Voidrazor said:
"Please, call me Argus. And thank you for ageeing to attend. I look forward to seeing you at the party. You may arrive at your conveniance. The chronomancer will be available to coordinate the timing."
"And you may call me Melanoce. Until then, fare well."
[sblock]
Voidrazor said:
"Unfortunately, our ... patron would remain anonymous. An agreement being reached you shall receive payment up front. The cargo is live, technically legal, but disapproved. To be transported from a place of your choosing in system to a drop off, uninhabited system neutral dimension. Payment of 2633 CuBs (7300gp equivalent) in advance is amenable."
ooc: Technically Legal?
Melanoce replies, knowing full well that she would have a considerable difficulty performing the requested service. "I'm afraid I am going to have to see some documentation, something that can appear at least moderately credible before a Committee. Something that can convince them that I'm unaware of any inapproprieties. A technical formality that likely need never be used if the proper safe-guards are taken, but a necessity nevertheless."
"Speaking of safe-guards; Is the cargo hidden from magical detection?" (ooc: are there affordable ways to store the cargo (lead containers or crates?) that protects against divination?) "We cannot have half the galaxy fropping in on a rescue mission, now can we?" And the price does seem rather low for all the risks I would be required to take, don't you think?"
ooc: Diplomacy +80
ooc: Unless the Gate Key can set up temporary gates I don't see how I can manage the transportation. (Arcane) Plane Shift is a 7th level spell and she can't cast higher than 5th. Can she outsource the transportation to be handled by another company, and in that case would it be secure? Or affordable? It doesn't seem practical.
I suppose she could smuggle the cargo trough the public permanent gates, but can she do that without risk of exposure? It seems dangerous.
I had planned to use the Gate Key to set up permanent trade networks between reliable partners and clients, not to smuggle sapient spell components for anonymous kidnappers...
So, at this point the main object with this deal as far as Melanoce is concerned is to dig up as much evidence against the smugglers as possible to be used to secure more tangible political and finansial advantages.
Melanoce starts digging.
Voidrazor said:
There are numerous public counter-movements, but they are all small and scattered. None have corporate backing, as that would be highly illegal. Large-scale direct democracy seems to be considered by the vast majority of Autarchs to be the best available check on concentrated power. Melanoce does notice some vague indications in trading patterns that there may be some sort of Citizen-run shadow syndicate. But if this is the case, they cover their tracks extremely well.
How are you recruiting the board, CEO, CFO, etc.? On Otajan 5 or Tran'sa Kuul?
ooc: So the local committes are kept under check by the local Autarchs and the Eschaton-wide committes are controlled by all the Autarchs in all the democratic worlds? But obviously that's just in theory. The people cannot possibly vote on every single political action troughout their jurisdiction. They would be overburdened by choices and overwhelmed by information. So, in practice, the committes are answerable only to themselves. A sort of technocracy with democratic trappings, a tyranny of a small political elite keeping the rest of the people in comfortable passivity?
Now, is there any way to appeal directly to the masses? Any way to go over the heads of the committees and let the popular vote determine the vagaries of corporate law?
Now, this was interesting. While she had good connections within the Borogashi Metaguild she had often found them too limited in scope. If she could establish a connection with this shadow syndicate maybe she could gain a greater freedom of action. Maybe she could even facititate the Glietsel deal at marginal risk? She oscillates slowly, musing to herself. Contacting them would be a difficult matter, as it should be, but if she kept her attention in the right direction perhaps they would contact her...
-
Since Tran'sa Kuul is a relatively advanced society she does most of her recruitment locally, including the CEO. Recruitment is handled in the usual way. Since Vermilion Capital Ventures is a well known and reputable company there's no need to be too covert about it. Melanoce does some research on the candidates under consideration, a few of them are selected for interviews and a few of them are hired. Some of the members of the board are loyal and competent people she has associated with in the past, and they are mostly from off-world. But she makes sure that also the new employees will operate under her instructions (mostly by awing them with her diplomatic skill and business acumen).
-
She yawns tiredly, suffering a brief flash of annoyance at her own frailty, and takes a brief break from her work. There was still endless tasks to be accomplished, that wonderful Gate-Key she had purchased so cheaply would require a lot of work to be utilised to its potential, but that could wait a few moments more.
Sixty pairs of gates, she muses,
The universe at my fintips.
ooc: Am I keeping too much in sblocks? Obviously I need to hide my actions that concern other PCs, but what about the rest? What do you think?
[/sblock]
Melanoce reclines on her luxurious levitating seat and closes her tired eyes for a moment. Though she loved her work it could be tiring at times, and she was actually looking forward to a break. She rests for a few moments, then prepares herself for the party.
And departs.
Some sort of liberal-conservative political block with corporate financial backing? Even though the Eschaton-wide democratic process is mostly handled by direct democracy (?) there must still be politicians and propagandists who tell people what to think. And there has to be some sort of democratic check on those committes, no?
