Y2156.11.25 - SHIPSHAPE

[ateno]

Tut is happy to stay working with the computer and occasionally gathering usable parts from the 'junkyard' and reading the manual on drone operation.

Tut

[Ythgar]

Guy

Guy will keep his meeting with Jensen.

[Thumper]

"Whatever the ship brain is, it seems like it has a mind of its own, and I think it should have some self-determination." he adds, "Even if we did turn it over to the powers that be, I'm thinking they wouldn't want us in a position to tell tales afterwards. Our reward might well be a deep dark hole in the ground."

”Agreed. I suspect we’re already in this too deep.

Joe, DJ.? Having never really been out there, what’s it going to be like out there in this system’s space if we have to make a run for it. I’m feeling a total sense of urgency to get the ship running. But is escaping in it conceivable? I’m just a backwoods hunter…what can we expect out in this system? How do we prepare for that?

I’m growing concerned with Chester’s return to the Blockhead Intel.”

[gurusql]

Hol

Hol will finally ask the questions he had of the brain

• "What are some of your favorite memories of Aunt Ellie?
• Can you tell me about a time when Aunt Ellie was happiest?
• What was something Aunt Ellie often talked about but I might not have had the chance to talk to you about yet?
• Did Aunt Ellie ever mention a dream or goal that she didn’t get to accomplish?
• Can you tell me a funny story about Aunt Ellie that I might not know?"

[BackworldTraveller]

Hol

Hol will finally ask the questions he had of the brain

• "What are some of your favorite memories of Aunt Ellie?
• Can you tell me about a time when Aunt Ellie was happiest?
• What was something Aunt Ellie often talked about but I might not have had the chance to talk to you about yet?
• Did Aunt Ellie ever mention a dream or goal that she didn’t get to accomplish?
• Can you tell me a funny story about Aunt Ellie that I might not know?"

Nyota would ask

• And how are You feeling? I'm fine.
• What can we do for You?

It thinks therefore it is! Why start with an interrogation? Just be nice.

[Thumper]

At some point in the day he’ll go try to find alone time on the bridge. He’ll observe the alien creature for a while…then try to reach into himself to draw out his telepathy and try to direct a simple thought projection of ”Hello” to the brain…while opening himself to listen if psi strength is present.

[atpollard]

Y2156.12.07-08 Ellie’s Place (East of Brulantfort) COMPUTER

Hol will finally ask the questions he had of the brain

• "What are some of your favorite memories of Aunt Ellie?
• Can you tell me about a time when Aunt Ellie was happiest?
• What was something Aunt Ellie often talked about but I might not have had the chance to talk to you about yet?
• Did Aunt Ellie ever mention a dream or goal that she didn’t get to accomplish?
• Can you tell me a funny story about Aunt Ellie that I might not know?"

Nyota would ask

• And how are You feeling? I'm fine.
• What can we do for You?

It thinks therefore it is! Why start with an interrogation? Just be nice.

At some point in the day [MICK] will go try to find alone time on the bridge. He’ll observe the alien creature for a while…then try to reach into himself to draw out his telepathy and try to direct a simple thought projection of ”Hello” to the brain…while opening himself to listen if psi strength is present.

With everyone overwhelmed by curiosity and chomping at the bit to take a turn interacting with the Ship’s AI, the steady stream of visitors began on the afternoon of 12.7 at the first of the company returned and extended through most of the night and into the early hours of 12.8 …

Hol conversed about his Aunt and obtained some memories of her from the AI, but overall the interaction did not go well.

Nyota engaged in some casual, friendly banter and was disappointed to discover that the AI generally didn’t do “small talk” at all.

Mick tried, but sensed no PSI contact potential with the AI.

All of this does not mean that the group learned nothing from their time. One observation was that the SHIP was comparable to the best of the Robotic AIs in many respects. Somewhat over-literal and not given to complex abstract thinking.

It was difficult to determine conclusively whether the AI was reluctant to share information because of a secretive nature, a shyness, or just an inability to grasp human interaction as a concept. The jury was definitely still out on that, but it clearly KNEW more than it would SAY … whatever the reason.

While it was about as intelligent as the ROBOT AI’s, the differences were as apparent as the similarities. Where the Robots behaved as moderately intelligent (stupid) machines, the SHIP felt more like an inexperienced Child in the simplicity of its thoughts. Equal but far less linear and programmed. For those with COMPUTER skill, it was highly non-deterministic (almost completely unpredictable in its reasoning).

With the sun dawning on a busy Y2156.12.08, research on the SHIP’s AI would have to wait. There were transports to catch and narrow windows of opportunity to meet with mysterious people.

[Thumper]

Mick will offer to broker the Textiles and petrochemicals to Brulantfort to give the group a cover for flying their Grav vehicles to the Grav port and visiting the Colony.

He’ll also try to locate a good deal on the purchase of a hydrogen generator in Brulantfort.

He’ll fly his personal mini-grav truck to and from Brulantfort if he thinks the generator will fit in the truck bed for transport.

