001: Unexpected Beginnings

[terrymixon]

Garvin replies to Roscoe "They took Mad Dog's comm - can you track it?"

Roscoe frowned slightly. ”The comm network indicates that the number is no longer valid. That means someone reset the unit. Tracking it will not be possible unless we know the new number, and even then, doing so would require compromising the network. It is possible that even with a new number the hardware itself might be traceable to a new number. That is something I don’t have any experience with.”

Garvin equips his issue comm and dresses down from his suit. Layering a flak coat over better quality "downtown" gear and a diplo vest. He also takes two pairs of Invisiknives and a pair of "Electronux" (stunfists?)

So noted.

[terrymixon]

"I will. I do not have any weapons, but I have my fists."

"I've got a spare pair of "trouble gloves" you can borrow".

Garvin equips Roscoe with his spare pair of stunfists.

“Thank you. How do they work?” Once he knows how to use them, he turns toward the airlock. “I have directions to the establishment. Shall we go?”

[ateno]

"I will. I do not have any weapons, but I have my fists."

"I've got a spare pair of "trouble gloves" you can borrow".

Garvin equips Roscoe with his spare pair of stunfists.

"Ha, I guess I will match you, I don't want to break the style."

Arkar also brings his Cloth Trench coat, Gecko pads, his PRIS glasses and a couple adhesive bandages.

Arkar

[terrymixon]

"I will. I do not have any weapons, but I have my fists."

"I've got a spare pair of "trouble gloves" you can borrow".

Garvin equips Roscoe with his spare pair of stunfists.

"Ha, I guess I will match you, I don't want to break the style."

Arkar also brings his Cloth Trench coat, Gecko pads, his PRIS glasses and a couple adhesive bandages.

Arkar

So noted.

[terrymixon]

It's still uncertain if Metz is with the bar group, so I'll leave that part vague and decide of Coinich doesn't speak up by the time the inevitable bar brawl breaks out.

The group heads out into the concourse, sealing the hatch behind them. Roscoe looks around curiously as they walk, seemingly trying to take everything in all at once. "It's more crowded than I imagined, and everyone is dressed so colorfully. I feel drab."

Following his directions, you head deeper into the spaceport but turn off to one side before you get too far in. The condition of the corridor walls begins to deteriorate as you go, becoming less clean and the neighborhood becomes somewhat seedier. While the people around you aren't quite scurrying out of the public eye, the group is getting a little bit of attention.

The closer you get to the bar, the worse the conditions get until you are definitely in the bad side of the starport. Now there aren't a lot of regular folks just standing around. Those moving along the way are going quickly with their heads down. Except when they're watching anyone close to them. The quality of the clothing has decreased and there is definitely an air of desperation just under the surface.

When you arrive at The Last Ride you note that it looks like it's open for business. People are going in and out and they definitely look like a tougher crowd. There's no one timid here. The bouncers standing near the door are hulking goons that look like they could break weightlifters in half.

Somehow, though you're uncertain how, the smell gets worse when you go inside. The lighting is dim, and everything smells sour. It's noisy and at least a dozen people are playing darts against the far wall, yelling or jeering depending on the player and the shot. There are a couple of open tables, or you can go up to the bar.

Once again, Roscoe is looking around in wonder. It's as if he'd never imagined anything like this place existed. "I don't feel so drab anymore. Now I feel overdressed."

What now?

[ateno]

Once again, Roscoe is looking around in wonder. It's as if he'd never imagined anything like this place existed. "I don't feel so drab anymore. Now I feel overdressed."

"Roscoe, it's ok, we will pretend like we are your bodyguards, while you are out for a interesting night on the town."

Arkar moves up to the bouncers leaving the other two behind.

"Hello, room for three?"

Arkar acts like this is a every day occurrence being polite for he boss.

deception [2d6+3]=6+3=9 +2 int?

Arkar looks around the area for sight or recent fights or quick fixes and would like to sit there if available.

Arkar

[terrymixon]

Arkar moves up to the bouncers leaving the other two behind.

"Hello, room for three?"

Arkar acts like this is a every day occurrence.

deception [2d6+3]=6+3=9 +2 int?

Arkar

You made it past the bouncers already. That's why you got the interior description. I'll just assume you did this outside.

The two of them look at one another. Then they laugh.

"This ain't no high class joint, pal. Go on in and find a spot. Don't cause trouble or we'll end it. And you."

[Tiglath]

Garvin seems at ease and simply smiles amiably at the bouncers.

