05 - Vox Populi

Posing as a circus act known as The Gaudy Ring, the Firedrake Outcasts manage to get a spot on the popular talk show "The Flight at Dawn" with Uncle Mike and Auntie Donna. It is required watching by decree of Governor Ritam al'Malklaith, the audience will be the majority of Planet Indri. 

But there's a snag - there is a problem with the falsified security clearance, and while the Planet Indri Children's Choir is performing, the crew is taken to the security office by security Commander Jerimiah Foster. He has questions that need answering. 

Meade Grey and Jerimiah Foster sit down in an interrogation room while Frank "Franky" Heather and Mphoentle Begin the are kept in holding. Meade asks for the cameras to go dark and appeals to Jerimiah, talking about the plight of the workers within Procyon Sector. It strikes a chord in Jerimiah, and he clears the crew for the show.  

Meanwhile, Frank "Franky" Heather uses Tyranosaurus Rex to send the recorded manifesto into the Broadcast, designed to pre-empt the segment where they will perform. They just need to keep people distracted.

The crew go before Uncle Mike and Auntie Donna, and perform a circus act, using the Aleph Keys to perform short range teleportation to move them from one sealed container to another. But in actuality, their segment is not being shown to the population at large, instead Meade's manifesto is played, masterfully recorded and stirring an entire planet to action. The response from Planet Indri is electrifying, and the workers start organizing and striking to demand fair treatment and better wages. 

Following the segment, Meade scorns the people of the show, calling out the inherent cruelty and subjugation of the Hegemony and the Guilds. Jerimiah Foster and his security team arrest them to take them to holding. 

But at the last moment, Jerimiah Foster takes them to their shuttle. He tells the crew that Meade's words and the manifesto struck a chord, and tells them to leave quickly and spread his word. 

They return to the Firedrake with a warning. Draxler's Raiders have finally found them, and two of their ships - the Cobra and the Python are closing in quickly. 

After a moment's discussion, the crew of the Firedrake decide to flee the pursuing Cobra and Python attack ships, part of Draxler's Raiders. 

Frank "Franky" Heather has a relationship with the captain of the Cobra - Samara "She Wolf" Red. Samara was rejected by Frankie and still holds a torch for him. She does not pursue when they flee. 

However, the Captain of the Python. Wudu "Starhawk" Klein, fires a brace of missiles, barely absorbed by the Firedrake's shields. His bloodthirst is obvious, he threatens to "Taste" Meade Grey when he has captured them. 

In a desperate move, Mphoentle Begin the summons the way creatures, and both the Jellyfish Entities and the Amoeba Entities cross over. The Jellyfish again protect the Firedrake, while the Amoeba's attack. 

Using the Aleph Keys, they transport the Amoebas into the Python, who proceed to devour some of the crew. They are blown out of an airlock, and a badly injured Wudu curses them before backing off. 

The Firedrake Outcasts are free and clear!