Chapter Eight: Breakfast on the Queen

[cybersavant]

Reven Stiilpahth "Of course you can borrow; anything you like. It can only add to the disguise.

SOC3 = pretty low class clothes
astrogation [2d6+2]=9+2=11

[BackworldTraveller]

Reven & Nālani
Reven has carefully checked Nālani's work. Move one decimal place and the whole thing puts the asteroid in the belt about 40km behind Big-Rock; Pretty much where the Encyclopedia says it should be, rather than about 1AU further out! At 1G that will take 68 hours to get to from Sparks as it is quite a way ahead of sparks in the belt's orbit.

One curious factor though...There is little in the way of business at big-rock that would sustain a private residence. Whoever that Matti guy is, Big-Rock isn't the source of his wealth. It's also not a rock that Nalani has run errands to or visited in her earlier career - even though the Queen has occasionally wandered to Big Rock itself on PLDES business.

And with that, Reven & Nālani head down to the crew deck and Nālani plunders Reven's wardrobe and gets changed
n.b. Reven is still tired: The violent dreams didn't help.
n.b. Nālani should make an Art(Acting) roll for her disguise

---

Noor
Minas Ithil Ltd is listed as a business with a local office on Sparks. Currently closed. It's accounts are on file (fee of Cr10 needed to unlock).

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

The long day is getting to her and the nice captain's chair doesn't help keep her awake, but the adrenaline of new information is able to keep her up a bit longer. "Jusu was brilliant. I don't doubt that if he desired, he could have programmed all this." She nods her head and continues. "Which is why this is so interesting now. His notes are missing, and you've found what looks like a possible repository."

Assuming she can still dial out, Noor uses her prepaid card to unlock the Minas Ithil file. She yawns as she waits for access. "All this talk about sleep is killing me. I don't suppose the staterooms are cleaned up?"

So the asteroid is 40Km away from Big-Rock. Was it supposed to be 1AU away? The comment confused me a bit.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor
No, the rock where it was supposed to be, not where Nalani first calculated it...but Reven found the mistake and then the calculation worked out fine.

The accounts arrive...running on adrenaline, Noor uses her admin skills to try and interpret them in detail!
Yep, Roll needed
The only immediately obvious things are that the board consists of just two directors who are also the only listed shareholders - and the company is now doing nothing at all. It's a shell. It was active a few years ago, but it has gone quiet.

[The Bindoner]

Nālani picks through Reven's wardrobe and selects what she thinks might fit her. Coiling her hair and pinning it into a bun she fashions a turban from the cleanest strip of material recoverable from the staterooms.

She presents herself to whoever is still around: Well, will I do? To enter the hotel unrecognised.



[2d6]=4

[BackworldTraveller]

Arnwulf

Asks a question.

"Was the young lady bio-chemist who was found dead on the ship, discovered behind this airlock? And she died of wounds taken from a laser.

Was she conducting a virtual investigation herself and the Queen security shot her real person as well as her avatar?"

The young woman, Angela Hilbert, had a bright but introverted existence with academic promise. Her history is probably being poured over by the police, but they may not be looking for the same stuff. Worth investigating? Who knows?

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

Admin roll: [2d6]=6

[BackworldTraveller]

Nālani picks through Reven's wardrobe and selects what she thinks might fit her. Coiling her hair and pinning it into a bun she fashions a turban from the cleanest strip of material recoverable from the staterooms.

She presents herself to whoever is still around: Well, will I do? To enter the hotel unrecognised.



[2d6]=4

The trip to the hotel is a bit nerve-wracking. Outside bay 13-12, the protestors are still there...milling about. Now only ten or a dozen. By the station, the lonely corridor is empty. Only one other passenger at the station - chatting away to their girlfriend as they try and get the right ticket. They follow you on to the platform - but walk to the far end.

The carriage is almost empty too. A family with their luggage.

Exiting the carriage at the Grand Plaza, the station is crowded and noisy by comparison. Just outside there is a guitarist serenading the crowd and electric carts - beautifully decorated - being inspected and paraded (and moved together at speed - racing being against the rules) all overseen by tourists and locals who seem to have turned up for a party. The Cafe's are doing a roaring trade.

