[d20 Future] 22nd Century: Solar Odyssey to Hell. [The game]

[Jay Purr]

I don't think we'll get far posing as investors, since the four companies of interest don't have much connection to advanced technologies. It's probably better to open up communications with Mr. Ashdool and inquire about renting a segment. That will let us get on board for an inspection. I would also give us an excuse to initiate conversations with other employees about the quality security measures on the station.

This is an excellent idea. Jay Purr's "cover" does not require much of a change - he is a pilot. Possibly we can request to rent a segment with an external bay or lock such that we can move directly between Telarion and our rental space using our own shuttle?

OOC: Comments/Questions posted to "Talking the Talk," post #69.

 

[Turanil]

The fact is, Ashira_29 doesn't have external bays or locks such that one can move directly between a spacecraft and his rental space using his own shuttle.

This is an old station, and the renting costs are thus low (as related to space renting in general!). There are only three bays to lock a shuttle (not a 470 feet long spaceship such as the Telarion). On the photo, you can see one such locked spacecraft on the foreground. As such, people must float down the "shaft", then walk the long corridor of the wheel up to their segment.

 

[Brendan Radley]

"Bodyguard or mercenary would be an ideal cover for me," stated Kecia. "And if I had some technical assistance, I could probably break into some of these places and take a look around without being caught. I'm like a ghost when I don't want to be seen."

"Heh, guess I'll be playing grunt as well while we're there, but if opportunity for any stealth jobs come up you can count me in," Brendan adds.

 

[Turanil]

Renting space on Ashira_29

And so, undercover of Sarteck Inc., you contact Ashira_29 with the prospect of renting some place where you could "conduct some business of yours."

The transaction is dealt with an infomorph, as Ashira_29 seems to have no human employees, only some AIs (i.e.: Artificial Intelligence, be they just inside the station's computer, or inside a cybershell*). Renting costs are DC=27 per month. You sign up for a 12 months location, but don't pay at once (you pay each month). Once you have signed the contract, you can come (with a shuttle) and visit the location.

It appears that the infomorph on Ashira_29 is somewhat suspicious and asks for guarantees. You must either be convincing (succeed a Diplomacy or Bluff check at DC=25), or the infomorph will take some time to make researches about Sarteck Inc. before letting you rent anything. This will take 2 weeks.

So, let me know who does the Bluff or Diplomacy attempt (I give bonus to the roll for a good roleplayed Bluff here!). If failed, what you do?, if successful who goes on Ashira_29 (using the shuttle)?

(* Cybershell is the name given to droids, like HAR-Vee for example, in Transhuman Space).

 

[Jay Purr]

It appears that the infomorph on Ashira_29 is somewhat suspicious and asks for guarantees. You must either be convincing (succeed a Diplomacy or Bluff check at DC=25)...So, let me know who does the Bluff or Diplomacy attempt...

Jay is happy to convince the Infomorph of our bone fides. Can other characters assist?

 

[Turanil]

OOC

Jay is happy to convince the Infomorph of our bone fides. Can other characters assist?

[OOC: Actually, I expect the players (at least a couple of them) discuss the next course of action, then once one is agreed to do something (in this case Bluff or Diplomacy attempt DC25), he "rolls the dice" using the Online Dice Roller (sending the result also to myself!). Thereafter I tell what happened, such as the informorph invites you to come to the station, and you tell me what you do thereafter.]

 

[Christopher Lambert]

" Yes, I indeed do have quite a bit of experience in this area, Mr. Lambert. My experience is the reason for my presence here. Since both yourself and Dr. Hart are accomplished researchers and have a knowledge base I could not hope to approximate regarding the scientific disciplines, I think we will make a prudent team for accomplishing the immediate objective. I would like the two of you to dig through the SIA computerized archives, as well as some independent sources on external databases and compile some relevant information regarding the activities and personalities of the Ashira_29 station. I will spend the next 24 hours convening with my intelligence sources regarding the station."

Be careful with those sources, k?

1) Talens Industries: The headquarter of a mosaic of small companies scattered in several third-world countries, many of which are ruled by oppressive dictatorial regimes. Talens Industries is involved mainly in nanotechnology used to spy on, control, and monitor people; it has associations with various dictators, including Grand General Fudambassa, a power hungry tyrant suspected to fund some terrorist groups.