He checks the place out for anything of illicit interest on the way to the bar where he orders three bottled beers (that can't be either dosed or watered down).

He addresses the barman "You the owner then? Word was this place was shut down after a serious fight - but lucky for us you're back in business. We're doin' some orientation for 'is nibs there". He nods at Roscoe "Now he's all interested in the "real" Startown and would love to hear tell of a proper bar fight and stand a drink for anyone who can tell him what the recent one in here was like. No chancers though - just folk who can tell it properly. Maybe you can start us off?"

Streetwise check:

[2d6]=7+3

Mistyped the macro so the above is a natural seven plus three (Streetwise 2 + Int) for total ten.

[terrymixon]

Garvin seems at ease and simply smiles amiably at the bouncers.

He checks the place out for anything of illicit interest on the way to the bar where he orders three bottled beers (that can't be either dosed or watered down).

"Ten credits." When paid, he brings out three cold bottles (sealed) of some local brew. If the quality of the image on the bottle is any indication, it's not going to be that good.

He addresses the barman "You the owner then? Word was this place was shut down after a serious fight - but lucky for us you're back in business. We're doin' some orientation for 'is nibs there". He nods at Roscoe "Now he's all interested in the "real" Startown and would love to hear tell of a proper bar fight and stand a drink for anyone who can tell him what the recent one in here was like. No chancers though - just folk who can tell it properly. Maybe you can start us off?"

The bartender's eyes narrow. "We don't need no snoopin around. You want your jollies, go get em somewhere else."

Streetwise check:

[2d6]=7+3

Mistyped the macro so the above is a natural seven plus three (Streetwise 2 + Int) for total ten.

It's seemingly a sore subject and that piled on some negative DMs. It affected his business (even if he isn't the owner).

[ateno]

Any luck figuring out where the fight was? Anyone with brass knuckle rings or a ding from medicbot?

Arkar takes the bottled beer, looks at it, sneers inpercepicptly, and opens it.

He turns on his PRIS glasses and sets it for blacklight and looks around.

"Wadda think Garvin, Roscoe?"

Arkar

[terrymixon]

Any luck figuring out where the fight was? Anyone with brass knuckle rings or a ding from medicbot?

Arkar takes the bottled beer, looks at it, sneers inpercepicptly, and opens it.

He turns on his PRIS glasses and sets it for blacklight and looks around.

"Wadda think Garvin, Roscoe?"

Arkar

Roscoe will open his beer and sniff at it. Then he winces. "I sometimes regret that Doctor Metz added an advanced olfactory sensor to my package," he said quietly. "I am quite sure that I will feel the same way about the custom gustation sensor he designed for me in mere seconds."

He tipped the bottle back and took a sip, then grimaced. "Indeed."

Roscoe looks around. "It's very crowded, making it difficult to see, and the floor is as filthy as one could imagine. Everything, really. Note the area around that table in the far corner near the dart players filled with women? That area of the floor is notably cleaner, though still disgusting. Could the attack have taken place there?"

[ateno]

Arkar will look towards the area and set the glasses to multi spectrum and do a scan, then looks at Garvin.

"Frig, I did not want to get that complicated."

Arkar

[terrymixon]

Arkar will look towards the area and set the glasses to multi spectrum and do a scan, then looks at Garvin.

"Frig, I did not want to get that complicated."

Arkar

If it was easy, anyone could do it.

[helvorn]

Spicoli stops and runs his hands through his hair, "I'm just concerned. Worried that we are granting too much power to something we don't understand and can't control. And, yes, maybe I'm paranoid, but I would rather Roscoe not be aware of my concerns as that would just be more data that he would integrate into his developing personality."

"Please, think about it and convince me I'm being foolish about this before we are back under Roscoe's surveillance, if you can, and I'll not bring it up again." Spicoli finishes.

Jaelah had disabled her comms at Spicoli's request, and now she thought about his statements for a moment. "We all depend on expert systems to live most of the time. I agree that Roscoe is a few steps ahead of that, and that Metz is an unknown quantity. All I can say is, we have to trust each other, and we also have to trust that our new ship isn't homicidal. There's nothing else we can do except to walk away."

