Collace Homecoming

[shaidar]

Frank arranges the most secure/private interior meeting room to be prepared for his meeting with Van Owen (and SuSAG) .

When in the request comes in from SuSAG, he replies to Dubs:

"Well, well, someone is in a hurry. OK, arrange a meeting with Mr Sicarius, for after my meeting with Van Owen. Let's keep a close eye on them while they are here, I don't want any of his people getting lost. Ask them to provide a list of who is coming and to keep their entourage to a minimum, in order for us to maintain a safe environment for the traffic here. Assign them a landing spot that gives us good visibility of their ship."

He keeps the officers up to speed with these developments. He also contacts Liv to get her appraisal of the situations.

[BackworldTraveller]

A proper person should not flaunt their looks in public.

I realise that this doesn't hold here as it does at home, but it's hard to overcome what one learns in childhood.

I assume you comment because you're embarrassed to be seen with a shrouded companion?

"Not in the least, I think it looks amazing.

I'm not familiar with this particular custom, I assume it's from your home world. Sadly where I come from the only customs are enjoy life and do as you're told with a not too subtle OR ELSE tagged on the end.

I tend to be quite inquisitive so wasn't allowed access to many opportunities, which is why I took a chance on the marines."

Yours sounds a sad culture hidden behind a frenetic and exploitative face. My culture is one of outer colour and formality and politeness while carefully preserved inner privacy seeks for its own path amongst the complexities of a wild landscape dotted with Human and Droyne settlements. My path seems to be out amongst the rest of the world, watching (with ever more diverse, low tech equipment) the sadder stories. I had hoped to be an educator - but that choice was taken from me a year ago. So here I am.

Now if you promise not to stare too much, lets try the Gambretta. They are said to have been brought from Terra with the Sword-Worlders and were brought here from there by aqua-farmers because they were so good at surviving. The sauce is local and should clear your mind, sinuses and eyes in under a second. Beer helps you recover your powers of speech afterwards and clears the palette for the next delight.

And after recovering from the hot and spicy taste explosion she continues

There are not many Marines in the District. How was it that you mustered out here?

[dongriffiths]

Klaus quickly takes a mouthful of beer as his eyes being to water slightly.

You weren't kidding about the sauce

Waiting a few seconds to recover his composure, he leans in.

Nothing much to tell. My last 2 years I'd been stuck in a recruitment office on Mertactor. All the signs were I'd be there for the rest of time. Rather than rot in a job I was beginning to hate I mustered out in system. Crossing the border seemed the best way to find new opportunities.

A slight smile crosses his lips. If my recruits get approved I aim to start building the best squad around

[BackworldTraveller]

Klaus quickly takes a mouthful of beer as his eyes being to water slightly.

You weren't kidding about the sauce

Waiting a few seconds to recover his composure, he leans in.

Nothing much to tell. My last 2 years I'd been stuck in a recruitment office on Mertactor. All the signs were I'd be there for the rest of time. Rather than rot in a job I was beginning to hate I mustered out in system. Crossing the border seemed the best way to find new opportunities.

A slight smile crosses his lips. If my recruits get approved I aim to start building the best squad around

Freya smiles at the bravado
I suspect that you will have competition there. My lot won't be in direct competition - we specialise in weird-EW-stuff rather than outright combat skills. Sadly we have a very limited depth so any prolonged combat could see us running out of gear. But that is true for most of our logistics.

Anyway enough of work. What would your favourite dance-music be? The guys here seem to have a fancy to lots of noise and informal self expression. Horosho is known for its Art, and its Archologies. You must find here similar and yet different in many ways. And without the singular leader.

[dongriffiths]

Anyway enough of work. What would your favourite dance-music be? The guys here seem to have a fancy to lots of noise and informal self expression. Horosho is known for its Art, and its Archologies. You must find here similar and yet different in many ways. And without the singular leader.[/dialog]

I suppose you could call it art. There are many people with talent but what they produce is uninspiring. Everything has to fit the theme, deviating from it tends to result in a round of suitably enriching re-education. I was never talented that way but found myself out of favour just for asking what I thought were reasonable questions.

