"Yeah, food and water are going to be priorities, at least until I can find a source of fresh water we can set up a pumping station next to, and get hydroponics running again. Maybe some farm plots. I can go hunting in the short term, maybe run out some traplines, and fill up some canteens while Felix and Dr. Vanderbilt thaw out the rest of the bridge crew and a couple more engeneers at least to restore power."

"There's a small farming village half a day's ride back that way," says Sparhawk, pointing back the way he'd come from. "If you have anything to trade, that'll probably be the best source of food in quantity. There's also a river near the path, no more than ten minutes' ride away."

"Alright, unless there's anything else we need to discuss I think we'd best get started? We've got a lot of work ahead of us if we're going to get things done."

Unless the Knights offer anything else to say, Felix starts getting ready to head back to the ship. He moves to extend his open hand to the Knight in handshake, but then changes his mind and offers a bow at his waist instead. "It's been a rather chaotic pleasure. I'm glad to have met such kind people as yourselves, Sir Sparhawk. Sephrenia."

"I agree, there is much work to do, and it'll be best if it's done sooner rather then later. I'm glad that there are good people like yourselves here, and I'm glad to have met you. Sir Sparhawk, Lady Sephrenia, next time you pass by, lunch is on us. "

Nate doesn't really bow, so much as offer a very deep nod, which to those who know him, would know that it shows far more respect then any bow he could offer.

In english: "Doc, you've got people to thaw out, and I've got mouths to feed and water. I think it best we get to work before dark falls."

"It's a pretty bad situation," Felix says in English to Nathan and Doctor Vanderbilt. "I'm not sure how much of the ship's power supply is still being fueled by the power core and how much is being supplied by the solar cells. Until I actually get a second to assess our ship's power reserves, there's a strong possibility that we're going to completely run out of power when the sun sets. I don't know what that'll do to the people still in cryo..."

Felix let's that sink in for a second. "The only reason I haven't already been busting my balls trying to frantically get power supplied as fast as possible was because I wasn't yet sure if we were going to get stabbed in the neck while we tried to work. Now that I know the Knights are of good grace and that possible neck stabbage is days away I'm heading STRAIGHT to the warehouse to try and figure out the best possible device to use to get everything online by nightfall."

Felix makes a quick pace towards the ship, assessing the surroundings as he goes to try and figure out how much time is left before sunset and what method of power generation might be best. More solar cells and hope the batteries on the ship can hold a charge til morning? Wind mills and the hope that the wind is strong enough for long enough? What about finding that river the Knights mentioned, extending a power line to it and throwing out a hydroelectric dam? Cutting down trees and using them to boil water for a steam turbine? He ponders as he moves towards the ship, where he'll assess the power situation, try to figure out reserves, and prioritize tasks.

"And I am glad to have met you, neighbours. Sir Ulath, Sir Bevier, may I request that you remain here and help these people to settle? Berit, I want you to hurry back to Cimmura, tell Preceptor Vanire and the Earl of Lenda about everything - with luck, we can head off any political manoeuvring that Raven will try to use to mess this up. The rest of us will continue on to Borrat as previously planned."

The two knights that Sir Sparhawk leaves behind are Sir Ulath - a huge black man with startlingly red hair and a thick beard. His helmet is topped by a pair of intricate, twisted horns; he wears chainmail and carries an axe, and gives off a general impression of quiet strength - and Sir Bevier, a nervous-looking knight in well-polished, even shiny white armour, looking every inch the virtuous paladin. Each of them have a horse and are used to riding same.

One young man - presumably Berit - heads back in the direction the knights came from, while the others continue the way they were travelling. Sir Ulath smiles gently and patiently while the group talk among themselves in a language he cannot understand, while Sir Bevier looks continually more and more unsure of himself.

--------------

It's currently about one in the afternoon.

After a brief consultation with the two knights, Felix discovers that the river is a really small one at this point in its course - one can cross it on foot without getting one's knees wet. It'll provide more than sufficient water for everyone awake, even for a lot more people, but it's not going to be much use as a power source.

The trees are thick and old - cutting them down and burning them is highly unlikely to be worth it as far as power goes.

