The Unseen Servant forums

Well dang! I missed that. I’ll edit…ya u suck!

Hvalreki wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 3:05 am

BackworldTraveller wrote: ↑Thu May 05, 2022 5:21 pm
How did transponders ever get to have mythic properties in Traveller - They are just radios with a computer attached. Faking them is simple. Faking the (Imperial) bureaucracy that holds the registry is the hard bit - and that isn't in existence here as there's no imperium or even a pocket empire!

Book 2 is entirely silent on the topic of Ship's Transponders

Hulls built in this region of space have "Black Box" transponders with failsafe mechanisms integrated into the the ship's avionics and computer systems.

Having said that, Players are free to attempt spoofing, hacking, changing or shutting them off all together. Being boarded and having the Ships Transponder registry not match the Master's or Owner's credentials can be problematic. Any worlds with A or B starports are expecting a continuous transmission from all ships. Running without a transponder you're assumed likely up to no good - smuggling, piracy, etc, unless you're actively squawking a distress signal. Even then expect rescue at gunpoint.

<Rant>
That makes any hit on a ships transponder a critical hit and makes the transponder a perfect target for those wishing to disable a ship. Kill the transponder and all those fail-safes trip. Compare that to real life registries: Name, registry number and port of registration painted on the rear of a ship; radio transponder that is set on a flight-by-flight basis by commercial aircraft; etc. Given the speed of information transmission is the speed of jumps and outside Imperial Space there is little cooperation, the Traveller Transponder system only could work within an empire and only on vessels never entering that space.

In non-imperial space, every contact is suspect and should only be considered friendly if verified by something other than a transponder code. It's much like travelling in Medieval Ships...All sails are hostile until proved otherwise.
</Rant>

Port Royal

Twilight's Peak

Starlight Lodge " 1408 Governor's Suite"

Fendon sits in his chair white-faced and sweating as the Travellers debate his fate. Rando and Dimitri have words while Alphonse tries to hold the group together. Terry is watching it all unfold waiting to see which way the wind is blowing.

Character Actions?

Rando

As far as I'm concerned, Fendon's scheme is unethical, untrustworthy and likely to see us going outside without the required vacc suit

So that leaves ticking off on his fingers

• Walking away and trusting Fendon not to stich us up with the syndicate...Yea, right
• Going to the syndicate and dropping Fendon right in it
• Going to a competitor and using the computer/Fendon as leverage. (Not too sure about that one)
• Going to the police (with attorney) as above - They probably wouldn't want an inter-gang war and it paints Fendon in the worst light
• Leaving the planet (possibly with one of the above)
• Anything else you can think of

Pick one? I'm not sure I'd be happy deliberately getting Fendon killed though.

I half-like the option of turning ourselves, Mielo’s tablet, and the credit stick into the authorities. As long as they are not corrupted by the syndicate, this is a safe way out I think.

He lowers his voice to a hushed tone

We’ll likely face false imprisonment charges though for holding Fendon the way we have. Once they catch him, he’ll certainly press charges. His being engaged in his own criminal activities at the time won’t absolve us. No telling how he’ll twist his testimony, and any camera footage would show him “apprehended” by us. We might come out ok, but it WILL get messy. It I’m no expert on legal systems around here.

Trying to blast on outta here on the first ship might work out best. Fendon won’t squeal on us as he’s still trying to work his heist, and we’ll be accountably off-off world as Fendon’s ship heist goes down. This way, we have no legal entanglements, and the syndicate may have photos of us, but no names. We won’t be tied to any financial transactions.

**Edited**

In the meantime, we can send the credits and tablet back to Mielo via post or courier with an anonymous note saying we were after Fendon for money he owed us. He convinced us these were his. When we discovered the truth, we send it back to him. This might keep the syndicate from hunting us.

When was the ship we worked inbound scheduled to leave out again?

Dmitri looks up the posted shipping schedule on the net.

Dmitri says distractedly and without taking his eyes off the computer screen;

Terry carried 5,000 credits in cash out of Mielo’s safe in his hotel room, along with the tablet. Wish we could go put it back!

And yes, three of us can work for passage…if the Captain has a crew shortage in a matching skill. Terry and I both have an assortment of high-demand crew experience, and you could work as a steward. Otherwise, it’s 10,000 credits for high class passage. We could chip in to cover Rando’s fare if he doesn’t have enough. I loaned him some money this morning…er, yesterday.