Silencer nodded at Walter's statement. His communications were shut off as well. "We have definitely fallen down the rabbit hole. I don't know quite what to make of it all other than roll with it especially as there is real money involved. It's not a scam. Also it is personal now that someone almost certainly connected with whatever the hell Mad Dog had going killed him." When Jaelah spoke he silently considered her words. After a few moments William spoke up. "If we don't trust each other we'll fall apart. That goes for Roscoe and Metz. Mad Dog seem to trust them which is a good indication. I would say one of us speaks to Metz privately about Roscoe and his programming imperatives."

[terrymixon]

Arkar will look towards the area and set the glasses to multi spectrum and do a scan, then looks at Garvin.

"Frig, I did not want to get that complicated."

Arkar

“Perhaps if one of you asked politely, they wouldn’t mind if we examined the area,” Roscoe said. “My experience with people is too limited and I’m afraid I would make a mistake. In the entertainment videos, this is the kind of situation where a fight breaks out. Best to leave this to the professionals, I say.”

[Tiglath]

The bartender's eyes narrow. "We don't need no snoopin around. You want your jollies, go get em somewhere else."

Garvin looks at the barman and says loudly to Arkar "You'd think the notoriety would be welcome. Bloke gets murdered - folk are goin' to 'ave an interest. I bet you in a few minutes time 'e'll 'ave forgotten I asked nicely an all!"

Arkar will look towards the area and set the glasses to multi spectrum and do a scan, then looks at Garvin.

"Frig, I did not want to get that complicated."

Garvin looks at Arkar "I can't see much point in examining the scene. They've actually gone one better than cleaning it up - they've managed to re-contaminate it too! We'll not get any actionable trace evidence from there. I'll 'ave a mingle with the locals an' see if I can turn up anything that way. If that doesn't work we might 'ave to tune up the barman. He was strangely defensive for an innocent bystander - makes me think 'e's got somethin' to tell us".

[ateno]

Garvin looks at Arkar "I can't see much point in examining the scene. They've actually gone one better than cleaning it up - they've managed to re-contaminate it too! We'll not get any actionable trace evidence from there. I'll 'ave a mingle with the locals an' see if I can turn up anything that way. If that doesn't work we might 'ave to tune up the barman. He was strangely defensive for an innocent bystander - makes me think 'e's got somethin' to tell us".

"All right, maybe I can stir up some business with a card game, ready to learn to play against something that is not the computer? Also b e sure you run what your going to say thru your Streetwise sub before saying it."

Arkar gets a game ready.

Arkar

[terrymixon]

The bartender's eyes narrow. "We don't need no snoopin around. You want your jollies, go get em somewhere else."

Garvin looks at the barman and says loudly to Arkar "You'd think the notoriety would be welcome. Bloke gets murdered - folk are goin' to 'ave an interest. I bet you in a few minutes time 'e'll 'ave forgotten I asked nicely an all!"

Arkar will look towards the area and set the glasses to multi spectrum and do a scan, then looks at Garvin.

"Frig, I did not want to get that complicated."

Garvin looks at Arkar "I can't see much point in examining the scene. They've actually gone one better than cleaning it up - they've managed to re-contaminate it too! We'll not get any actionable trace evidence from there. I'll 'ave a mingle with the locals an' see if I can turn up anything that way. If that doesn't work we might 'ave to tune up the barman. He was strangely defensive for an innocent bystander - makes me think 'e's got somethin' to tell us".

Okay, you're mingling. Give me an example of your pitch.

[terrymixon]

Garvin looks at Arkar "I can't see much point in examining the scene. They've actually gone one better than cleaning it up - they've managed to re-contaminate it too! We'll not get any actionable trace evidence from there. I'll 'ave a mingle with the locals an' see if I can turn up anything that way. If that doesn't work we might 'ave to tune up the barman. He was strangely defensive for an innocent bystander - makes me think 'e's got somethin' to tell us".

"All right, maybe I can stir up some business with a card game, ready to learn to play against something that is not the computer? Also b e sure you run what your going to say thru your Streetwise sub before saying it."

Arkar gets a game ready.

Arkar

You corral an empty table and quickly get some people interested. Let's hear an example of your pitch for info.

[ateno]

"Just new to the area, wanna play with the locals, no crazy money, I'll buy the first round."

He mention a fairly typical imperial card game involving betting and raises but a option to top out.

gambling #1 [2d6+3]=4+3=7 #2 [2d6+3]=2+3=5 #3 [2d6+3]=11+3=14

Oh nice set up and a kill.

So he is as smooth as silk and shows nothing and bluffs well.

deception [2d6+5]=7+5=12

Arkar will watch Roscoe making sure all is well.

Arkar