Ship's Log
--Ules, 5-30-07 9:41AM: I have two issues to discuss: First, we are being far too conspicuous. Using our ship like a blunt weapon (as we did when flattening that city block) attracts enough attention to us that those who have a remote interest in our ship will not find it hard to connect the dots. You may think this is no big deal, but trust me, it is a very large deal. We want to know who knows about us, and be able to manage those relationships appropriately. If we run around hibbly-nibbly, threatening locals and bombarding buildings, then people beyond those we wish to will gain an interest in our ship. For instance, we're gonna have to go to a great deal of trouble to shake G. Smitty's interest at this point, which we're going to need to do.
Second, we should endeavor to manage those people who do know about our ship and its capabilities to either ensure that they're allies, or that the damage they can do is limited. Mike is a primary point of interest here. He knew the instant we came into Nestor that we were around. If we keep putting him off, he may work to coerce us into performing for him. More specifically, Mike and his friends are going to prove valuable in the future, take my word as a Norn on that. We can play it such that we don't receive the proverbial "offer we can't refuse".
My sources and intuition tell me that life as a jump crew has just become exponentially more dangerous, and we need to take these two steps to manage our risk effectively.
--Gloval Using the ship in a city like that did in no way show off what our ship is cable of doing. Mike knows there are plenty of other jump ships out there, we just need to make ourselves look less pleasing. As in step up our security. Besides Mike is enemies with our Friend Mr. Phillipe. I would much rather work for him then Mike.
Also just because we used the ship once like that doesn't mean we always have or will. When on a lawless planet like that you use what resources you have. Our ship happens to be one and is not easily lost, unlike human life.
I'm not worried about Smitty, after all, he is the one who sent the mining robots to that site we were digging on as a further peace offering. Most likely because we returned his assassin.
--Ules Captain, if you don't think using the ship like that put the spotlight on us, you're not looking. It didn't show off what we can do specifically, no. But it did show off a ship of its description prominently enough, I'm sure, to make the local newsfeed. Let's say you've got a decent AI and the desire to track our movements, all it would take at this point is a little time on Google. Let's say you're G. Smitty, and you're curious about these goons who just threatened you for a bunch of money. You do a little google, and wha-hey, this ship is all over the place! It's been rescuing people on Troy! It's been docking at Nestor! Put two and two together, and it's a jump ship! Just the information alone is extremely valuable.
Furthermore, it highlights us as a reckless and dangerous crew, in the absence of any other information.
Smitty may not be an explicit enemy, but now he probably knows what our ship can do, and we have no real relationship with him, just like with Mike. So hence the number of unknowns goes up.
As for Mike, we can do business with him and Phillipe; they work in different circles. If Phillipe wants us to himself, tough; he's not the one putting his ass on the line out there.
--Gdaze 12:04, 30 May 2007 (MST) Actually Mike from the get go threatened Phillipe and Phillipe is lying to us about how much he knows about Mike. Also I doubt there is a lot of news feed about ships dropping down on cities in ass crack of no where villages like the one we were in. Not only that but how would he have positively ID our ship? We were only down there for maybe a minute, and there was other chaos on the ground. And yes we do jump quite a bit... but in that case it is the JUMPING that will draw attention to use eventually anyway. Instead of suddenly becoming a hermit crab, we should be discussing what we can do to protect ourselves once we become known as a jump ship. Unless of course you'd like to continue being famous for gambling, recklessly accepting every person who comes to us offering a job, and heavy drinking.
The crew wants nothing to do with Mike. And so far, you've said that about everyone we've met, they'd have useful skills... not good to make them mad. We can't be accepting every mission handed to us. To be cautious is a good thing, to be paranoid is quite another.
Smitty I doubt cares about us anymore. And as far as I’m concerned we will not be going back to that planet anytime soon. The finds are… slim pickings. However perhaps that computer we found shall give us some new insight? We shall see. For now I’m not worried that someone whose interests only seem to be on that planet will care about us. Stonewall might make a good contact but the man is at heart nothing more then a hired killer, and seems to be a simple man.
Aedil-- I agree that caution is warranted in our situation. we must choose carefully who to have dealings with. Simply because someone knows of our prowess does not make them honorable people to have dealings with. Certainly, I want nothing more to do with this G. Smitty, unless it is to aid Stonewall in putting Smitty out of his misery. the man is a trickster to the extreme. I have little knowledge of this Mike person. However, based on his actions skulking after our ship as we left orbit last time, he seems to be of nefarious purpose. As Capt. Gloval distrusts him, I am highly inclined to agree. However, if Ules forsees a future thread to greater glory through association with this quesitonable Mike character then we cannot lightly brush the option aside.