Since leaving home my service took me to a number of systems with varying and strange art and music. The last couple of years on Mertactor introduced me to somehing they call Astacori, a high temp fusion of Aslan drums and Human woodwind. The dancers are very energetic taking advantage of the low gravity to give an aerial gymnastic display.

Taking out his tablet he pulls up a recording made just before he left Mertactor.

[BackworldTraveller]

Anyway enough of work. What would your favourite dance-music be? The guys here seem to have a fancy to lots of noise and informal self expression. Horosho is known for its Art, and its Archologies. You must find here similar and yet different in many ways. And without the singular leader.[/dialog]

I suppose you could call it art. There are many people with talent but what they produce is uninspiring. Everything has to fit the theme, deviating from it tends to result in a round of suitably enriching re-education. I was never talented that way but found myself out of favour just for asking what I thought were reasonable questions.

Since leaving home my service took me to a number of systems with varying and strange art and music. The last couple of years on Mertactor introduced me to somehing they call Astacori, a high temp fusion of Aslan drums and Human woodwind. The dancers are very energetic taking advantage of the low gravity to give an aerial gymnastic display.

Taking out his tablet he pulls up a recording made just before he left Mertactor.

Well there we go.

Now, If we keep those rounds coming we should be able to get the glasses arranged artistically!

[dongriffiths]

Now, If we keep those rounds coming we should be able to get the glasses arranged artistically!

Klaus leans back smiling and signals for another round

I'm sure we'll make something stunningly original as he looks quizzically at her while you take advantage of the naive new guy as he bursts out laughing.

I think I'm going to like it here

[BackworldTraveller]

Now, If we keep those rounds coming we should be able to get the glasses arranged artistically!

Klaus leans back smiling and signals for another round

I'm sure we'll make something stunningly original as he looks quizzically at her while you take advantage of the naïve new guy as he bursts out laughing.

I think I'm going to like it here

Up until I pour you into a Cab, you get carried into the barracks and wake up with the Mother-of-all-Hangovers. But up until that point...Lets see how entertaining you can be for an evening. Distraction seems good. And welcome to the madhouse!

[dongriffiths]

Up until I pour you into a Cab, you get carried into the barracks and wake up with the Mother-of-all-Hangovers. But up until that point...Lets see how entertaining you can be for an evening. Distraction seems good. And welcome to the madhouse!

We'll see who needs poring into a cab. What's next on the agenda? I don't want you thinking I'm boring, I'm just not familiar with the local offerings yet

[BackworldTraveller]

Up until I pour you into a Cab, you get carried into the barracks and wake up with the Mother-of-all-Hangovers. But up until that point...Lets see how entertaining you can be for an evening. Distraction seems good. And welcome to the madhouse!

We'll see who needs poring into a cab. What's next on the agenda? I don't want you thinking I'm boring, I'm just not familiar with the local offerings yet

Just incase an END roll is required...


Freya selects a couple of good beverages and confirms their availability with the bar tender. (If unavailable, she'll suggest a change of venue.)
The local stuff is lethal as it's often brewed in a bath by an incompetent. These are brewed by someone who has fixed the equipment and knows their business. Quirky but worth savouring.
Best taken in company.

---

[Tiglath]

Freya and Klaus

(OOC: The obvious / no effort (or maybe even "default" ) venues for off duty mercs on Collace are in ascending order Up Spire. The Soldier of Fortune (aka Gunny's Bar) off the plaza at the arcology Downport (midspire). You can eat very well and (relatively) cheaply here in the back bar on your SEMC connections. Your wages easily cover this as a "treat" and is a grav cab ride away.

