Leitz Character Notes (Angelo)

[BackworldTraveller]

Is there a map or other something I can look at so we can discuss how Angelo can drop off the widow and coffin (are they going to the same place?), pick up the cargo, meet the Morgensterns, and deliver the present to Kiko? How spread apart are these places?

Does Becka's ex have a name? Maybe it's time to do some introductions.

Map of Ares
The spaceport is Kerala
The Olympus site is on the equator due south of the spaceport
The site with the coils is 3000km west of the spaceport in the clear terrain just south of the ice-pack.

Becka's ex is Shoyebe Morganstern

[Leitz]

Thanks! Would it be reasonable to:

1. Drop off the widow and coffin at Kerala
2. Swing by Olympus
3. Pick up the coils

Assuming permissions at each. The craft's speed should make short work of travel time. If that's a reasonable plan I'll write up the contacts and then we can see if it actually works.

[BackworldTraveller]

Thanks! Would it be reasonable to:

1. Drop off the widow and coffin at Kerala
2. Swing by Olympus
3. Pick up the coils

Assuming permissions at each. The craft's speed should make short work of travel time. If that's a reasonable plan I'll write up the contacts and then we can see if it actually works.

Kerala is an inter-planetary space port and landing there isn't an issue.

Other ports have more complex issues...including needing a reason to go there. As they are privately owned (usually by the associated station) they don't have to be welcoming.

[BackworldTraveller]

Trying to find out about the cases against Olympus will be an Advocate roll. Assume 1d6 hours to investigate (1d6x4 hours if you are thorough and take a +2 DM; 1d6x10mins if quick and dirty and take a -2DM). You could sway the result by hiring in appropriate help (an Investigator?); finding someone who knows where the skeletons are buried (a disgruntled employee?); etc.

Shoyebe Morganstern is a hard-nosed corporate wheeler and dealer. (Basic Wiki entry created, and Olympus Research entry updated)

[Leitz]

Basic Legal research [_1d6]=(3)=3 hours, [_2d6]=(5+2)=7

Plus for skill and Int or Edu brings it up to a 9, and takes 3 hours.

Angelo's research is decent, and his main goal is to see the legal nature of Olympus. Are they beset with legal issues or are they untouchable? Are they suing others for patent infringements, are they new and growing or old and staid?

This will tell him how afraid of their products and processes they are, and will give him some information on Shoyebe. Besides, of course, being on his third marriage. If Olympus is a shining corporate citizen and Shoyebe is not, then that gives leverage. If Shoyebe has some patents, Angelo will look for who he was married to at the time, and if the patent came in that person's field. Maybe Becka has talked about him some, and that will give more of a picture for how to approach.

Maybe Shoyebe is a decent guy who is driven to succeed? Angelo can certainly sympathize. Maybe the current wife's antipathy to Becka is something to think through.

BTW, I'm enjoying this. Thank you.

[BackworldTraveller]

Basic Legal research [_1d6]=(3)=3 hours, [_2d6]=(5+2)=7

Plus for skill and Int or Edu brings it up to a 9, and takes 3 hours.

Angelo's research is decent, and his main goal is to see the legal nature of Olympus. Are they beset with legal issues or are they untouchable? Are they suing others for patent infringements, are they new and growing or old and staid?

This will tell him how afraid of their products and processes they are, and will give him some information on Shoyebe. Besides, of course, being on his third marriage. If Olympus is a shining corporate citizen and Shoyebe is not, then that gives leverage. If Shoyebe has some patents, Angelo will look for who he was married to at the time, and if the patent came in that person's field. Maybe Becka has talked about him some, and that will give more of a picture for how to approach.

Maybe Shoyebe is a decent guy who is driven to succeed? Angelo can certainly sympathize. Maybe the current wife's antipathy to Becka is something to think through.

BTW, I'm enjoying this. Thank you.

Olympus is a company that started about 50 years ago, and hoovered up talent. It is reputed to have extracted some of its researchers using methods not much short of snatch-and-grab raids on corporate housing - but no cases ever made court (only one got as far as filing papers). The company has filed many patents - occasionally minutes before competitors and there are accusations of espionage. It's most famous case was only brought to a conclusion after a corporate dawn raid saw the plaintiff's company bought out from under him.

Olympus holds a patent on the version of artificial gravity currently in widespread use throughout the belt. It doesn't manufacture any artificial gravity system but has licenced its designs widely. It is reputed to have an FTL research arm that has been fantastically unsuccessful - although its accounts don't show any large expenditures in that direction. (Its official line is that the Starflight Scandal has poisoned that well and they have no wish to paddle in the waters so muddied by government agencies)

Olympus major financial embarrassment was as a result of the Dolphins being recognised as People. Several patents relating to Uplift were invalidated and they were forced to pay damages. Had they not had some lucky breaks in their other arms, the whole company could have gone to the wall at that time. Shoyebe's rise stemmed from his ability to unwind the company from much of this entanglement.

Shoyebe is (Becka's view) "a sly, vindictive, clever and manipulative, sociopathic, self-opinionated snake not to be trusted as far as he can be thrown". She's only spoken of him once and she went from zero to furious between the start of the sentence and the first adjective! Despite being the deputy administrative scientist of Olympus, he has a lien on Becka's salary for support of their daughter, and successfully characterised her as an "Unfit Mother" during the custody battle.

[Leitz]

The NHNE wiki is pretty big. Given Angelo's background as a five term merchant in this space, are there pages I should read first to gain an understanding of the corporate rivalries and options? It seems like he would know the basics, and I'm trying to target his questions better.

[BackworldTraveller]

It is fairly big...Sadly little of it is corporate rivalries...Now you have asked, I better start filling some in for you to navigate.