You are about halfway to the hotel, when under the crowds chatter you hear a dull-buzz and Nālani, this way quick! Turning, you see Miya - who is holding a stunner - letting a man slip gently to the ground. By his feet is a silenced pistol.
There's two more - quick
She indicating a side - street, lined with carts with their owners and admirers nearby but less crowded with the tourist element.
Please make an initiative roll. and state your intended actions {MgT1 page 61 or MgT2 page 71} for round 1!
You are 50m from the steps of the hotel (where there seems to be a pair of doormen and a police cart) - and this side-alley is in the opposite direction, but leads to a junction where you can turn left and head to the square itself, go straight on, or right (back behind the station).
Alternatively, there are shops - people and carts if you chose to continue along the street - or an alternative alley on the opposite side of the street.
n.b. taking the time to get a full view (map) of everything is a minor action.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor

Admin roll: [2d6]=6

Seven years of financial numbers. 291-298. 299's accounts aren't filed. Time flies.
298 is quick...almost nothing. Money only drawn by one director (KK) - and a lot of payments for "Security". Still got Cr8 million of assets by the end of the year though despite a lack of income.
297 takes longer...Midnight passes almost unnoticed...
...Pausing to see if this is a lone exercise or a joint one...

[Bluetongue]

Arnwulf

She presents herself to whoever is still around: Well, will I do? To enter the hotel unrecognised.

" ... err ... That would be a no." he says, before flipping a lid to a beer bottle and settling in his bunkroom to while away the hours until duty calls in the early morning and he does a security inspection of the craft before breakfast.

Mind of the bomb planted earlier, he assumed whoever did that may try to target the ship in some way again.

[BackworldTraveller]

Arnwulf

She presents herself to whoever is still around: Well, will I do? To enter the hotel unrecognised.

" ... err ... That would be a no." he says, before flipping a lid to a beer bottle and settling in his bunkroom to while away the hours until duty calls in the early morning and he does a security inspection of the craft before breakfast.

Mind of the bomb planted earlier, he assumed whoever did that may try to target the ship in some way again.

You had a port security guard up top earlier...no sign now...in fact no sign since the lights came on outside.

[The Bindoner]

Nālani curses quietly but vehemently: Mukatsuku!

Noting the direction Miya took Nālani stoops to snatch up the fallen pistol and, deciding to trust her apparent saviour, follows her. She tries not to draw attention, so she conceals the weapon and doesn't run, but she hurries.

Initiative: [2d6]=5

Roller still hates me

[BackworldTraveller]

Hotel Contact 1.png (92.74 KiB) Viewed 554 times

Miya passes you and ducks into the entrance of the alley amongst the parked carts. You sweep up the gun and follow; squeezing between the corner of the tunnel and the nose of the first one.

She has a phone in her hand, earpieces dangling, which she offers to you as you approach, scanning back the way you came.

A Man and a Woman in the gap between the first two vehicles turn to look at you Mind the paint yo... trailing off as they notice the weapons you carry.

From behind you, there seems to be some commotion - possibly from the body that was left lying on the street.

Streetwise to process the details of the prone body as you sweep up the gun
Actions for turn 2 please.

[cybersavant]

And with that, Reven & Nālani head down to the crew deck and Nālani plunders Reven's wardrobe and gets changed
Nālani picks through Reven's wardrobe and selects what she thinks might fit her. Coiling her hair and pinning it into a bun she fashions a turban from the cleanest strip of material recoverable from the staterooms.

Reven Stiilpahth sits on the bed and starts his meditations, but falls asleep before Nālani finishes scrounging his closet/footlocker.

[SpinwardMarch]

Maggie

Exhausted by the long day, she finally gets up, and makes her way to bed.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor

Admin roll: [2d6]=6

Seven years of financial numbers. 291-298. 299's accounts aren't filed. Time flies.
298 is quick...almost nothing. Money only drawn by one director (KK) - and a lot of payments for "Security". Still got Cr8 million of assets by the end of the year though despite a lack of income.
297 takes longer...Midnight passes almost unnoticed...
...Pausing to see if this is a lone exercise or a joint one...