If you want to splurge Freya knows of the Condottiere Bar Up Spire (vetted by other SEMC officers as both "safe" and very "secure" e.g. 4DC drink there, they have guardbots (to keep idiots out) and the place is otherwise full of "nails" mercs on their best behaviour on agreed neutral ground. This is conjoined with a larger and very popular Up Spire nightclub including a niche zero G dance floor but the "Merc Bar" is strictly exclusive (with access to the main club). If you can imagine anything expensive to order here's the place but you can be prudent. You will have a top night out but its best to look at the bill post hangover - just to avoid making anything worse...

If you go for the above Klaus will need to summon up the necessary suit (a "whistle") - important for any dealings on Collace. These are famously available from Hiram's Shmutter who are a quality while you wait bespoke tailors. And, yes, provided you call before you order your meal at Gunny's their representative will attend for measurements and deliver your suit to coincide with desert or at least coffee (for demanding clients). Unsurprisingly these enterprising folk deal with a lot of newly arrived "ladies and gentlemen" in need of a suit...
* Awfully sorry - was that an asterisk or a breadcrumb... ???

Down Spire there are street vendors (all seafood) and the Cantina (a not bad bar and varied seafood) across the bridge from The Bartizan which are definitively "cheap and cheerful" and safe (take your sidearm and only drink the bottled beer and branded spirits) but also most definitely merc friendly. ).

Please confirm whether or not you are disseminating the Intel you have (both???) come across to the rest of the team.

Collace Trans Service: Whistle and Flute = Suit

[dongriffiths]

Endurance roll



Let's see what the locals have to offer, I'm not quite ready for the higher class establishments. I'm more of a trooper bar kind of guy, maybe you could give me some pointers and we could hit the nightclub on our next little outing.

Best to be prepared though as he quickly calls Hiram's Shmutter to order a suit for delivery to him in the morning

Always best to have little intel before going in

[Tiglath]

Frank: Morning Meeting One

Frank arranges the most secure/private interior meeting room to be prepared for his meeting with Van Owen (and SuSAG) .

When in the request comes in from SuSAG, he replies to Dubs:

"Well, well, someone is in a hurry. OK, arrange a meeting with Mr Sicarius, for after my meeting with Van Owen. Let's keep a close eye on them while they are here, I don't want any of his people getting lost. Ask them to provide a list of who is coming and to keep their entourage to a minimum, in order for us to maintain a safe environment for the traffic here. Assign them a landing spot that gives us good visibility of their ship."

He keeps the officers up to speed with these developments. He also contacts Liv to get her appraisal of the situations.

Doctor Van Owen is his usual cadaverous self and with the same level of humour. He is bluntly rude to Liv who flatly tells him to proceed and perform an anatomically impossible task. He seems entirely unmoved, if not oddly respectful, and then launches into his pitch to Frank.

“Now, Colonel, it seems your star is in the ascendant. Perhaps just for the time being? Surely an Imperial mercenary bond would both widen and guarantee your business opportunities within the Marches and also underwrite your position here? Events seem to moving with purpose in 268. It might be time for a wise man to secure position with the side that will inevitably win any confrontation?”

“To business. I have some local damage control to manage and in the same measure an opportunity for yourself - since you were so recently on Avastan”. His smile would curdle milk. “I can pay well for any information on a “missing” agent of mine Willis Bryce together with any and all information regarding the assassination of Vladimir Mikhailov the lawfully appointed and Imperially recognised Secretary to the planetary government”.

He continues deadpan "It would seem that the Zhodani may also have an agent in the wind - or so they choose to tell me”. In a fit of rare pique he vents “I find their languid theatrics deeply irritating!”. Refocussing he continues “This “loose cannon” of theirs may fit with a man I'm seeking. He's an Outworld Coalition terrorist name of Urvash Gudrun. The bastard first came to notice on Tarkine as an assassin. He killed a local Governor - in whom I'd very heavily invested” he scowls “with hard rounds from a kilometre away!” He takes a steadying sip of water and looks like he dislikes the taste. He looks suspiciously at Frank and checks his medikit monitor before continuing “Things there have gone even further down the grav pan since that. It was even rumoured that this Gudrun fellow was on Collace. That trail went cold but... have you heard anything from Avastan?”

