Chapter Eight-C: Anne and Noor Investigate

[BackworldTraveller]

Pick up from Thursday Morning

Noor and Anne have a leisurely breakfast, and Anne tries to catch up with Noor's story and the data on the chip. As Anne goes to pick up pastries, there is talk in the pastry shop about how the Police raided a house by mistake yesterday and how, this morning, they were called back because it had been broken into overnight!

Anne's expertise in all things media means that she notes that the list of shipyards is full of dodgy names associated with various captains of dubious reputation. A couple were blown up by the Navy during the recent Taktsang Pirates fiasco and one was abandoned before the Navy had the chance to blow it up. One was taken over by Nepenthe (no evidence of course) from the Eithaf Syndicate and is said to service drug-runners and other smugglers for them.

[BackworldTraveller]

And Anne's pet Gekko gets loose and has to be chased back into it's cage.

[BackworldTraveller]

Anne get one set of information back...
More about Bitz 'n' Piecez

[BackworldTraveller]

And a bit more on K.K. Masai from the media researchers

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

"This is exhausting. So many tendrils of information that branch out into more avenues of inquiry." She sighs. "Thanks for your help, Anne. The last time I had to do this kind of investigative work, I had a whole team with me."

"It's killing me that I can't find more people to trust. Any authority seems wildly compromised, and the criminals are employed to kill me. I need more access, I need to track down those account numbers and see where they lead. I need to check out those rare-earth refineries and see what they made for Jusu."

"This necklace is bugging me. Can we invite that Crystal expert at the University to tea to discuss it? Virtual tea, of course." She looks to Anne. "Can you try to set up an interview about something? Maybe about FTL and amplifying crystals? Is that a thing?"

"I'm going to take a deeper dive into my Mother's actions and diary. Maybe she left something behind."

"I should also contact the Captain. They cut off communication, I think. Can we call a messenger?"

[BackworldTraveller]

Anne
If you write a message, I can arrange for it to be collected and delivered.

She thinks over the whole list and makes another drink, finding some chocolate in a cupboard

I can't see that your mother would have done anything without having some form of insurance...but how to find it - and why hasn't it revealed itself?
Maybe her insurance was the leak? Or her insurance was at the house which has gone up in smoke? Or your vanishing has prevented it all coming out? Or...? Or the insurance was one of those killed at the house? Or she had nothing and this was a gambit to get whoever it was to tip their hand? I'm out of ideas here!

So she moves on...

Your interview idea is achievable - but we'd have trouble keeping it off-air if we did it through the company. Too many people would know. Unless we do an exclusive "FTL, The Real Story" for release in 301 when all this is over. We could start with Starflight Inc and the investigation and...Hmmm that's probably do-able but not without giving away all our cards - to many leaks. How do you think that could go? So something lower key?

Then she looks very serious...

I'm not sure "killing me" isn't too apt. So - What do we want to investigate? Lets make a list and then see who could do that job.

• Look up account numbers: Who do you know in Banking?
• Crystal Expert: Well me...but I'd have to make up an unrelated story.
• Who's trying to kill you? Tiberius seems to have the right contacts.
• Rare Earth Refineries? Those are mostly in orbit. That Ship you were planning to run on could do that directly - most of the decent mines are miles away and a paper-search isn't likely to go too far.
• The names on that list? Split the search amongst PI agencies and wait. We know where KK is resident - Use the ship to go to Ares? Who does she work for? Hmmm...Links to Dark-Star. That may need care.
• The companies on the list - we could get the financial research companies to do a financial work up...pick 8 other companies at random to hide the connections and split between agencies?

And maybe you make a public appearance and we use you as bait...but that is dangerous - so I won't push that. The fight for Councillor for West Sapphire might be a way to go to do that - win or lose.

She sighs and throws her list on a sofa...

This looks like a marathon not a sprint.

[BackworldTraveller]

Anne again...
The poisoning of the staff at the Councillor for Walthersland's residence. Does that link to this at all? After all, he's been one of your and Amena's supporters for years? And Leslie - That is a huge reward that's been put up. Do you think it shows care or frustration? You've never complained about the lovemaking, but are you wanted back or dead?

