010: Off to The Deeps

[ateno]

Walt, who has spent the week in space growing a short beard:
”You’re welcome to go undercover with me to go rooting around for an underground cabal of psionics here on Aki. Could be messy work. Going to need a good disguise and a loadout of shady Neural Jack skills. Could be fun though. Might want to know Teleport in case we need to extricate ourselves from a bad situation. That kinda points to you, Arker.

"Sounds good, I will think on my ah .. jacks.... Anything I should concentrate on so we don't double?"

Arkar

[terrymixon]

The arrival at Aki is similar to the earlier ones, though as you are in larger ships, you get priority in orbital slots. Once you are in place, that frees you up to implement your plans to deal with Aki's taint issue while Ciencia focuses on recruiting colonists, though she will need to get whatever permissions are required as well, and that is an area that others could help with. Roscoe will be setting up a fabrication store like the one on Collace (and Glisten), but he likely won't need help.

Items I am aware of that need to be dealt with by the PCs:

1. Make sure planetary security will even let you back on the planet.
2. Get approvals to sell seeds for taint-resistant plants.
3. Find sellers for seeds for taint-resistant plants.
4. Set up clinics and potentially hospitals to treat people for everyday issues.
5. Get medical approvals to make DNA adaptions to the willing that would make them immune to most non-biological atmospheric taints, including the variety here on Aki.
6. Start campaign to get people willing to have the changes made.
7. Find people to run said clinics and hospitals for you.
8. Find an underground cabal of psionics.
9. Anything Terry has forgotten.

“What shall we do first?” Metz asked. “Do we do this as a group or split up?”

William speaks up. "I think items 1, 2 and 5 are first but we can work on item 4 right away as well."

"The Guild Leader has spoken," Roscoe intoned with a smile. "That's probably best so that we know who is working on what and no effort will be wasted. Who should do what, William? It might be best for someone new to speak with planetary security to present a fresh face. That leaves the other tasks needing people."

[helvorn]

The arrival at Aki is similar to the earlier ones, though as you are in larger ships, you get priority in orbital slots. Once you are in place, that frees you up to implement your plans to deal with Aki's taint issue while Ciencia focuses on recruiting colonists, though she will need to get whatever permissions are required as well, and that is an area that others could help with. Roscoe will be setting up a fabrication store like the one on Collace (and Glisten), but he likely won't need help.

Items I am aware of that need to be dealt with by the PCs:

1. Make sure planetary security will even let you back on the planet.
2. Get approvals to sell seeds for taint-resistant plants.
3. Find sellers for seeds for taint-resistant plants.
4. Set up clinics and potentially hospitals to treat people for everyday issues.
5. Get medical approvals to make DNA adaptions to the willing that would make them immune to most non-biological atmospheric taints, including the variety here on Aki.
6. Start campaign to get people willing to have the changes made.
7. Find people to run said clinics and hospitals for you.
8. Find an underground cabal of psionics.
9. Anything Terry has forgotten.

“What shall we do first?” Metz asked. “Do we do this as a group or split up?”

William speaks up. "I think items 1, 2 and 5 are first but we can work on item 4 right away as well."

"The Guild Leader has spoken," Roscoe intoned with a smile. "That's probably best so that we know who is working on what and no effort will be wasted. Who should do what, William? It might be best for someone new to speak with planetary security to present a fresh face. That leaves the other tasks needing people."

"Who do we have that is not locally compromised?"

[terrymixon]

William speaks up. "I think items 1, 2 and 5 are first but we can work on item 4 right away as well."

"The Guild Leader has spoken," Roscoe intoned with a smile. "That's probably best so that we know who is working on what and no effort will be wasted. Who should do what, William? It might be best for someone new to speak with planetary security to present a fresh face. That leaves the other tasks needing people."

"Who do we have that is not locally compromised?"

If memory serves, it was Walt and Arkar that ran into trouble with the authorities.

[Tiglath]

William speaks up. "I think items 1, 2 and 5 are first but we can work on item 4 right away as well."

"The Guild Leader has spoken," Roscoe intoned with a smile. "That's probably best so that we know who is working on what and no effort will be wasted. Who should do what, William? It might be best for someone new to speak with planetary security to present a fresh face. That leaves the other tasks needing people."

"Who do we have that is not locally compromised?"

Garvin offers "I reckon I'm clean... at least as far as Aki's concerned. What needs doin' then?"

[Thumper]

If memory serves, it was Walt and Arkar that ran into trouble with the authorities.

It was! What could go wrong here?

Walt-
”Hey Metz and Bianca. Can you make an Aug to adjust our biometrics to hide our true ID?

And Aster, is it possible for you and your agency to authorize individuals to have Ancients artifacts in their possession? If so, that would help me form a cover story for mine and Arker’s undercover search. If you can, I’m thinking I’ll take an inert and innocuous Ancients item and ask around the University for info on it, including inquiring if they think it can be activated by psi. I’m hoping a psi there recognizes were shielded and makes a “pass” on us.

Arker, I think I’m going to max my Jack loadout with Streetwise, Deception, Persuasion, Diplomacy, Stealth, etc. while keeping maximum combatant stats. Keep Teleportation strength close at hand.

If Aster can’t authorize that, how about we set up a gambling ring near the University. Students get drawn from all over. I bet some enterprising Telepath makes a side hustle through gambling. It’s what I did as a kid. Find someone you think is a rich ass, read his mind during a game and take his money. They’ll find us shielded and out themselves, or we discover their shielding and try to bring them into our gambling scheme.

