Marco thinks back to three years ago when he stopped by his home on Maans and found his aged grandfather (mothers father) had died.
"We read the will without you here, he left you this box."
A wooden box of bamboo oiled and well worn with a simple hasp. Inside was a aged piece of 'Train to the Stars' letterhead with stylized writing giving your Grandfather 1/300 of a share of the ship as payment for a gambling debt. written in plain type on the bottom is LOG# 128483023894.
Keeping it till you got out of the Merchant marines you did research that it was a circus ship back in the day and your father was a roustabout that was promoted to senior animal trainer and keeper, it had disappeared, but traveling to Tilgang was your payoff. Finding the ships registry division and hiring a lawyer you were able to find the last known whereabouts of the ship.
"You awake, we are landing in 20 minutes, or are your old military senses working and will wake in 19?" Your lawyer chuckles and follows up, "I think I earned my money, the ship is owned by a Octavia Blue as you know, a retired criminal, who lives outside the starport in his own tiny self styled barony. I hired a car to bring us there and our luggage will be held by the starport."
You land and meet the grav car.
Any last minute plans or items you want to bring with you?
Chasing down Granpas share
Re: Chasing down Granpas share
Marco Hulsebosch
"Thanks Rutta. Retired criminal eh? Not sure any criminal really retires. They either go to ground , get put under the ground or lead as a political elite."
The ex-army and presently ex-merchant marine gets himself in order for the day. Strong coffee, black, extra sweet. Pensioned out of enlistment via a demolition job that went awry, ("I only told you to blow the bloody doors off!") and redundant from the merchant civvies as trade embargoes and tariffs put all but big fleet corporations and black market smugglers out of business.
The share in the 'Train to the Stars' an old heirloom, inherited. 'Grandpappy' had wrestled tigers and put his head in the jaws of lions, figuratively and literally, entertaining the masses as a travelling troupe. Big game hunter too, it wasn't all about animal welfare and circus rings but trophy heads on the wall and making love on a furry pelt in front of a raging fire.
He muses how many of those traits he will have to manifest in order to get this Mr Blue to accept the legitimacy of his claim.
On a practical level, most of his stuff was stored in rented lockers. Personal momentoes of his army days, the military hardware were in the customs block. Parading around in flak jacket and shouldering a rifle were hardly the business attire that suited the present situation. He had a permit to carry concealed but generally did not feel the need. The region was not a barbarian backwater but a civilized society which merited respect.
He has a briefcase of personal Comms, laptops and legal papers. Suited and booted, casual formal rather than pin stripes, he takes the grav-vehicle with intrepidation.
"Thanks Rutta. Retired criminal eh? Not sure any criminal really retires. They either go to ground , get put under the ground or lead as a political elite."
The ex-army and presently ex-merchant marine gets himself in order for the day. Strong coffee, black, extra sweet. Pensioned out of enlistment via a demolition job that went awry, ("I only told you to blow the bloody doors off!") and redundant from the merchant civvies as trade embargoes and tariffs put all but big fleet corporations and black market smugglers out of business.
The share in the 'Train to the Stars' an old heirloom, inherited. 'Grandpappy' had wrestled tigers and put his head in the jaws of lions, figuratively and literally, entertaining the masses as a travelling troupe. Big game hunter too, it wasn't all about animal welfare and circus rings but trophy heads on the wall and making love on a furry pelt in front of a raging fire.
He muses how many of those traits he will have to manifest in order to get this Mr Blue to accept the legitimacy of his claim.
On a practical level, most of his stuff was stored in rented lockers. Personal momentoes of his army days, the military hardware were in the customs block. Parading around in flak jacket and shouldering a rifle were hardly the business attire that suited the present situation. He had a permit to carry concealed but generally did not feel the need. The region was not a barbarian backwater but a civilized society which merited respect.
He has a briefcase of personal Comms, laptops and legal papers. Suited and booted, casual formal rather than pin stripes, he takes the grav-vehicle with intrepidation.
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- Marco and Rutta the lawyer
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Re: Chasing down Granpas share
Before heading to the kiosk to meet the grav car you note the area is full of vocanic ash, requiring at least, simple filter masks. You may buy 10 disposable
for 1cr, a washable for .5 cr or a stylized one for 5 credits with different beadwork on it. Rutta pulls out one he brought with him.
The grav car travels about 50 metres above the rocky ground. The volcanic hole is set behind the mountain to the left and the large hole heads down at 40 degrees. There are four pads in a square location, the quarter closest to the complex in the wall has small non jump ships, one has local grav vehicles which you cabbie is heading and there are two starships, one you think you recognize from your family's stories as the ship you have been searching for.
You land, the lawyer pays for the cabbie and you are met by a female with a clipboard and a dark clothed guard. "Octavia has read and understood your claim. He is willing to entertain it, please follow me to a meeting."
The two of you are lead into the complex, you note that the ash is kept out of the area probably by some sort of ultrasonic barrier in the approach tunnel.
You are lead into a room of dark wood and hints of antiques in the half light past the light over a dark birds eyes maple table.
2 men sit, Octavia introduces himself, he is shortish, bald and always seems to be looking at everything, not one thing. Yamin the lawyer. "I am from Deleon the be local legal company, we have been representing Octavia for years. There are 2 dark clothed men with assault rifles behind Octavia.
Rutta first asks that the guards be relieved as they are a persistent reminder of intimidation, after a bit of interplay and the two of you being searched, he agrees to the guards being outside the door.