[atpollard]

Y2156.12.08 The Colony (Brulantfort) [Mark Jensen]

Mick, Guy, Joe and Nyota headed out in the early morning light (0600) towards The COLONY. With 10 tons of supplies to try and sell, one of the big wheeled trucks was best for hauling that much cargo without making multiple short trips and raising questions you didn’t want to answer. Mick and Nyota took his Grav Mini-pickup to scout ahead and provide a quick vehicle to escape in if the need arose, while Guy and Joe rode in the Truck. Mick and Nyota were there in less than an hour (by 0700) and had time to scan the Colony for trouble before the rest arrived … Everything was quiet, if a little depressing.

The truck loaded with Liquid Plastic and Textiles arrived at around 1000.

One thing that felt different about the Colony was the emptiness. Of the original population of 500, you estimated about 300 remained, so the streets and stores just felt quiet and empty to anyone that had seen the vitality of the Colony before. The other thing that was unmistakable were the uniforms of Security personnel walking casually through town … new fixtures acting like they were here to stay.

(anyone that rolls 8+ on 2d6 read spoiler)

The security personnel wear different uniforms. Several are identified as Corporate Security for large Corporations and some are identified as hired security. A few are Government Security Forces and a small number are 100% “Mercenaries”. Whatever is going on, there are multiple players involved.

There were no checkpoints outside of town, but everyone was stopped walking along the main street into town. Primarily, your papers were checked for forgeries and you were casually questioned about where you were from and whether you had seen anything on your way in. The security personnel were curt, but not particularly abusive. They were looking for someone or something and simply wanted to identify you as a target of interest or not as quickly as possible and then move on.

BRULANTFORT DOMES:
At the entrance to the Brulanfort Domes Mick’s “Outdoorsman” appearance attracted significant attention. For a moment it appeared that you might be selected for more “detailed” questioning, but at the last moment, the Officer just handed back your papers and waved Mick through. While Mick’s trick might have handled the man asking questions, Mick observed AI equipped security drones were also scanning the trickle of people entering and leaving and Mick did not want to learn how an AI Drone would react to observing his gift in action.


DATA PROCESSING AND STORAGE BUILDING [7]:

The fortified bunker had enormous mechanical systems mounted on the roof sized for a small town, not a small building. The front door slid open with only a whisper of sound as the air was disturbed. Guy, Joe and Nyota entered Building 7, through a vestibule and were briefly trapped as the air cycled to remove all contaminants. UV lights sanitized any bacteria that might be on you as you listened to ‘mood music’, stared at the second set of doors and waited … thinking how much this resembled an Airlock. The inner doors opened - two doors, one behind the other, not side by side - and the group stepped into a living room that would be at home in the suite of any luxury hotel.

To one side of the central “living room” were two offices - one larger than the other. On the opposite side of the central “living room” was a glass wall with racks of servers beyond. A man in his early twenties stepped out of the smaller office and greeted you. The door to the large office was labeled “Mark Jensen”, while the door to the smaller office had no label.

“Welcome. We don’t get many visitors. What can we do you for?” Sam grinned. “Bartleby, I’d like an iced coffee with chocolate and cream.” A panel on one of the walls slid open and three robotic arms started cooking and preparing before your eyes. “Would you like something?”

Sam Anderson (Age 22):
Below average (2-5) END; Average (6-8) SR,DEX; Above average (9-C) INT, EDU, SOC.
Skills: Electronics-1, Computer-0

Mick’s GRAV MINI-PICKUP [500 kg cargo capacity]

(TL 11) Cr 40,000 (Used for Cr 20,000); 1900 kg GVWR. A two-seat personal Grav transport with a seat, Electronic Controls and onboard Autopilot for a 100 kg Pilot, seat for a 100 kg Passenger and a small “pickup bed” with a 500 kg cargo capacity. The vehicle is designed for operation below 3000 meters altitude, has a Top Speed of 600 kph, a Flying Cruise speed of 450 kph (10,800 km range), and a Nap Of Earth (NOE) speed of 150 kph (3600 km range). The Fuel Cell consumes 2833 Liters of Liquid Hydrogen Fuel (Cr 99 to refuel) in 24 hours.

BEAU WHEELED 16-TON CARGO

(TL 8) Cr 83,000; 40,000 kg GVWR. A two-seat wheeled cargo transport with Electronic Controls for a 100 kg Driver, a seat for a 100 kg Passenger and a “pickup bed” with a 16,000 kg cargo capacity. The vehicle has a Top Speed of 200 kph, a Highway Cruise speed of 150 kph (2400 km range), a Dirt Road speed of 100 kph (1600 km range) and an Off-road speed of 40 kph (640 km range). The Internal Combustion Engine (TL 8) consumes 11,420 Liters of Biodiesel Fuel (Cr 2,855 to refuel) in 16 hours.

2156.12.08 ASSET (6 tonnes of Petrochemicals (liquid plastic) - Cr 60,000 FMV)
2156.12.08 ASSET (4 tonnes of Textiles - Cr 12,000 FMV)