He mops his brow by awkwardly reaching up under his Psi shield before bulling onwards “I also need better surveillance access to that Zho ship. I just know its not a Banya Class – more likely a Dienjzhiae class intelligence corvette. Brass necked bastards!” Slipping a finger under the Psi shield's tight chin strap he says “I can pay in credits but the real prize is that bond – which, of course, requires my vetting certificate. Colonel, you have accomplished staff - why don't you see what you can do?”

[Tiglath]

Frank: Morning Meeting Two

Frank is now met by a "corporate" from SuSAG: one Nemo Sicarius, Executive Outcomes Division, SuSAG AG, LIC (ISS Time stamp and verified ID on Trin via Glisten via Mertactor). He arrived with but one bodyguard in an orbital flight capable executive transfer vehicle. Frank guesstimates that it has almost the same characteristics as a luxury grav speedster and can confirm it has the same ECM profile as a (luxury reusable) orbital Jump capsule.

Mister Sicarius is cultured and urbane in his manner and professionally relaxed and polite at all times. If he had a defining characteristic it might be that in all aspects of his dealings the theme is “control”. His male "minder" effectively ignores all human contact or approaches, declines any refreshment or rest room opportunities and is always “almost inhumanly” alert.

Sicarius begins “Colonel Cross, I note your courtesy in receiving me and I am most grateful for it. Let me open with the recognition that my Corporation acknowledges and values the recent contracts which you have so professionally fulfilled. I therefore have a new offer of employment from SuSAG AG, LIC - but from our Trin office”. He smiles like a learned reflex “I that believe my offer will be somewhat easier to consider perhaps even as your skills are ever more in demand? Please take your time to review the contract but, in chief, we offer you a retainer of one million credits to give us a first call on your services. We demand only very specific and by no means exclusive terms”.

Maybe he forgets to smile “I have to say I have been authorised to make much less generous offers and I am as busy a man as you Colonel. So, without prejudice to the terms of my offer, if you can conclude whatever enquiries and due diligence you may within 24 hours I will add an unlimited medical support package and reasonable access to certain cachet products for your unit and their dependants for as long as our contract remains. I'll leave the deal for your people to consider I do hope we can complete our deal... without prejudice”.

By way of conversation he adds “You'll soon have to excuse me Colonel but I have to run – another meeting with a client who lands at a cocktail bar high in the thinner atmosphere. I believe “Up Spire” is the Collace term?”

He hands over an Imperial standard computer bearing all the details of the proposed deal. [OCC: It is “transparently virus free” - but then it would be... But this one really is.]

SEMC acceptance of the contract would mean a cool 1MCr for doing nothing - pending the caveat to the deal.

The deal/caveat: while contracted to The Office of the Regional General Manager (RGM), SuSAG AG, LIC, Trin, Trin's Veil SEMC is to NOT take any further mercenary tickets from Drace Keening, Regional General Manager (RGM), SuSAG AG, Collace, District 268. There is also a “Confidentiality Clause” whereby any breach voids the contract and activates the “Penalty Clause”. A breach, by any means, makes SEMC liable for repayment of the principal fee and the value of any benefits together with costs recoverable at one tenth value (i.e. they target and recover ten times the value of their perceived loss) per favour of “any means necessary or available”. By comparison the last SuSAG corporate contract you signed was much less “Corporately rigorous” and much more “boilerplate mercenary”.

Once Frank is done with the "suit" he finds that Polly wants him to "check the fit on her gown" for this evening's dinner with Ambassador. Once sure of Frank's full attention... she reminds him "Yūgure, the Twilight herself, is delighted with the Iyhlua Clan's new property at Avastan Downport and moreso with its future financial potential. She has honoured those involved in the undertaking and bade me convey her personal gratitude. She sends gifts of a miniature tree and a finely balanced blade but she may have meant me to convey something more... sensory". This would probably come under the category of "welcome distraction"...

