at least that the writing is Haephestian. Everybody knows of the Haephestians, that they're xenophobic humanoid aliens who possess incredibly advanced technology but don't share any with the Federation. What we don't know is anything certain about them, not even their language. The sages were only able to translate a few words from the inscriptions we showed them:

• Power 
• Space
• Guard
• Great

We have no idea what any of that could mean. The star map points us towards Klah. Once we get there we will try to find out where the star map image was taken. 

For the transit to Klah from Mavellar, we have taken on some routine cargo to offset costs, and one charter job. We are transferring a family of twelve Horton's quasi-ferrets, commonly called Q-ferrets and a White Speckled Tree Rat to the national Zoo on Klah. During the trip, the q-ferrets managed to escape their containment unit, and the entire crew had to get involved in rounding them up. They're cute little creatures, but they move fast and were hard to catch. The tree rat broke out of its cage - no one told us that tree rats like the taste of q-ferret. Fortunately we captured it before it could get its teeth into one. General Mason and I agreed it would be best not to mention to the Zoo that their one exhibit almost ate the other. 
End of entry.

Horten's quasi-ferret
Omnivore Gatherer    6 kg    6/12     Teeth-2D    no armor    A9  F3  S3
Hoten's quasi-ferrets, also 'horties' and q-ferrets, are a playful but undomesticated woodland creature from the planet Zed. Black to gray to off-white in color, six-limbed and very lithe, they get into small spaces easily.

White speckled tree rats
Carnivore chaser    25 kg    15/9    claws & teeth    Jack armor    A if more  F6  S3
Tree rats are short, with sleek silky brown fur speckled with large white spots. The tree rat is a rare prize specimen found only in a few zoos. Their temperment is agressive, territorial; they attack with fury when provoked.