Tiglath wrote: ↑Sun Nov 24, 2024 8:40 pm Aster and Garvin
Garvin replies "I thought they were offering the partial print as a professional courtesy and were merely after recovering their own costs incurred in getting it out of the public domain. I didn't pick up on any "or else" being involved so I didn't see the extortion angle".
"Look, before you go all "scorched earth" we could just ask. If they want the work and are in good faith then I'm sure they'd throw in the partial print gratis and with all the provenance you could want. The provenance would underwrite their acting professionally and in good faith. I think that's almost what the twins offered us but I reckon they haven't got the authority to just give an expensive asset away. I was gettin' on with Styx like an 'ouse on fire so I'll make the call - but only if it's square with you. You're takin' this personally an' in our line o' work that's never good. However, if you don't trust the mercs from Collace then let's move on and use our resources to hire mercs elsewhere".
(OOC: Now I see the problem!)
No mention made of getting it out of the dark web was made. Rather, the statement that they had the only copy. Taken together, what was said was a threat to put that sole copy onto the dark web unless their demand for payment was met. Might not have been intended as a threat, but it sure came across as one loud and clear, and now Aster is on the warpath and looking for blood. Good luck talking her back down. She takes threats to her liege extremely seriously. "Let the bodies hit the floor" level seriously. She might not be able to kill the twins, but she can damn well make them wish they were dead, and she is as hard as granite where Ciencia--or Gavin--is concerned. And she doesn't make threats; she takes action."Legend has it that gatecrashers here get thrown off the terrace but I don't think they do that with nobility. Crown Princess Ciencia - confirmed by a partial retina print. If you are her security speak to Duran and he'll sell you the original and only copy - now owned by 4DC. Collace has a very dark dark web. If she'll listen you could maybe tell her to turn her "Imperial" down a notch. This isn't Regina where they'll cheer and scatter flowers on cue. The Imperium and their corporations are not popular in 268. There's people on Collace who would lob RPGs in here on the off chance of taking her nicely toned Imperial ass out. However, this place lacks for anywhere with an overlook - why do you think we meet here?"
(I can see her with a war room she visits with each new report, boards all over and a single person's dossier on each with updated data on their locations and the actions in progress against them. That's kinda scary.
)Added in conjunction with the Zhodoni actions, it certainly looks to Aster like there is a connection. You can be the judge about how rational it is, but an extortion attempt and an attack on the princess all at the same time linked the events in her--and my--mind. Usually, it's the GM getting the players into a hole they have to dig their way out of, but this time is one of the rare ones the shoe is on the other foot. Here's a shovel. Good luck.
"You do the talking," she said grudgingly. "As galanglic isn't their first language, perhaps it was a misstatement--if an inexcusably stupid and unprofessional one--and I will defer to your judgement before I go full flamethrower. I don't care about the expense if they were talking about removing it. What I won't do is pay tribute. Not ever. That old adage rings true for me. 'Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.' They got themselves into this mess. If they want to do business with us, they'd better damned well figure a way to get themselves out of it."
Then she smiled again. "Oh, and not to add any pressure, but you probably should do that sooner rather than later. I've called for a potentially hot extraction and Roscoe is on the way down, probably under that very effective stealth protection of his. I told him that if we or he were fired upon, he was weapons free, but to keep things reserved when it came to casualties and discreet as to our capabilities. This is potentially his first ship-to-something-else combat, so mistakes could be made. He'll be here in less than eighteen minutes from now, but we will be in his range sooner than that. The repair drones will be coming for us on grav bikes, but he might be a little... twitchy if you know what I mean. I do want his first time to be special, so if we could settle the matter before he arrives or someone gets carried away, that might be best since he is incommunicado until he's here. I suppose I should tell someone that he is coming to keep the chances of a lethal overreaction to a minimum."
She kissed Garvin and headed for Colonel Skeet.
