Game Thread: Port Royal

[Hvalreki]

Port Royal

Twilight's Peak

Starlight Lodge " 1408 Governor's Suite"

Ok, I'll tell you what I know.

The ship is a 200 ton merchantman named Wastrel. She's a common enough hull not to attract any undue notice once we get her off world. The transponder may give us trouble if she's reported missing so our best bet is to get that pad back in the hands of it's owner quickly.

The owner in question is one Mielo Gritak. He's a Syndicate Enforcer, something akin to a military Captain. He and the other Enforcers are responsible for producing in their territories and answerable only to the big boss. The Gritak family is run by one Julian Gritak. They do stevedoring and services in the port and are widely rumored to have ties to every money making vice you can think of.

As I said the Wastrel is at Mielo's hidey hole off world but I happen to know where that is. If you agree to the plan we partner evenly and I help us get to the ship."

[Thumper]

Dimitri-

I’m interested. Go on…

What is this Mielo’s territory and what’s the span of the family’s syndicate? Do they have a network off-system?

Tell me about this hideout and port where the ship is:

I’m going to want a copy of the Master’s Certificate as well.

Terry, hypothetically…between my programming background and your expertise in electronics, do you think we could install a fresh transponder and codes ourselves if we can source the hardware or can we just alter the codes to permit disguise the ships identity from afar? How about giving the ship a bit of an exterior and interior makeover ourselves or saving some cost be doing owner-assisted “repairs” with a cleaner?

**Edited**

While they are talking, Dimitri will pull out his hand computer, link to the hotel data stream, and run a search for the port Stevadore’s company name and research what else that company and its owners might be tied to…on Port Royal, in system, and out of system. He’s just doing his own due diligence.

[Totalguest]

I should be able to install a new transponder no problem, not sure about any programming though. Doing an exterior makeover seems like a huge job though….

[Thumper]

Dmitri

I could probably alter an existing code in the existing transponder. Failing that, I guess we’d need a replacement.

But we get way ahead of ourselves.

Turning to Fendon:
I still need answers to those questions before signing up as posse and crew!

And let me add a couple more:

Ya got a line on a cleaner, if in fact one is needed?

How were you planning to fly the thing? You a pilot and navigator and engineer and gunner and mechanic? Or are you already working with others?

[Totalguest]

great questions.

[BackworldTraveller]

I should be able to install a new transponder no problem, not sure about any programming though. Doing an exterior makeover seems like a huge job though….

Depends if you want to survive a close inspection or a distant one. And whether you need the decoration to survive re-entry.

[Thumper]

There are lots of questions hanging out there that need answers still. Much depends on the reach of the syndicate’s span. Are they local to Port Royal? Limited to a couple systems? How common and easily marked is the hull? We have only arrived at San outpost to whole new inhabited sector…much yet to learn of opportunities and risks.

Another option: trade the ship for another tramp hauler.

Too soon to make a decision.

[Hvalreki]

Port Royal

Twilight's Peak

Starlight Lodge " 1408 Governor's Suite"

Alphonse doesn't spot anyone tailing him as he works his way back into the hotel. When he gets to the room, Dimitri, gun drawn waves him inside and quickly closes and locks the door behind him.

Fendon is sitting on a chair in the living room talking with the group circled around him and peppering questions.

"Hmm, The Syndicate's like a hydra with heads in different systems. Some worlds have more groups others none. Port Royal's got three Syndicate families. You've got Gritak, Tang and Melwether, vipers all of them. There's other petty crime sure, but those three have a lock on organized crime on Port Royal and tendrils in the local cluster as well. Mielo head's one of the trash hauling companies in the city. They cover the port and startown regions of Twilight's Peak.

Dimitri's net search on the Gritak family shows their company specializing in "Sanitation Engineering" and Stevedoring services. They have lucrative contracts in trash hauling throughout Twilight's Peak as well as a near monopoly on cargo movement at the port.

The location of the ship stays with me until we're agreed and the pad returned to Mielo. The spoof's have done their job and the Master's copy is on my deck now, synched to my biometrics. I'm the key to the ship as it were and I need to be alive to use it.