Most of the entries so far are around Starflight Inc (Major scandal a few years back) and its rivals - but some mention miscellaneous corporations - usually as brand names

[Leitz]

Well, let me add a few notes so that you don't have to write up the entire universe before tea.

Angelo loves family and wants Kiko to be with Becka. While he can't take on Olympus itself, he can isolate Shoyebe from his corporate protectors and image conscious friends. That would give the opening to deal.

Talking to Shoyebe as a businessman is one step, but to do that Angelo needs to know what the playing field is like and how to approach such that he doesn't trigger early alarms. For example, Ms Kayuba's comment that the hospital is neutral ground helps. What other positives and negatives would Angelo know about?

The questions are pretty normal for a merchant entrepreneur building his next corporation; and Angelo uses that to his advantage.

[BackworldTraveller]

Is there a map or other something I can look at so we can discuss how Angelo can drop off the widow and coffin (are they going to the same place?), pick up the cargo, meet the Morgensterns, and deliver the present to Kiko? How spread apart are these places?

Does Becka's ex have a name? Maybe it's time to do some introductions.

There are only about 30 settlements on Ares. They are a long way apart - no two settlements in a single planetary hex. Kerala and Olympus Research are nearly 2000km apart.

The places you want to go are at 3 separate locations. The coils are at a disused station.

Becka's ex is named Jupiter Morganstern. (Write up to follow - possibly tomorrow night...possibly tonight!)

[Leitz]

Is there a map or other something I can look at so we can discuss how Angelo can drop off the widow and coffin (are they going to the same place?), pick up the cargo, meet the Morgensterns, and deliver the present to Kiko? How spread apart are these places?

Does Becka's ex have a name? Maybe it's time to do some introductions.

There are only about 30 settlements on Ares. They are a long way apart - no two settlements in a single planetary hex. Kerala and Olympus Research are nearly 2000km apart.

The places you want to go are at 3 separate locations. The coils are at a disused station.

Becka's ex is named Jupiter Morganstern. (Write up to follow - possibly tomorrow night...possibly tonight!)

Thanks! In a space craft, 3km isn't enough to get up to speed.

Also, I think the ex was already named Shoyebe.

[BackworldTraveller]

Also, I think the ex was already named Shoyebe.

Now Shoyebe Jupiter Morganstern!

[Leitz]

Angelo has data on the blacked out news. Since he's been merchanting for a couple of decades, does he have clients who could benefit from it? If so, maybe a good deal on the actual intel.

[BackworldTraveller]

Angelo has data on the blacked out news. Since he's been merchanting for a couple of decades, does he have clients who could benefit from it? If so, maybe a good deal on the actual intel.

I'm sure he does. It it news or intel gathering? Reporting or Espionage?

[Leitz]

Angelo has data on the blacked out news. Since he's been merchanting for a couple of decades, does he have clients who could benefit from it? If so, maybe a good deal on the actual intel.

I'm sure he does. It it news or intel gathering? Reporting or Espionage?

Brokering information to his usual investors and their close friends. Maybe he knows someone who runs a construction operation, or someone else who has a small fleet of ships that can deliver things the hospital needs quickly. It also means he can start conversations about his latest ideas and use the information to open doors and get buy-in.

That's the plan anyway.

[Leitz]

Another option arises; is this information *really* valuable to someone who could use another lucky break to boost his career even further? Maybe Angelo could trade half an hour of detailed explanation for a transfer of parental rights?

[BackworldTraveller]

Define "Really valuable". If you could locate some entity or person looking to sell shares short or buy into the asteroid at a bargain price then they could be. Insider Trading has always been a crime though.

[Leitz]

Having a friendly and (exclusive) chat with Shoyebe about how things are going "back home" would give him incredible insight if he's got any business skills at all. Given that he works for a large corp, it could mean millions for him and more for them. Terminating parental rights would be a small price to pay for a man who is still climbing the corporate ladder.

Angelo is broker enough to figure out how to make the deal ironclad for both of them, and to get a local lawyer to draft the contract.

[Leitz]

Here is the first draft of the deal structure, and approach.

Shoyebe views himself as a business shark, and there's chum in the water. Shoyebe's company can make billions if they have details about the current news before others. Angelo will give him 15 minutes to accept the deal, or Angelo will find another customer. News gets old fast.

The Offer:
Angelo will offer a data chip report on the current truth.
- It will be data packed because Angelo is a businessman.
- It will include ideas on business ventures that a large corporation could take advantage of.
- If Shoyebe accepts, it will be exclusive for the next two weeks.

The Pitch:
Angelo wants to hire a particular researcher who has proven herself, but she can't move forward because of a minor legal issue. The data needs a sharp business man like Shoyebe, who has a larger organization wanting to make billions. Angelo wants to resolve the issue "between businessmen" and let Shoyebe make his own assumptions about whatever arrangements Angelo has with Becka.

The price:
Shoyebe will turn over Kiko, one suitcase of her things, and parental rights to Angelo. The issue of Becka's missing Cr 60,000 might go away if Shoyebe plays the game well. Kiko's grandparents will verify the child's authenticity but they will not have access to the data Angelo is providing to Shoyebe.

[BackworldTraveller]

I can see several steps here - each could go wrong!

1. Getting to talk to the guy (directly or indirectly) {Streetwise or Diplomacy}
2. Getting him to bite {Persuade - and a clear explanation of what the bait is}
3. Getting the corporation to bite {Broker - but if he's properly bitten that would be his skill & contacts not yours}
4. Price negotiations {Science(Psychology) might help as will Broker}

All would be helped by good intel on the guy's personality and corporate position

You may need a getaway plan once you reveal your identity and the info you are selling just in case of it all going sideways!