(OOC: Pressures of command / information overload here for Frank - so maybe time to consult the officer corps and those who run the place? ).

[Tiglath]

Klaus and Freya

After a brief conflab with a scheduling agent from Hiram's Shmutter Klaus encounters an enthusiastic young man (from one of Collace's sub cultures) turning up to take his measurements. The process involved the only minimal but necessary personal contact together with numerous questions and monologue during the actual measuring carried out by the journeyman tailor "My uncle he's the alterkaker but he's fearful of the "Zhodani black". I tell him it's no darker than the cleric's black - and yet he worries! Such a schlep up and down the Spire - busy times. Now I will make you a suit! Before we get to stitching di shtof would you like any... allowance? You are mersener zelner, yes? I have another uncle... Mister Solomon. He says there should be allowance in a suit for holstered insurance we carry the dimensions of all common... er... brands and maybe the suit itself might be of more robust wear? He says the lining makes the suit so we offer mesh, ballistic cloth or reflec. However, there are increases on the cost for both and this goes beyond our delivery service. There's been a lot of demand recently... We're run off our feet!"

Klaus also collects a comm call from Sergeant Toran Vul (SEMC applicant). The sergeant appears to be on a personal comm at a table in a "wine bar" which Klaus reckons might be upper/midspire Collace from the sea view through the glassteel windows. The Sergeant states plainly "Sir. Reporting myself off the market - just keepin' things squared away. Happy to say I've signed with another outfit but thank you for your consideration, sir. Vul, out". Vul smiles at someone off camera and, whilst no doubt grateful for the professional courtesy and unable to begrudge a Marine a "run ashore", taking in the vid comm scene Klaus can't help but think that a man who drinks a beer and two identical cocktails simultaneously might have some kind of drink issue. Juggling logical alternatives he considers that Vul might be in the company of folk with identical tastes...

(OOC: End rolls mean a top night out with only deserved hangovers!
Sergeant Toran Vul 7978A8, Marines, four terms. Enlisted in Duke of Regina's Huscarls. Service: Diverse Household postings Regina & Lanth.
Recruiting page ref: https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/view ... 49#p641349 )

Edit: Minor addition

[shaidar]

Frank

Morning Meeting One: Doctor Van Owen

"Doctor, I will need to discuss your very interesting offers with the other business partners, and do a thorough review of our security records from Avastan, before I can give you a solid answer on any of your questions. However, the name Urvash Gudrun rings a bell..." he turns to Liv "Lieutenant, didn't we receive a bounty for the body of Urvash Gudrun when we returned from Inchin?" he turns back to Van Owen with a raised eyebrow "..perhaps the name is simply a cover, or that ImpInt incorrectly identified the body we returned?"

[shaidar]

Frank

Morning Meeting Two: Nemo Sicarius

"I appreciate the personal visit, Mr Sicarius, as you must be exceedingly busy. This looks like a very interesting, and generous, offer. I shall digest it's contents and discuss it with my business partners. We will give it the priority consideration it deserves."

[shaidar]

Frank

Meeting Three: Polly

Frank bows to Polly. "I am very pleased that the Twilight is happy. Please convey my gratitude for her gifts." he then smiles "Now, it's time for me to show my gratitude..." {fade to black}

I am sure that the blade is of a very good quality, and assuming that it's not just for display (which I doubt), Frank will start to use it instead of his ordinary blade. He will also take a crash course in tending bonsai. He will also have having Freya discretely check both for bugs.

[Tiglath]

Frank (and Freya)

I am sure that the blade is of a very good quality, and assuming that it's not just for display (which I doubt), Frank will start to use it instead of his ordinary blade. He will also take a crash course in tending bonsai. He will also have having Freya discretely check both for bugs.

Frank's assumptions regarding the blade are correct and surely saved him needing a plaster stitches... It seems that Aslan have absolutely no concept of any weapon being a "wall hanger". The sword is very finely made but without ornament and has a single edged blade with a length of only two feet with a chisel type point. It is frighteningly sharp. It comes with various accessories including its own grav suspensor field for storage / to stop it carving up whatever it rests on. (PM sent)

Freya finds no bugs on either the blade or the mini me tree when she examines them.