..and Noor realises that she is the only person left on the bridge, but ploughs on - Sleep banished
297 sees the company losing its income and increasing its expenditure. Income was less than Cr3million; expenditure was nearly MCr20. Assets increased a bit but then the P&L loss wiped that out. It had about 11m of assets at the end of the year. The biggest single loss was MCr10 for a ship "Lost to Pirates". There is an extraordinary item for "Staff Severance".
296 and the company seems to be operating as a trading broker/ships chandler. Turnover was MCr30 with 25% profit.
295 Similar to 296 although profit was just 20%
294 Similar to 295
293 Research Costs are much higher than subsequent years, but that arm shuts down half-way through the year. The Chandlery operation is split off from the main trading.
292 Income from trading is showing profits of 100%, but all the spare money is being spent on Research and Fees. The company also has a 30% share in Vacc Shelters Ltd at year end plus some land investments on Ares.
291 The company is trading and making huge profits - 1100% - which are all being drained into Research and Fees. Directors take a major bonus.
Overall, trading companies are expected to make about 10% per annum. Minas Ithil continuously made profits on the trading that exceeded that by a huge margin even while the belt was suffering a major piracy threat, but then spent an absolute fortune on other, loss making items, thus hiding the figures.

The overall feeling is that the company is buying at market rates or higher and selling at hugely inflated rates until 292/293 and then goes on to make unexpectedly high profits on trading but at nowhere near the previous rates. In that first period, it looks very like wholesale money laundering.

And by 4am, Noor has finished/is finished. Suddenly, even the console looks inviting as a pillow. May be cross referencing the named creditors to the Queen's accounts can happen tomorrow.

Oh yes...and the company's registered address moved to Sparks in 292 from Firstport on Sapphire. It's a small nameplate registration and accommodation address only.

[The Bindoner]

Nālani thinks about the man Miya felled, trying to recall if he wore any gang affiliation colours or tattoos. Hopefully not Nepenthe.

Taking the offered 'phone Nālani crouches in cover of the cart and puts an earpiece in one ear. Rather than speaking into the device she addresses Miya, assuming whoever is on the other end of the comm will recognise the new voice. We keep moving. One covers another. You know the way. Lead and I follow.

Nālani looks briefly at the pistol to assess whether it is a reliable weapon and returns her attention to watching for pursuers.

If the pistol is junk Nālani pockets it and draws her own Stunner.



Streetwise: [_2d6]=(3+6)=9 +2 Skill, +2 Int? = 11/13

Hah! A decent roll at last. There must have been a fresh delivery of high numbers

[BackworldTraveller]

The tats were there, you could make them out at collar and cuffs - but which ones. Not Nepenthe. Cavalheiros. Local. Numbers not quality.
As soon as she's spoken, Nālani realises her mistake...
F*&^! Shes got Sami's phone. Can you see her? Nope. Shops or Ally? You try the shop, I'll check the alley. Guys, where are you the Camera link's died. Do you have her.

The gun is odd - No id marks, made of plastic - and the suppressor seems permanently attached. Quality? Unknowable.

Miya has vanished behind the next car...you follow, having to push between two bystanders gawping at Miya who is crouched, stunner drawn aiming up the ally Quick!

What do you mean your hack's scrambled? This is a surprise, you said.

A young man in Street Colours, Skull and everything appears at the alley-mouth. As he starts to raise his phone, Miya shoots - but is jostled by the gawper that you pushed past.

You vaguely hear someone shout "Guns - get down". Someone's blown the "sneak away" approach. and the headset crackles..."Nothing obvio..shit! She's here."

Next turn's actions please

[The Bindoner]

Nālani brings up the pistol and fires at the street tough, then moves forward.

Well here I am, fighting with a woman after all. And running. We were both right.


Pistol shot: [_2d6]=(6+5)=11 +1 skill, +2 Dex = 14

[BackworldTraveller]

Nālani brings up the pistol and fires at the street tough, then moves forward.

Well here I am, fighting with a woman after all. And running. We were both right.


Pistol shot: [_2d6]=(6+5)=11 +1 skill, +2 Dex = 14

The gang member takes the fact that you seem to be caught a bit flat-footed to take cover behind the first cart. Unfortunately, he take a chance and peers through the windows to see where you go.

Miya, moves further down the alley and takes up a position behind the third car.

The bullet from the pistol, despite the poor quality of the make, crosses the intervening 6m and meets his hoodie - smashing two windows on the way. He vanishes.

Good shot - but come on...There are more on the way and we need to get out of this alley before they block both ends.

She waves at you indicating that there is an escape ladder to the low roof of the eastern block.

We can cross to the square out of sight.

Meanwhile, the other denizens of the alley are starting to move in the general direction of "away". Although some at the far end don't seem to have quite understood their position yet.

That was Usutu Elvas. His family are going to be really pissed off if you killed him! She speaks into her own comms How Long?...OK!
It seems my dice are rolling high too...that was 6+6+6-3+1 damage less two vehicle holes and armour

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