Port Royal

Twilight's Peak

Starlight Lodge " 1408 Governor's Suite"

Dimitri's net search indicates five ships at berth including the Demeter a type R subsidized merchant the travellers arrived on yesterday and scheduled to depart 3 days hence. Her next port of call is published as Wurnish.
The other vessels are: Mercurial, a yacht that arrived a few days ago but no notes on her departure. Jon Stenvallez, another type R leaving tomorrow for Onreon. Harpy, a free trader bound for Onreon in 4 days and finally the cruiser Warspite just arrived today.



Character Actions?

Looks like the first ship out is the John Stenvellez leaving tomorrow headed for Onreon, an ag colony of Port Royal. Let me see if she's advertising for crew or has any berths left.

He views the listing for berths. Hmm, we could always send Rando via low berth. Night, night, Rando!

He also pings their listing to let the Captain know that three experienced and qualified crew members are looking for working passage as 1) Steward 2)Pilot, Mechanic, Electrician, Medic 3)Pilot, Navigator, Engineer, Gunner

Dimitri pulls up the Port data on the Jon Stenvallez



Jon Stenvallez
Type R Merchantman - Subsidized

Destination: Onreon
Departing Port Royal: February 1, 2745 OER

Cargo 130/195
Mail 5/5

Passenger Staterooms: 5/8
High:5
Medium:0

Low Berths: 9/9

Notes: Hiring Gunner/Cargo Hand - able spacers only need apply

Thumper wrote: ↑Mon May 09, 2022 1:13 am Looks like the first ship out is the John Stenvellez leaving tomorrow headed for Onreon, an ag colony of Port Royal. Let me see if she's advertising for crew or has any berths left.

He views the listing for berths. Hmm, we could always send Rando via low berth. Night, night, Rando!

He also pings their listing to let the Captain know that three experienced and qualified crew members are looking for working passage as 1) Steward 2)Pilot, Mechanic, Electrician 3)Pilot, Navigator, Engineer, Gunner

Fine by me...I'd assume that I'd get cheap passage and be woken in the event of trouble...or we arrive safely or I never get to see Fendon ever again. Where's the downside?

In reply to the crew position advertisement, Dmitri will respond with appropriate description of 13 years experience as a crewmember, including certification and experience as gunner. He’ll make it clear that he would work for passage.

He’ll pass his computer around for each person to make their own listing.

As they’re booking their trip, he turns to Fendon. You going to pay Rando his back pay plus collection fees now? You choose to, and we don’t mention to Mielo that you’re after the ship…since that has nothing to do with us. You don’t, and it’s easy enough to add in a line of text saying this has something to do with Fendon plotting to steal a ship, though we aren’t sure of the details.

By the way, you never did say why you’re trying so hard to rip off Mielo. My guess is, you’ve worked for him before.

Port Royal

Twilight's Peak

Starlight Lodge " 1408 Governor's Suite"

Dimitri-
You going to pay Rando his back pay plus collection fees now? You choose to, and we don’t mention to Mielo that you’re after the ship…since that has nothing to do with us. You don’t, and it’s easy enough to add in a line of text saying this has something to do with Fendon plotting to steal a ship, though we aren’t sure of the details.

By the way, you never did say why you’re trying so hard to rip off Mielo. My guess is, you’ve worked for him before.

Fendon smiles wanly, resigned to the travellers decision to extricate themselves post haste.

"Why you ask? For the money friend, it's always been about the money. I'm flat broke without the pad you took from Mielo. I can transfer the funds as promised after the exchange at the bank but I know how you all feel about any involvement here. I do have a middle passage voucher. It's in my belt buckle so please don't shoot me while I reach for it."

He slowly unbuckles his belt and you can see a yellow plastic card tucked in behind the buckle which he hands carefully to Rando. It's indeed a mid-passage voucher, security holos intact and reads as VALID on any of your pads.

"That covers the 5K I owe you Rando plus interest. If we're parting ways now I'll take the pad, the cash, and be on my way. Alternatively, if you all prefer, you four can leave and I'll stay here until the banks open. It's almost day shift anyway."

Character Actions?

Dmitri glances over to Rando to see whether he accepts the payment, and will defer responding to Fendon until after Rando’s decision.

Dmitri keeps his hand computer away from the passage voucher. But, seeing the travel voucher safely in Rando’s hands as he explorers and validates it’s authentic, Dmitri turns back to Fendon:

Well…seeing as how Terry walked off with someone else’s tablet and cash, he gets to decide where it’s going next…not you.

Can’t really have you following us. So Alphonse? How about a function check on that taser?