Ules, you suggest that we "hibbly nibbly" assaulted that building where allegedly the Chinos were located. This is not true, our path there was carefully orchestrated, both by ourselves and the manipulation of Smitty. In fact, it was your plan which we all agreed to. Although none of the crew died, the incident could have gone better, I agree.
Another note, I would like to visit Platocrates on Diomedes to further pursue the artifacts we uncovered.
The crew may be unaware, but my kinsmen continue to battle the Lycurgans on Troy. The Lycrugans are apparently using the chaos to attempt to gain access to an ancient cache of weapons that my people secreted away thousands of years ago within the Hall of the Valkyries. These weapons are legended to be given to the Norse by the Aesir (the gods) themselves during Ragnarok aeons ago. Unfortunately, the ability to access the stockpile has been lost over the centuries. Now the Norse are considering tunnelling to access these ancient weapons. However, they lack access to technology. With our mining robot, we could gain access to this trove. Undoubtedly there would be riches to make even the Aesir dizzy.
--Ules Going to Troy right now would be tantamount to suicide, just so you know. The Aenean Navy is mustered and ready, and they wouldn't take kindly to us popping into orbit.
You're right though, captain. We shouldn't recuse ourselves from society just because we're a jump ship. I'd just like you to be a little more aware of the risks. The Gemini isn't a static system that we can elastically move around in as we please. With each action we take, reactions cascade through the system. All I'm asking for is a little awareness of that fact.
Those who have heard of the Golden Fleece, a new jumpship on the scene, are undoubtedly accounting for it in their plans. They're informing their contacts. Soon enough, if not already, the word will be out. If we continue to operate as we have, we will be outwitted by enemies we have not detected, whose intentions we are too naive to ascertain.
--Gloval Ah now that I agree with Ules. Even I have let the power of our ship and its crew slip from my mouth all too often.
Hmm, how do you know of these events Aedil? If you have been communicating I would like to at least see the logs. Not that I dis-believe you, after all you always say the truth no matter how inapporprate it is...*chuckles* I wonder though, did the weapons survive the eruption? And are they sure they are there? I would rather they be in the hands of your people then those guns for hire. However if it is a bunch of yous down there and those armored up super soliders we stand little chance. I would listen to requests to perhaps lend them a hand in transporting the weapons off world and to a hidden location, even lend them the use or our mining bot, if we could have some of the weapons. If there is something our ship is good at, it is speed, agility, and sleath.
--Matts 15:11, 30 May 2007 (MST)Let me repeat, Captain: going to Troy is suicide. Sure, we can slip past podunk two-bit criminals, but past the Aenean Navy?
--Gloval While I have a lot of faith in our stealth... I have even more in Sola's hacking ability. We were connected with their computer for awhile, we must still have bits of information... perhaps she can use those connections to somehow give us access. Or we can call on that captin who thanked us. How ironic would that be?!?
--Aedil Indeed, Captain. It is as if the Norns directed us to save the Lycurgan captain in order to enable our reintroduction to the planet. The Aenean navy cannot control the skies over an entire planet. they are mighty, but not so mighty. They will concentrate their efforts on the small area of the planet where the Troy settlements are located: the hive, etc.... This is but a small fraction of the planetary surface. The remainder of Troy is believed, incorrectly, to be uninhabited. In fact, there are Norse settlements in the deeper strata throughout the planet and there are a myriad of connecting tunnels. I tell you this as trusted and honorable friends: There are more Norsemen on Troy than are imagined by the Aeneans or Lycurgans. However, we lack in technology, and for generations have been building our numbers, training for the battle to come. When again the gods call forth the Norse, we will wreak havok upon our adversaries. The stockpiles in the Hall of Valhalla will aid in the wars to come. My kin hold the gate to the Hall secure, and it was distant enough to be undamaged by the recent eruptions. This information I have recieved through communications via our secure communications arrays. If these are recorded, then Sola can retrieve them for your further inspection, Captain. Honor would dictate comensurate compensation to those who aid the righteous. The Hall of Valhalla predates the so called "sundering" by thousands of years. There is no telling what great artifacts it may contain.
--Ules Aedil, did you ever consider that you may not want to blow your people's wad just yet? The Aeneans are in full-on war mode right now; it may not be the best time to stage an uprising. That gigantic battlecruiser of theirs? It could bomb the hell out of y'all the instant you hit the surface.