I happen to be pretty good with computer's and electronics and I wouldn't try to hack a transponder. Without the proper gear and expertise you're likely to trigger the failsafes. If they trip the ships squawking stolen, if you shut it off you're likely to get boarded by the first patrol that spots the ship if they don't shoot you outright first for piracy. The hull's common enough that it shouldn't get a second look."

[BackworldTraveller]

I happen to be pretty good with computer's and electronics and I wouldn't try to hack a transponder. Without the proper gear and expertise you're likely to trigger the failsafes. If they trip the ships squawking stolen, if you shut it off you're likely to get boarded by the first patrol that spots the ship if they don't shoot you outright first for piracy. The hull's common enough that it shouldn't get a second look."[/dialog]

How did transponders ever get to have mythic properties in Traveller - They are just radios with a computer attached. Faking them is simple. Faking the (Imperial) bureaucracy that holds the registry is the hard bit - and that isn't in existence here as there's no imperium or even a pocket empire!

[Thumper]

Dmitri to Fendon-

Fair enough! But you still haven’t answered how you were planning to fly the ship or with whom you are already working. Also, have you thought through the cleaner part, yet?

Dmitri also looks up what info he can find on the Tang and Melwether families and associated businesses/affiliates.

[BackworldTraveller]

I'm curious how a bunch of good guys go from (for example) bodyguard to hijacker in under a day!

This is an insane scheme that can only backfire.

I'm out. I'll take my back pay and go.

And with that, Rando heads to the door.

[Thumper]

Dmitri, in a calm voice and certainly not angry, says:

Hey Rando, before you go, we need to talk.

He draws Rando aside out of earshot and talks in a low voice so as to keep things private.

Your choice Rando. Can't say I blame you. But I have to ask...how would you like to settle up the credits I loaned you...in case we end up parting ways here? Still not certain I am going on yet, but...

I guess you can give back the balance of the remaining loaned credits...what's that around 5-6k... plus the 5k Fendon just paid you and you keep the vacc suit, weapons and gear. That should be around 10K credits? Keep a couple hundred to get you by until you get a new job...at least you have the kit for the Rockhopper gig with Kendrick in a couple days. I'd be ok with that.

[BackworldTraveller]

Dmitri, in a calm voice and certainly not angry, says:

Hey Rando, before you go, we need to talk.

He draws Rando aside out of earshot and talks in a low voice so as to keep things private.

Your choice Rando. Can't say I blame you. But I have to ask...how would you like to settle up the credits I loaned you...in case we end up parting ways here? Still not certain I am going on yet, but...

I guess you can give back the balance of the remaining loaned credits...what's that around 5-6k... plus the 5k Fendon just paid you and you keep the vacc suit, weapons and gear. That should be around 10K credits? Keep a couple hundred to get you by until you get a new job...at least you have the kit for the Rockhopper gig with Kendrick in a couple days. I'd be ok with that.

Now there is the thing - Terms were that I'd repay you when we earned money from a job. Now you are changing the terms - So you return the suit (you'll get 50% or better) and you take the 5000 and were even. And you and Fendon can go play your games. 'Cause I don't trust Fendon and the millions you see before you are just illusion.

Alphonse - you can witness that we're even.

You'll find the suit at the Hotel.

[Thumper]

Dmitri-

So, you’re ok protecting Fendon long enough for him to siphon a criminal’s bank accounts and take a cut, but not long enough to grab a share of the criminal’s ship. So where’s your line? How much involvement is enough and how much is too much?


Suddenly looking at Fendon:

Hey wait. If Mielo the enforcer is a local businessman, why is he staying in a hotel?

Terry, did it look like temporary quarters when you grabbed that pad?

[BackworldTraveller]

Dmitri-

So, you’re ok protecting Fendon long enough for him to siphon a criminal’s bank accounts and take a cut, but not long enough to grab a share of the criminal’s ship. So where’s your line? How much involvement is enough and how much is too much?

We were with Fendon to recover the money he owed which he said was from his hotel. At the point it transpired that the guy has scammed us I lost interest. And to then continue in his company (and indeed become his side-kicks) just offends me. Nothing he has said shows that he has any moral foundation whatsoever.

So you are welcome to him, his money (including what he owes me) and the spacesuit and I'm out - and we are even. No claim on either side.

And now, I shall leave you guys to your plotting and scheming.

And with that, Rando moves firmly out of the door.