[Tiglath]

Frank, SEMC Officers and SNCOs [All PCs! ]

Frank arranges the most secure/private interior meeting room to be prepared for his meeting with Van Owen (and SuSAG) .

He keeps the officers up to speed with these developments. GM emphasis! He also contacts Liv to get her appraisal of the situations.

Morning Meeting One: Doctor Van Owen

"However, the name Urvash Gudrun rings a bell..." he turns to Liv "Lieutenant, didn't we receive a bounty for the body of Urvash Gudrun when we returned from Inchin?" he turns back to Van Owen with a raised eyebrow "..perhaps the name is simply a cover, or that ImpInt incorrectly identified the body we returned?"

Van Owen snaps "That's classified!" and manages to look incredibly "miffed" whilst again clawing at the uncomfortable chin strap on his Psi Shield. He rants venomously "Look here, I want that bastard - dead or alive! Preferably alive so that I can fekking personally ensure that he's..." he rallies, masters his outburst and smiles with deep insincerity "...dealt with fairly by the appropriate local authorities".

Once Van Owen has left Liv ensures that he is escorted off the premises and then comments "You know, I actually thought he was a sociopath - but he's really quite... emotional". She promises a briefing after lunch and then goes to work taking a grav car Up Spire with Jakob as her "minder".

Delivering her briefing after lunch she states "I did some... brokering - nothing to compromise us, our allies or current ops and cashed it in for what ImpInt are willing to share with people they trust - which excludes me. Obviously I didn't approach ImpInt or NavInt themselves".

She begins "I believe Urvash Gudrun has become ImpInt's bogeyman. He initially appears as an assassin on Tarkine and keeps on being credited with victories by the insurrection there. This includes the current wave of military success even though Intel seems to put him elsewhere. We found evidence of his presence in the Purge's torture cells here in the Bartizan where our own Intel states that all the "medical" personnel there had their commands terminated with extreme prejudice. Our Outworld Coalition allies tagged the crap out of the "hospital" during the raid. I'm now quite sure that message was deliberate". She gives a wry smile "Although I was off my head on factory grade truth drug at the time". She continues "Gudrun then goes quiet. Nothing more than a whiff of a rumour of him being on Avastan at some stage but this may well be no more than the Imperial Intel community now assossciating him with almost any disaster that befalls them and the established link back to Tarkine via Vladimir Mikhailov - their own rogue agent. However, I find it intriguing that Van Owen stated the Zhodani had disavowed him... since he's apparently such an effective and still active asset that's very odd..." she frowns and then laughs and shakes her head "...oh, that's really... very good". Pausing for a moment to frame her thoughts she looks at Frank "The Intel game is a lot like poker, Colonel, but way more uncertain - I'll try to translate. So, here's a tie in with your Regiment - the good old 1188th. You can see your opponent has the Eights and Aces and you're just about to bet when he sincerely assures you that his hole card is absolutely not... another Ace".

"More on what Van Owen said about his agent Bryce. He's unaccounted for in all the AARs and is not the same guy as the Scout base commander. That was Senior Scout Administrator Johnson who was actually NavInt - they are really pissed. There was a "paramilitary guy" in a long coat engaging our forces around Vladimir Mikhailov at the Hawkwind and he's still unaccounted for. He was not found in the vehicle bays that those shooters withdrew into nor among the bodies we accounted for afterwards - so he's still in the wind".

"As to SuSAG, not my field at all, but if they are heading for a "difficult board meeting" it would be most advisable to ensure that if we sign up it is with the wining side. Something Mr. Sicarius said - if the other client is literally "landing" at a Sky Spire bar at the peak of the arcology then that might be Colonel Skeet. Doesn't he have a habit of throwing himself from perfectly serviceable space craft and performing re-entry?"