I say again: going to Troy is suicide. It gets us on the wrong side of exactly the wrong people at precisely the worst time.
If you want to influence things in that system, talk to Mike. He's got contacts all over Pollux.
--Dieter the Bold 19:32, 30 May 2007 (MST) I agree 100% with Ules on the Troy situation. We do not want to be pitting our skills against those of an entire Aenean battlegroup on wartime footing, with a legendary admiral called out of retirement to command the operation. Aedil is more than welcome to pursue courses of action appropriate to his beliefs, but those aren't my beliefs, and I have no interest in seeing the Fleece get caught up in some schemes that put us all in the bullseye for one of the most powerful militaries in the Gemini.
As for the Mike/Phillippe deal, we currently have a good thing going with Phillippe. Phillippe's always come through for us, never tried to mess with us and has been most polite and helpful. I don't think we've made too many enemies, but I don't see any reason to go burning bridges with proven associates. I say we ask Phillippe if taking jobs with Mike would be objectionable to him and go from there. If we can make money off both without jeopardizing our current business, I'm all for it. One credit in your pocket is better than two on the street. Try and chase the two and you'll end up with nothing.
Aedil This is Aedil calling the crew, I want to confirm your interest in our recent archaeological finds. I am here with Platocrates and he says to expedite the investigation, he would like to use the University facilities. However if he does so, we would waive our rights to financial gain from the items. I propose that Platocrates should turn over the following items to the University and the academic community for publication: the location and description of the site, the fork, the empty bottle, the pile of bones, the whole human skeleton, the item which by scans appears to be a book or stack of paper, the coin. Captain, you seemed somewhat attached to the coin, but it is only a trinket after all. I assume from previous conversations that the crew wishes to retain ownership of the PDA. In such a case, Platocrates will perform what investigations he can within his laboratory but further studies might need to be carried out elsewhere. Gentlemen, I solicit your opinions.
--Ules: We need money, one way or another, if we want to keep the ship running and the potential for further finds alive. That said, I have no particular opinion on what to do with an old fork.
Aedil What of the other items besides the PDA?
--Edmiao 09:33, 29 June 2007 (MST) note to GM. if other players do not express an opinion on the matter before or at game start then please consider it to be settled as described above.
Graz: Sounds good, just don't forget I got the coin.
--Edmiao 13:50, 29 June 2007 (MST) unless you refused to give it back, it is now in the hands of Platocrates. you may request that it not be handed over to the university if you wish.
--Ules Aedil, the expedition to Andromache was under your auspices. The gain from that trip will directly influence my decisions in terms of pursuing further such adventures. So feel free to give all that shit to Platocrates, but unless we see some real gain, the next time you claim riches await us on some hick-infested backwater, we'll rightly be more skeptical.
Aedil Look, we went on this expedition, I am trying to work with you folks, but I am not one who has staked his life on profits in the past. If you think some of these items have monetary value then you should speak up. Frankly I see no reason why an old fork or an old coin or an ancient book would be worth a lot of money. Thus I propose to turn these over for more rapid investigation. Now some of you may know more about what these are worth on the street and have a differnt opinion. Maybe ancient bones go for a lot of money on the black market, I don't know. The only reason why I care is because you, my freinds, deserve some compensation for the expedition. I will remind you that archaeological expeditions are hit and miss. Sometimes you spend a long time digging and find nothing. Sometimes you spend a day digging and find something prescious. Let me remind you that the last site that the gods directed me to yeilded a small stone. I just sold that small stone for 100,000 credits, which will be divided normally amongst the ship and crew as soon as Samuel and I get back. Is that gain enough for you Ules? Was that a useful adventure? I would say yes. Plus we learned that there is a promising site on Cassandra. Now I am here with Platocrates, are there any other items that are of particular interest to any of you, given what you may know about the value of such things?
Gabe- Nope, I never gave it back, unless it was forceable removed from me from the last session I missed but yeah, I never gave the coin back. (IE he is not handing it over)
Aedil Well that is unfortunate, Captain, but it seems <Looks through photographs> that we have detailed photographs of the coin anyway, that will give Platocrates somewhere to start on the coin, although the actual item for analysis would aid in determining how old it is as most people will think it a replica of some sort. Anyway, Platocrates, I almost forgot to give you this folio with complete photographic documentation of the site. Thus, to sum up, the only item the crew wishes to reserve rights to is the PDA, and of course the coin that Captain Gloval has retained. The remaining items can be analyzed by the Archaeology department and University as you see fit. I think they will be of great interest.