[dongriffiths]

Alphonse looks rapidly around the room.

Shit it's all falling apart. Moving quickly he follows Rando out of the room.

Rando, wait, don't storm off.

Now speaking very quietly

I can see where you are coming from and agree this is spiralling out of hand. Before we can completely ditch Fendon we need to be sure he hasn't already got us setup as fall guys. Just walking could put you in their crosshairs.
Lets see what we can arrange while keeping ourselves off their radar. To be perfectly honest Fendon can take a walk out of the window for all I care. We had a nice little team building here and I don't want to wreck it because of some disagreement we should be able to resolve.

Crime families and cartels are out of our league we need to find an exit strategy and get clear. Making a profit would be nice but keeping our hides intact needs to be the priority.

Alphonse turns back towards the room.

[Totalguest]

Terry is just leaning back and watching. Skeptical about following Fendon, he’ll see how this all shakes out.

[Thumper]

Seeing that Terry doesn’t contradict that Mielo’s room was indeed a transient hotel room, Dmitri seethes with anger!

You lying sack of shit…still trying to play us. Rando, don’t go anywhere. We’ve gotta figure out a way to extricate ourselves from this flytrap Fendon put us in.

Follow along.
1) We arrived on the same ship as Fendon, and Rando was known to Mielo as his bodyguard.
2) The club cameras will show the syndicate that 3 of us minus Terry captured Fendon. But rewind far enough, and they’ll see Terry entered the club with or very near to the rest of us.
3) They’re going to see Terry’s the guy who stole the tablet from Mielo’s hotel room. Certainly they’ll be able to connect his image to the club.
4) They will follow the digital bread crumbs and show all of us complicate with the theft of the tablet
Conclusion- soon, Mielo and his gang will believe we are working for or with Fendon. We are already marked…everyone of us…despite anything we do from here on. That’s already a foregone conclusion.

We need to figure out a way to extricate ourselves from Fendon’s web. I just realized he’s still BSing us…surprise….

He motions for everybody to huddle up close. He lowers his voice to a whisper as they all gather, so Fendon can’t hear.
As I see it, we can do one of two things. One, make a run for the port and hope to get passage off this rock ASAP before the syndicate can organize their search for us. Two, take the time to get some truth outta Fendon, so we can make a more sophisticated plan. But I don’t know how to get that. Three, we turn him over to Mielo and try to convince him we’re innocent…right…

It sure would be nice if I coulda bought some Truth serum today…yesterday. Aesop’s mentioned something about “harder to find” items in the back. Think he deals in illegal commodities? Maybe I should go ask.

**Edited**

Any other bright ideas? Which way do ya wanna go with this?

**EDITED**

[Hvalreki]

How did transponders ever get to have mythic properties in Traveller - They are just radios with a computer attached. Faking them is simple. Faking the (Imperial) bureaucracy that holds the registry is the hard bit - and that isn't in existence here as there's no imperium or even a pocket empire!

Book 2 is entirely silent on the topic of Ship's Transponders

Hulls built in this region of space have "Black Box" transponders with failsafe mechanisms integrated into the the ship's avionics and computer systems.

Having said that, Players are free to attempt spoofing, hacking, changing or shutting them off all together. Being boarded and having the Ships Transponder registry not match the Master's or Owner's credentials can be problematic. Any worlds with A or B starports are expecting a continuous transmission from all ships. Running without a transponder you're assumed likely up to no good - smuggling, piracy, etc, unless you're actively squawking a distress signal. Even then expect rescue at gunpoint.

[Hvalreki]

We can do one of three things. One, make a run for the port and hope to get passage off this rock ASAP before the syndicate can organize their search for us. Two, take the time to get some truth outta Fendon. You see, I bought some legal drugs today…yesterday…whatever. One of those is Uber expensive. A dose of Truth Serum. I can go get that and come back and get some straight answers from him. Three, we turn him over to Mielo and hope we can talk our way out of this unscathed.

Any other bright ideas? Which way do ya wanna go with this?

Unfortunately Dimitri was unable to purchase some of the more esoteric drugs he was looking for. Combat, Truth and Anagathics are illegal on Port Royal.

Please see the notes on purchases in this post (apologies it was a little buried.)
Please see Post https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/view ... 40#p594040