High Law and Low Justice, Part 5

[DrZombie]

She stops talking for the first time since Gwydion stepped into the office, same old Tjoyia.

Gwydion winces at the barrage of words coming his way. When she finally stops to take a deep breath he laughs.

[sblock]
"Well, 't seems my future is all planned out, no?

So let me get this straight. I'm to find these people that were involved in that mess with the Dvonn, get them a new ship, fly 'em out the the arse-end of the universe, while making sure they don't dissappear as witnesses, right?

And how involved will the scouts be, besides me? Am I gonna be a free trader with a few extra badges, making sure them traders don't do anything the scouts wouldn't like? Or will they all enlist as scouts, or what? Am I getting paid by you, by them or will I get a share of the profit? And do I buy myself in with scout money so the ship will allways be partially owned by the scouts?"

He laughs again

"You see, Tjoyia? Five minutes of service and I'm getting paranoid again. Come, give me those papers before I change my mind"

He scrabbles his signature at the bottom, and sighs.

"It's sure good to be home again. Thanks, you meddling, scheming, well, scout. You just couldn't rest untill I was back, now, didn't you?"

[/sblock]
He laughs again.

"When they finally get the nerve to retire you, let me know. I'll set you up as advisor to my father. You'll have him running errands for you in five days, and you'd love it there. Rugged, wild and beautifull. And a lot of clansmen to bully and pester."

"I've got my gear stashed at the TAS. Could you forward it to the island? I'll leave with the first flight."

 

[Maerdwyn]

Gwydion
[sblock]
Gwydion winces at the barrage of words coming his way. When she finally stops to take a deep breath he laughs.

"You see, Tjoyia? Five minutes of service and I'm getting paranoid again. Come, give me those papers before I change my mind"

He scrabbles his signature at the bottom, and sighs.

"It's sure good to be home again. Thanks, you meddling, scheming, well, scout. You just couldn't rest untill I was back, now, didn't you?"

She answers brightly, "Ah...You'd've put put a slug in your brain from boredom after ten more minute on this waterball if you hadn't heard from me, Gwydion, and don't try telling me otherwise. Now, Like I said, I hear these are good people, but I don't know them. You'll be there to make sure they keep acting like they should and don't use those balls of steel to damage our standing out there at the arse end of the Imperium. And to get word to me if things get out of hand. And to get them ba-- to get them to court if the MoJ thinks their depositions aren't sufficient." She pauses again, turning serious. "The Scouts don't have much surplus cash right now, son. This damn war has the whole government strapped. (You know I love the emperor, but you can't tell me that all that cash didn't enter into his mind when he started impounding and selling Nellsian corporate ships like he's doing. Ah well, if that idiot had just paid his tax levies like every of the Domain ruler, we wouldn't be having the trouble, now would we?) If this were wholly a scout mission, I could authorize an appropriate ship, but the higher ups feel strongly that private enterprise is going to be the best way to get this thing done, at least until---" She catches herself and continues with only the briefest of pauses: "Anyway, the best the other scouts i sent out for this were able to do was a percentge of the ship's profits - I think that's what you should go for. If you and they do well at your mission, it's more than we could pay you anyway." [/sblock]

As they finish their discussion, she confirms that she will have his gear loaded onto the shuttle, and that Gwydion can take off as soon as he is ready.

 

[Seonaid]

Ktarle shrugs. "I'm not too keen on the 'weapons necessary' part, but I guess that's just a safety precaution . . ." She trails off uncertainly.

 

[DrZombie]

As they finish their discussion, she confirms that she will have his gear loaded onto the shuttle, and that Gwydion can take off as soon as he is ready.

Gwydion smiles, nods and exits. Without much further fuss, he goes to the quartermaster for some new overalls, and says he'll pick 'em up at the starport office. He reactivates his login for the scout computer network, and while waiting for the shuttle to take him to the islands he starts downloading all relevant info on the planets he thinks he'll be visiting.
At least I'll have something to read on the way there.

Through the secure scout network he sends a mail.
[sblock]

Gavin you old pirate. Never did believe you went legit, but after that mess you pulled us out of on, well, you know where, I don't think they had any choice.
Anyway, I got tired of being a happy little merc, and signed back in just to make Tjoyia shut up. I'm escorting a couple of people to somewhere rough, and she told me you had some ships for sale after the Emperor flexed his muscle here.

I need to call in that big favor you still owe me. I've got a bad feeling 'bout this one, and I think some big sharks are gonna swim our way. I need that little bit extra. I need a ship that can take as well as can give. Jump-3, at the least, and some cargo-space. And I need it at mate rate. And old corsair, or something similar, maybe.

Anyways, show me what you got, and I'll come over to the high-port and we'll get roaring drunk.

Cheers,

Gwydion.
[/sblock]

That old rascal. He'll sputter, and whine, but he'll get me something I can use.

To kill the time he looks at things as they are downloaded, sorting them and starting a cursory read on the things that pique his interest.