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

Noor shares Anne's tiredness. "So many threads, I know." She shakes her head and hesitantly continues. "You bring up a good point, one that I didn't want to consider. What if all the Jusu stuff is just fluff? What if there is a conspiracy to destabilize multiple Councillors? There have been too many things happening to be a coincidence, but maybe plans were already ready if and when a large distraction came about."

"The Jusu stuff could be the cause of much of this or a chaotic cover for something much bigger." Noor pauses and sits. "That is way above my status. World conquering is the realm of madmen."

Noor rubs her eyes and melts into the chair. "Let's try for a low-key interview with some local scientists. Approach them with some fluff about new age crystals having magnifying properties or some such nonsense. I want them to take a look at the necklace, if only over video. I need to know if there is a way to encode information in crystals. Also, my Dad's paper about astrophysics was seemingly important, maybe they can explain things in English. But that's unrelated, maybe."


"Open up inquires into Angela Hilbert, the other body on the Queen. I'm sure others have followed her trail, but we don't know it. Put someone on Ulysees, find him. Both may be dead-ends, but who knows? Finally, the Journalist Aomori. Maybe related, maybe not."

"The list of companies suggests that they built and housed working quarters for a decent group. Probably split among multiple companies so it didn't draw much attention. That smelter explosion on the asteroid, was it on the list?"

Noor gets up and paces. "If you wanted to build something and keep it quiet, what better place than on the belt? But that still doesn't explain why he can back here, supposedly to work. Where the hell are his notes? Still on the Queen?"

"Right. The messenger. Send this to the Captain:" She writes down a message and passes it over.

Captain. It seems that you've cut off external comms, I hope things are well. I'd like to know if you've found anything unusual, maybe data chips or unknown materials? Everything I see keeps pointing to him having worked there and it would be shocking if he didn't leave a trace. We still need to talk about commissions as well. I may have a need to visit some places. Contact me at the number below. That burner is for you and me only. Thanks, N.

[BackworldTraveller]

The messenger picks up the box from Anne's. For some reason the "Track your package" option didn't seem prudent!

Anne then has to go off for her daily recording, and Noor jumps when the burner phone buzzes into life about an hour after that. In the silence, it sounds incredibly loud.

There is a message from Indrani...

"Report back to the ship immediately. Will explain in person."

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

She looks at the text for some time. Trying to decide the legitimacy of it and whether she should go. Finally, she decides to text Anne. "Messenger was received. I'm going to meet, I'll be in touch. Thanks again."

Noor starts to type out a message to Tibbs, but stops halfway and deletes it. He's still on his personal phone, can't risk it.

She gathers her things, pulls her hoodie over her head, and walks out the back door. She stays close to the buildings and stops in a few as she does her best to determine if she's being followed. Silly girl, no bullets means no followers. A block or two over, she waves for a taxi. "Port, please. And take the scenic route."

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor
The cab arrives. The only disadvantage of these modern vehicles is that they don't have any human interaction. You can't gauge the mood of the city by asking the driver!

The scenic route seems to traipse past some quite picturesque constructs and vistas - it take you through the grand Air-Circulation Garden with it's domed roof and "solar" lighting. Some trees here are nearly 200 years old!



The taxi eventually enters the approach to bay 13-13 at the spaceport, passing the Administration buildings and turning right along the one-and-only underground approach tunnel. And as it heads near bay 13-12 Noor can see a small crowd of people with placards and their attendant guards. On seeing her vehicle, security and protestors animate - shouting from both sets - but when it becomes clear that you intend to pass through they subside (Was someone taking holograms as you passed?Roll?)

Finally, the Taxi pulls to a halt by the bay - you wave your credit chip to settle the bill, exit the vehicle and slip quietly into the bay.

Here you are faced with a dilemma, Stairs or Lift...and chose the former and make your way across to the airlock...and press the annunciator button.

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