Chapter Seven: Wednesday in the Tunnels

[BackworldTraveller]

Tansu and NoorSam
Sam wakes to Coffee smells, and clattering. Tansu, swathed in a dressing gown, is pottering and making breakfast. She seems set on a gentle start before work when her phone buzzes.

Oh wow!

She shows Sam the news.

MCr 1 reward - That isn't beating about the bush...He must really like you!

It should hide the useful evidence in a flurry of rubbish to be sifted. My desk is going to drown! Still, should hide what I'm doing for you nicely.

Are you heading into town or staying clear? Here should be safe if your are staying but you'd probably best not use the house comms too much or that could be traced. Here's my number. If you change phones, please let me know the new ID. Do you need cash? I don't have much, but you can have it if you need it. And I'll let the watchdog downstairs know that you're staying over and she's to let you in - she has a key.

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor/Sam

She smiles slightly as she reads the news and the comments from Leslie. "Looks like it. I'm not going to lie, that feels great. Plenty of time to question motives later, I'm good with enjoying it for now."

I'm going to stay here for the morning, I think. I need to make some calls...using the burner, of course.

She thanks Tansu for the offer. "I still have some, thanks. I'll be sure to let you know when I get a new ID. What's your first move for the day?"

She looks at her list of things to do, and sighs. "I think I have to talk to my father."

[BackworldTraveller]

Tansu

Go to work, read my mails, bury a couple of company enquiries in the mix and keep my head down. I'm not sure that anything clever won't just get me into trouble and take you with me.

I need to grab a shower before I go

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

Noor uses one of her burners to send a message to her father. "Dad. It's me. Thank you for the present, I often look at it and it reminds me of better times. I need to talk to you. I'll call you in thirty min from this ID. Please keep it private."

She sends off another message to Indrani. "Hello again. You never got back to me after my last message. I'd like to participate in the meeting today by phone. If this ID is acceptable, I'll call it. Sam"

Noor spends the next thirty min reading up on Leslie's reward and the fallout from it.

[BackworldTraveller]

n.b. Belt to Sapphire is 3hours and 36 minutes +/- 46 minutes at the speed of light...This isn't going to be a real-time conversation

[Monsieur Rose]

Dammit. Forgot about that.

Ok then.

Noor will send a message to her father: "Dad. It's me. Thank you for the present, I often look at it and it reminds me of better times. I'm safe, but I need more information about mom's investigation. Give me everything you have, please. Also, all the links point to a possible prototype, how big and how power-hungry do you think it would be, hypothetically of course. I need a copy of the will as well. Things just aren't adding up and I'm concerned about your safety, make sure you take precautions. Love you. Write back as soon as you can. Oh, where did you find that necklace? It's so beautiful, I'd like some matching earrings."

[joertexas]

Noor

She sends off another message to Indrani. "Hello again. You never got back to me after my last message. I'd like to participate in the meeting today by phone. If this ID is acceptable, I'll call it. Sam"

That's fine, comes the reply.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor/Sam
Mulling over the information and wearing your broker's hat, you come to realise that actually, MCr 1000 isn't actually all that much when it comes to ship construction. Particularly when it comes to research grade stuff. Assuming that he lost half in money-laundering fees/expenses, that leaves about MCr 500. And assuming that everything is about 10 times the cost of normal because it's bespoke, then what you are looking for can't be much bigger than the queen. Maybe double that. Tibs' suggestion that it could be car size suggests a lower limit but it could just be a suitcase. Depends on the power requirements. If it needs a fusion reactor, that would rule out a suitcase.

And your dad's paper is important some how. What did that mean? There are local physicists and astronomers/astrophysicists at the University on Sparks. May be one of they could explain. Someone to do the leg-work would be useful but Tibs has gone, early to the shareholder meeting.

And how are you and your mother involved?
How does that tie to the Queen?
Investigate+EDU roll please

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor/Sam

Investigate/EDU: [2d6] = 6 +2+2 =10

I'm working on arranging my notes, I'll post later.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor/Sam
You vaguely recall that one of the files that Asana was referring to was correspondence with someone called "Bitz and Piecez" on Sparks...You'd thought it odd because it was an odd name in an odd place - and whoever it was was being paid (well) from the house account - so someone she didn't want her office to know of. But critically, you remember seeing one of the letters open, and it referred to Kiki Masai.

[BackworldTraveller]

Dad
Hi, Hope you are safe. Are you injured? Where are you?
Any idea who's behind this?

I'm glad you liked the ring.

No idea about a drive really - your mum just asked me to look for stuff at the university that Safa might have left behind.
I'd have to ask about your other question. Not something I've been involved in.

Keep Safe. See you soon?

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor/Sam

Replies to Dad:
I'm ok. Scared. I'm safe for now, but I need to get off-planet. Hopefully tomorrow.
I'm using a fake name for a while. Amina. I know, I know, but they asked and I just blurted it out. At least they spelled it differently.

Where are you staying? Is it safe? I need a place to lie low for a bit longer.

Love you. Keep me informed about the will.

Having sent the message, Noor looks into the Bitz and Piecez person. Or storefront. Or whatever that is.

She messages Tansu:
Does the name Bitz and Piecez mean anything to you?

[BackworldTraveller]

Tansu
Hacker. Why?

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor/Sam

The name came up in some letters I found. It looks like my mother was paying them under the table. How could I contact them?

[BackworldTraveller]

Tansu
Carefully?

Contact from a burner not from my house via "bitz and piecez" and pay using a pre-paid card...and assume that your comms to that address are monitored.

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

The kerfuffle at the meeting has her rattled. People's actions seem more suspicious as she thinks things over.

She starts gathering her things from the house, packing up as she continues to listen in. She rummages around for new clothes and sunglasses.

She messages Tansu: Tiberius is acting oddly at the meeting. Is he currently employed as a freelancer? Who is he in contact with at the agency?
"Can you give me everything you have on KK Masai? Also Joseph Zuchai? Their names keep coming up."

[BackworldTraveller]

Tansu

Why? What's he done now?

He's always been a sucker for a damsel in distress.

Not sure I can get much on either - certainly not quickly.

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor/Sam

To Tansu: He's just pushing really hard to drop the whole Queen link to Jusu and the FTL and my family. Just feels off, especially for an ex-investigator.
I'd be grateful for whatever you can get, thanks.

She finishes gathering the things she wants to grab and rattles off a message to Tiberius. (In other thread)

[BackworldTraveller]

From an unknown number
Necklace.
You. Me. Dr Kalonzo Waiyaki. No-one else knew.

[BackworldTraveller]

Tansu
Saw report from Touchdown...They think your attackers came to Sparks. Belt asked to look out for them. Details sketchy - could be anyone. Be Careful.