The solar cells - if he remembers his power consumption/production figures accurately, they should produce more than enough power to keep all the cryocapsules running. That is, assuming all the solar panels are working, and all their internal connections are properly connected, which is by no means guaranteed. More solar cells wouldn't be the best way to keep power on at night.

Windmills, on the other hand, look promising. Felix hasn't been out there long, but the breeze hasn't let up yet...

--------------

Felix: Engineering: +5 Roll: +2 Total: +7

By two in the afternoon, with the help of the knights and some brilliant shortcuts, Felix has managed to put up a windmill. The computer displays have gone from **POWER CRITICALLY LOW** to **Charging**; but still do not accept guest logins yet. Dr. Vanderbilt has strongly expressed the medical opinion that letting the computer wake people up is far preferable to doing it manually, and in any case it should not be done until people can be woken with a meal right there, ready to eat.

Sir Bevier indicates that he is quite willing to gallop down to the farming village, exchange any trade goods the group would like to sell for food and a cart to carry it in, and return in time for supper. A brief glance through the equipment storage rooms indicates that trading for a cart, at any rate, would be superfluous, as there are several suitable carts in storage. (The knights are both rather surprised at the extravagance of a metal cart, but it's easily harnessed to their horses).

Felix goes through the warehouses and starts looking through various things and bringing them back to the Knights to examine, asking them what might have worth to the villagers and what might not. He goes through the farming tools to see if he can't find any good quality tools like hoes and plows and brings out examples for the Knights to see. Then he starts looking for general goods like clothing and hand mirrors or any stuff like that.

Nate tracks down a good rifle and some ammunition for it, a water carrier, throws together some basic equipment, and heads out to bring in some game and water. It'll probably be faster then waiting for someone to return from a supply run, and he wants to get the lay of the land. If any of the knights want to tag along, they are welcome to.

Felix can find some excellent quality hoes and ploughs - Sir Bevier is quite certain that he can pretty much get a cart full of whatever food he wants in exchange for a single plough and still leave the farmer convinced he's got the better of the deal.

Nate: Survival: +4 Roll: +4

Nathan strolls calmly into the forest and strolls back ten minutes later carrying something that looks like a cross between a buffalo and a deer. Whatever it is, it's got a lot of meat. None of the various stoves or ovens on the ship are working (they're surprisingly heavy users of the still sharply limited power), but the creature roasts well over a wood fire. Sir Ulath seems fairly impressed by the rifle, describing it as "a crossbow with really tiny bolts", and he's even more impressed by the way Nathan put his first shot directly through the beast's brain.

While the creature roasts, the sound of music can be heard through the camp, as if someone nearby is playing a flute.

Felix trusts the Good Knight Sir Bevier on his judgement and helps him load up the plow. He throws in a small selection of hand tools, the hoes specifically, and tells the Knight to gift them to the village as a thank you for their generosity in the hopes that they can make further trades down the line. Why not, they have a whole bunch more. More than they could ever really need thanks to the abundance of the planet and populace ensuring they can make a good living even if they came with nothing. Might as well use some of their abundance for good will.

After that is seen to, Felix goes to check out the source of the flute. It's rather perplexing that someone could be so close by and he doesn't want to take any chances and risk getting blindsided. He waves to Nathan and gestures towards the source of the sound to let him know he's going to check it out.

Nate nods and throws Felix another rifle he'd dug out of storage and was looking over.

"Give a shout if it's all clear, otherwise I'll come after you in 20 minutes. Fire a shot if you need help right away."

The source of the flute music is easily found, calmly sitting in a tree a short distance away. It appears to be a little girl, as albino pale as the lady Sephrenia. She looks about six years old, and is just sitting there, dangling her feet and playing her flute as if there was nothing else in the world.

"Hello, little girl?" Felix inquires as he approaches the child. "What are you doing out here all by yourself? Are your parents near?"

He keeps in mind that he was told of possible spies that were Albino like Lady Sephrenia. He doesn't think that the little girl is a spy, but he keeps an eye on the surrounding area nonetheless.

Felix sees nothing odd or untoward in the surrounding area. When he approaches, the little girl stops playing, looks at him, and then holds out her arms to him.

"I don't... I don't understand. Can you understand me, child?" Felix questions her, not quite sure what's going on. "Do you have family or friends nearby that you can go to? It's not safe to be by yourself."