 

[Guest 11456]

Trelene Scrautigue : Luriani Nav2/Prf7/Trv1/Aca2 : Retired Makhidkarum Vice President

The last few weeks Trelene has spent studying. She has been studying the usual engine schematics and new theories in engineering theory. But lately she has also been intrigued by alien technologies. She has studied some of the best works on the subject and is very interested in woking with such technologies. her hopes are to find something that might improve existing engine technologies or even possibly a whole new form of drive altogether. Although she is a realist, the thought of starting her own company is appealing.

She enters the common room where everyone seems to be trying to decide on something. As the others fill her in, she offers her 'vote'. "Anything to get us off world gets my vote."

 

[Guest 11456]

Trelene Scrautigue : Luriani Nav2/Prf7/Trv1/Aca2: Retired Makhidkarum Vice President

"Before we think about buying a ship, I want to be allowed access to its engines so I can make an accessment of their condition and capabilities. I'd also like to checkout a few other key components as well." She sits and waits for the others' responses.

 

[Wilphe]

"Well let's RSVP this woman and see what she wants. Hopefully she has some really good ideas about getting a ship,"

 

[Maerdwyn]

After some more back and forth between the Scouts and your lawyers, you receive a direct video call from Ms. Theoklitos, who, it turns out, is an older Solomani-looking woman (perhaps 65 or 70). When she speaks, her voice is strong, if a little scratchy, and the words flow quite rapidly.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen; I hope that very soon we shall have the opportunity to meet face to face, but for now this will have to do as my duties here in the capital ensure that I will not be allowed to leave my desk here for the anticipatable future. I understand that you have a number of questions regarding you proposed mission for the scouts - I regret I will not be able to go into too many details over the datalink, but I have sent one of my best men fill you as much as can be allowed. Until he arrives, I will do my best to both satisfy your doubts an pique your curiosity. What is it you would like to know?"

 

[Maerdwyn]

DrZ:

[Sblock]
Before you leave her office, Tjoyia takes a call, and for once, her side of the conversation is mostly "Mmmhmm....yes....I see...mmhmm...," etc. When she has finished, she says, "Look, it sounds like these people aren't going to sign on without knowing more first, and the navy really seems to want this vargr captain of theirs involved - he's from your neck of the woods, too. Anyway, I still can't tell you it all, but I can give you some more. But you - and they - will be in violation of the Dissemination of State Secrets Act if you spill it to anyone else. So make sure they don't, right? Good."

She goes on to outline some of the key points of the mission:

-The area of operation will include much of the Delta Quadrant of Ley Sector, which is Rimward and Trailing from where you are now (Alpha quadrant)

-That region has, under the current and previous Domain administrations, been badly neglected. Trade has suffered, as has the Imperium's diplomatic position there. Apparently several of the region's client worlds have even renounced their ties with them Imperium, without consequence, or in some cases, without even a reaction by the Archduke. One of those worlds is Gergigi, home planet of the groups vargr captain. They broke formal ties with the Imperium about three years ago. If he has been away form the planet for longer than that, he might not even be aware of the change, but that might be another way to convince him that this is worth pursuing.

-In large part, the mission will consist of helping to "right the ship" in Delta Quadrant. Re-establishing those trade routes, or even, if possible, negotiating the return of some of the lost client states tot he fold, etc. For these aspects of the mission you will be allowed to act as brokers between the Imperium and the local state, but cannot make commitments on behalf of the Imperium

-Another aspect of the mission may involve assembling materials and labor (or the promises of others to provide such resources) for massive planned building projects across Delta Quadrant.

"Hopefully that's enough to grab them. None of that should be general knowledge, but word of all that happening is bound to leak out at some point. What I'm going to tell you now is something you cannot reveal unless you think it's the only way to get them. No one but them can hear it (so get them away from their lawyers if you decide to tell them), and if they reveal this information publicly before the Emperor himself reveals it, I guarantee you they, and maybe you will be executed as traitors. Got it? Good. So here it is: Emperor Gavin is moving the Domain capital to somewhere in Delta. I don't think they have actually chosen the site yet - who knows, it might even be Glen Murdoch. But it's not only that, Gwydion. The Emperor is deposing Marshal Nells as Archduke. Your team's job is going to be 'tidy up' the region before the new Archduke moves in. Understand?"

"Now like I said, this can't get out before the Emperor announces it - don't tell them unless you need to. But hopefully there's more than a little patriotism running through that group, so if you need to, do it. Anyquestions before you go?"[/sblock]

 

[Wilphe]

"Madame, I must admit that we are certainly interested in this endevour. However we cannot plan further without knowing a few more details of what you intend and what, if any, sort of aid and assistance you can offer towards getting us a vessal," he pauses, realising he's doing the formal ####, which, while it might be the way the nobility and the Navy works, usually leaves the scouts cold. "What I mean is this. We don't want to sign the papers for a fat, slow merchant and end up being expected to hunt pirates, and we certainly don't want a warship if we are being expected to shuffle boxes around."