Yamin, might be good, but Rutta is specialized in this corner of the law, there is back and forth and showing of proof of authenticity and they Marco is the true heir. It comes down to Octavia is willing to entertain the idea of the share if the log entry noted can be seen. Rutta is willing to give a 100cr honorarium and we all see it at the same time. It is agreed to by Yamin.
Octavia: "Life is full of surprises, may I invite you to dinner, as happenstance, I have the ..purchasers.. of the Train coming also. Fresh Fa meat and a imported Barbera is on the menu.
for 1cr, a washable for .5 cr or a stylized one for 5 credits with different beadwork on it. Rutta pulls out one he brought with him.
The grav car travels about 50 metres above the rocky ground. The volcanic hole is set behind the mountain to the left and the large hole heads down at 40 degrees. There are four pads in a square location, the quarter closest to the complex in the wall has small non jump ships, one has local grav vehicles which you cabbie is heading and there are two starships, one you think you recognize from your family's stories as the ship you have been searching for.
You land, the lawyer pays for the cabbie and you are met by a female with a clipboard and a dark clothed guard. "Octavia has read and understood your claim. He is willing to entertain it, please follow me to a meeting."
The two of you are lead into the complex, you note that the ash is kept out of the area probably by some sort of ultrasonic barrier in the approach tunnel.
You are lead into a room of dark wood and hints of antiques in the half light past the light over a dark birds eyes maple table.
2 men sit, Octavia introduces himself, he is shortish, bald and always seems to be looking at everything, not one thing. Yamin the lawyer. "I am from Deleon the be local legal company, we have been representing Octavia for years. There are 2 dark clothed men with assault rifles behind Octavia.
Rutta first asks that the guards be relieved as they are a persistent reminder of intimidation, after a bit of interplay and the two of you being searched, he agrees to the guards being outside the door.
Yamin, might be good, but Rutta is specialized in this corner of the law, there is back and forth and showing of proof of authenticity and they Marco is the true heir. It comes down to Octavia is willing to entertain the idea of the share if the log entry noted can be seen. Rutta is willing to give a 100cr honorarium and we all see it at the same time. It is agreed to by Yamin.
Octavia: "Life is full of surprises, may I invite you to dinner, as happenstance, I have the ..purchasers.. of the Train coming also. Fresh Fa meat and a imported Barbera is on the menu.
Re: Chasing down Granpas share
Marco Hulsebosch
"Thank you Maja. Please after you." he says to the aviation control specialist sent to greet him. He follows, happy to take off the crafted mask that the region has a cultural specialism in.
He wonders how much of a mask Mr Blue wears.
(from his initial investigations he thought Octavia was a feminine antagonist, Octavius being the male form of the Latin derived name.
Interestingly Octavia was a twin of Octavian who was married to Mark Anthony of Cleopatra fame. Octavia generally means 'eighth born' and while it is true her mother had eight pregnancies, with the twins she had nine babies. Octavia being the younger of the two was technically the ninth born and not 'Oct' at all, though by then an older sibling had died so was named after 'the eighth', not the one born eighth but the surviving eighth. She was also known as 'the Usurper' for 'she took her brother's place').
Marco has the feeling his impromptu arrival has put a spanner in the works of some hidden machinations that he would think simmers behind the scenes of the underworld baron. His welcome is perfunctory, civil. He accepts the invitation to stay, more so to meet the prospective owners. His share, little more than a finger in the pie of the vessel coming into his hands via heirloom inheritance and at least during its circus years; the blood, sweat and tears of wrangling creatures great and small by 'grandpappy'.
Staying for dinner gives him chance to get his teeth into some meat, Fa ribs and Barbera bushmeat. Sounds like the circus is entertaining again." he replies, accepting.
"Thank you Maja. Please after you." he says to the aviation control specialist sent to greet him. He follows, happy to take off the crafted mask that the region has a cultural specialism in.
He wonders how much of a mask Mr Blue wears.
(from his initial investigations he thought Octavia was a feminine antagonist, Octavius being the male form of the Latin derived name.
Interestingly Octavia was a twin of Octavian who was married to Mark Anthony of Cleopatra fame. Octavia generally means 'eighth born' and while it is true her mother had eight pregnancies, with the twins she had nine babies. Octavia being the younger of the two was technically the ninth born and not 'Oct' at all, though by then an older sibling had died so was named after 'the eighth', not the one born eighth but the surviving eighth. She was also known as 'the Usurper' for 'she took her brother's place').
Marco has the feeling his impromptu arrival has put a spanner in the works of some hidden machinations that he would think simmers behind the scenes of the underworld baron. His welcome is perfunctory, civil. He accepts the invitation to stay, more so to meet the prospective owners. His share, little more than a finger in the pie of the vessel coming into his hands via heirloom inheritance and at least during its circus years; the blood, sweat and tears of wrangling creatures great and small by 'grandpappy'.
Staying for dinner gives him chance to get his teeth into some meat, Fa ribs and Barbera bushmeat. Sounds like the circus is entertaining again." he replies, accepting.
Re: Chasing down Granpas share
"No not the little fat creature that runs alone the vines and eats grapes and grubs, the wine made from the grapes, where do you think that creature got its name. But I understand, this wine usually stays in the Capital district.
He smiles sincerely.
"I don't have a waiting room for you, but I can put the two of you in a prime suite, nice enough, steward on call, hot water on demand. Its about 45 minutes to dinner, someone will come for you.
Both of you are lead to the room and dropped off after they take and drink orders.
Rutta: "Nothing for me, i'm going to take a shower and change.