Thoughts? Any other ideas?”

[terrymixon]

If memory serves, it was Walt and Arkar that ran into trouble with the authorities.

It was! What could go wrong here?

Walt-
”Hey Metz and Bianca. Can you make an Aug to adjust our biometrics to hide our true ID?

And Aster, is it possible for you and your agency to authorize individuals to have Ancients artifacts in their possession? If so, that would help me form a cover story for mine and Arker’s undercover search. If you can, I’m thinking I’ll take an inert and innocuous Ancients item and ask around the University for info on it, including inquiring if they think it can be activated by psi. I’m hoping a psi there recognizes were shielded and makes a “pass” on us.

Arker, I think I’m going to max my Jack loadout with Streetwise, Deception, Persuasion, Diplomacy, Stealth, etc. while keeping maximum combatant stats. Keep Teleportation strength close at hand.

If Aster can’t authorize that, how about we set up a gambling ring near the University. Students get drawn from all over. I bet some enterprising Telepath makes a side hustle through gambling. It’s what I did as a kid. Find someone you think is a rich ass, read his mind during a game and take his money. They’ll find us shielded and out themselves, or we discover their shielding and try to bring them into our gambling scheme.

Thoughts? Any other ideas?”

“Omicron would never authorize that, so it might be shaky as a cover story,” she said. “I can protect you from them, but planetary security is outside my preview. You’d be on your own there.”

[Thumper]

Walt-
”Alrighty then. Looks like we’re doing the poker tournament. Spicoli, you’re a Telepath. You want in on this job? We could probably benefit from your cyber expertise.

Initially, I’m thinking of renting a place within walking distance of campus. Find a nearby bar that runs poker games. If we strike out, at least we have some fun!

If Metz can adequately disguise us biometrically, we don’t have to be ourselves while in role.

What d’ya think?”

[terrymixon]

Walt-
”Alrighty then. Looks like we’re doing the poker tournament. Spicoli, you’re a Telepath. You want in on this job? We could probably benefit from your cyber expertise.

Initially, I’m thinking of renting a place within walking distance of campus. Find a nearby bar that runs poker games. If we strike out, at least we have some fun!

If Metz can adequately disguise us biometrically, we don’t have to be ourselves while in role.

What d’ya think?”

Spicoli isn’t there. He has secluded himself in the pocket universe overseeing the scout service and is unavailable.

[ateno]

Walt-
" ... Initially, I’m thinking of renting a place within walking distance of campus. Find a nearby bar that runs poker games. If we strike out, at least we have some fun!
What d’ya think?”

"We should check with the local laws about legality of betting, and perhaps have our place ready to play in also."

Modified my skills.

Arkar

[terrymixon]

Also, Bianca says that biometrics can be changed but it is not a simple process and doing it on the fly isn’t feasible. It takes some preparation and forethought. If you give her a day, she can get you so that no one will recognize you.

[Thumper]

Walt-
" ... Initially, I’m thinking of renting a place within walking distance of campus. Find a nearby bar that runs poker games. If we strike out, at least we have some fun!
What d’ya think?”

"We should check with the local laws about legality of betting, and perhaps have our place ready to play in also."

Modified my skills.

Arkar

Walt-
”Are you suggesting we host poker tournaments?”

[ateno]

Walt-
”Are you suggesting we host poker tournaments?”

Arkar looks a Walt and smiles.

"It appears due to who's at my shoulder's these days those days are behind me. What I am saying is have a separate room we can set up as a game room and
we can invite those we want there without others watching or a intimate conversation."

Arkar

[Thumper]

Walt-
”Aha! Makes sense. And you should be able to set up electronic interference to counter eavesdroppers, right?”

[ateno]

Walt-
”Aha! Makes sense. And you should be able to set up electronic interference to counter eavesdroppers, right?”

"I'm more a talky guy not much with electronics, but lets see if our resident scientist can help?

Arkat 'hails' Dr. Metz and plugs in Walt to the call.

Arkar

[terrymixon]

Walt-
”Aha! Makes sense. And you should be able to set up electronic interference to counter eavesdroppers, right?”

"I'm more a talky guy not much with electronics, but lets see if our resident scientist can help?

Arkat 'hails' Dr. Metz and plugs in Walt to the call.

Arkar

Metz will answer. “Yes?”

[ateno]

Metz will answer. “Yes?”

"Hey Doc, I got Walt on line also. We are going to the surface, renting a house, do you know or have access to a electronic counter espionage interference device we can set up and have in the background to prevent eaves droppers?

Arkar

[terrymixon]

Metz will answer. “Yes?”

"Hey Doc, I got Walt on line also. We are going to the surface, renting a house, do you know or have access to a electronic counter espionage interference device we can set up and have in the background to prevent eaves droppers?

Arkar

"Yes, the same system we installed on the ship. I would need a few hours to get it all rigged up, but then it would both block eavesdropping attempts and com signals and tell you if someone were wearing a surveillance device."

[Thumper]

Walt-
"Sweet! Is it small enough to be active and concealed carried on me?"

[terrymixon]

Walt-
"Sweet! Is it small enough to be active and concealed carried on me?"

“No, it is a series of sensors and emitters that have to be set up in the area being monitored and protected.”