This one makes the most sense says Lambert. They're in need of the most political power, and doesn't nanotechnology require lots of computer knowledge as well?

2) Shabu-Avindranath Corp.: A cloning company. They clone dead persons to bring them back to life, uploading a copy of their personality when possible, and allegedly bringing back the soul as well (through an "original technology that is kept secret"). However, there have been (in India) several judicial affairs concerning the legal rights of those clones, especially when they appeared to be puppets used to take over the wealth and position of the person they were supposed to replace.

Just my area of expertise. I should take a look at them-I wonder how they would react to trying to get an uplifted cat cloned.

He looks over at the scowling cat.

No, I'm not being serious.

3) Shemezgan & Balmers: The two are dubious entrepreneurs who promise (for a hefty price) to provide anything their customers might request, and to do it in secrecy. Shemezgan is a logistics expert, while Balmers is a lawyer. The former knows many people and has access to a large network of informants and intermediaries; his part consists in getting and delivering what was requested. The latter sees to the legal aspect of the transaction, and how to turn around the law to make it become licit. They do have a spaceship who has been known to travel to Mercury (where antimatter is produced...), Mars, and Jupiter.

4) The Church of the Scientific Revelation: Apparently this is the "spatial temple" of a small cult. Their credo is to have bent the biblical revelations to pseudo-scientific explanations: angels and demons are aliens, Heaven exists in another stellar system, etc. The most faithful do pilgrimages to the small temple located in Ashira_29, while the saints are expected to partake in deep space pilgrimages. In this case the "saints" are followers who have got some revelation from these alien-angels.

I don't think these groups can be taken seriously says Lambert. He's never been comfortable around the interactions between religion and science, and that last group is a good reason why.

It appears that the infomorph on Ashira_29 is somewhat suspicious and asks for guarantees.

What do we know about infomorphs? Are they known for being hard to fool?

 

[Caine Freerover]

I don't think these groups can be taken seriously says Lambert. He's never been comfortable around the interactions between religion and science, and that last group is a good reason why.

On the contrary, I think they should be taken very seriously. The human psyche is never so dangerous as when it thinks it has the opportunity to transcend, and religious fanatics have a long history of being used as tools by those that believe in nothing.

We will need to have some excuse to interview each one of these groups,
and we can't discount the possibility that more than one is involved.

Caine.

 

[Turanil]

What do we know about infomorphs? Are they known for being hard to fool?

You understand the following about infomorphs:

Infomorphs (which are Artificial Intelligence), are most of the time programs without free will (otherwise it would be dangerous) and not sentient. It seems to sometimes happen, but is normally forbidden by law. As such, an infomorph is not so much gullible, than programmed to do certain tasks or not. So, if it is a program aimed specifically at detecting scams and lies, it could be hard to fool indeed. However, the infomorph of Ashira_29 could have some basic ability to detect lies*, yet is before all an administrator infomorph, so his "detect-lie abilities" are probably limited.

If you want to know for sure, the first covert agent (the human one) had rented a space on Ashira_29; so it's feasible. However, when the infomorph agent tried to intrude the database of Ashira_29, he was met and deleted by three idiots. Then, the Ashira_29 infomorph administrator alerted Mr. Ashdool on Mars, and the latter ordered him to carefully investigate and check the station. The human agent, badly prepared due to working in a hurry was thus unfortunately discovered.


(*: usually in analyzing available data, not making a Sense Motive check, although the latter could somehow exist for Lie Detectors Infomorphs)

 

[Vincent Collins]

"All due respect to our ace pilot Mr. Purr, but I think the Captain and I would be best to handle the negotiations with the infomorph. It might be prudent to have one of our science team on hand for assistance if questions get technical, but I believe renting the station under the premise that Sarteck inc. is interested in doing some legal entanglement free plasma containment research is workable. After we have secured a space we can go about developing a reconnaissance plan for investigating each individual suspicious enterprise in the station. And I quite agree with Dr. Caine Freerover; we can not afford to rule out any of the four groups, as each one may have a motivation for stealing the antimatter devices."

I was thinking Tobermorry could be the primary contact and Vincent would assist with the communication.