Somebody was hired to gift wrap a present for Sharik?

Excitement likely to start. @Starmaster, would you like to assign some date/times to the various threads, so people can respond appropriately in Sharik's time line when she decides it's time to yell for help? Nat's and Tescha's time is constrained by when the sale notification went out, delays forwarding, sending query, Sir Walter forwarding, Tescha responding, then the travel time. Sir Walter commented about breakfast. Is that the morning after where Sharik currently is? Sharik seemed to be responding to threads in the evening before going out. Adjusting Sir Walter's time to afternoon/evening would put Nat and Tescha pretty close to synchronized with Sharik and Inderpal. Depending how leisurely the meal was.

Side note for Sharik, before things go crazy. From your post about the Yacht, you might like a Safari Ship better. As a base to tweak.

New topic @Starmaster, I assume that the recording Nat is viewing has been edited to exclude:

• references to TAMI, telepathy
• images that would include the computer, and power system (basically the whole bottom floor)
• images with the journal or samples
• images with the tool used to open cabinets and panels
• images that would include getting power and data lines to TAMI

But that it is not possible to filter out that the door opened, or that later the lights came on.

Is the sensor data included in this record? For 'proof', as part of the record, it should be. Is something equivalent to the material opaque/invisible to modern sensors part of your view of the current technology?

Sharik would actually be more inclined to look at/for something like a racing yacht (not unlike this Binndee Tydeswell TS Type-YS2 Kundeai Class Yacht:  http://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1425260824157.pdf )

In reply to Nathaniel Harken (msg # 28):

     Here's what I remember ...  (uh, who are all of you, again...?)

     The "Facility" actually had 2 power generating systems -- a "hybrid" geothermal and/or geomagnetic Primary Power Source, with a Solar-Electric Collector system integrated into the roof of the building, as a back-up.

     When enough of the glacier had melted off the Facility, the solar-Electric Collector started charging the back-up batteries.  By the time we showed up, there was enough power available to open the doors, turn on a few lights here-and-there, and run one of the lift cars (real slow).

     All of that--as well as our comments speculating about possible "battery back-up power" supplies--would still be on the records.  So too would Vonon telling Khea and the other Engineers to look around for both the "battery back-up" power supply and "any other power generation" equipment.

     Khea would eventually find the Primary Power Generator down in the Lower Level--and once we figgered out how that system worked, we all started tossing around the phrase "Core-Tap".  Khea was able to activate said generator, but not at full capacity.

     Once the nature of the power generator was explained to Vonon by Khea, Vonon thought that the technology might be (unique and) valuable, so he had Khea study/analyze/record as much as we could of the tech while it was operating.  This too would have been on the recordings--in fact, that data might even be available for sale/licensing at the auction (but we're still gonna keep a copy)

     Now, as I recall, the actual "computer components" that make up the core of TAMI, were located in the Lower Level, but they were always described as either "blank-faced boxes" or just detailed as "nondescript"--her 4 "base" components are her Processor Unit and 3 "Memory Modules".  All 4 of these items we were led to believe were separate "closed cabinets".  Large cabinets, to be sure, but not a collection of "server towers" and "wiring racks".  TAMI barely had anything that looked like a "user interface" (no keyboard, that I recall; she responded to verbal commands)

     In other words, TAMI's "body" appears on the outside to be nondescript "electronics" and could easily be mistaken as just a part of the Power Generator equipment.

     So...it's possible that, with all the recordings we made of the Power Generator gear, there could be images of TAMI--we would only have edited out any time someone made a reference to a "computer" or to "Tammy".

     One thing that might pique Nate's interest is that there is video of us exploring several rooms that are obvious Laboratories.  All were clearly "shut down" and inactive (i.e., not "abandoned"), and most looked to have been of a Chemical or Biological function.



     I just had a thought...

     As I recall, the "Core-Tap" was still active, when we left the Facility.

     If that Guardship really did slag the Facility ... I wonder if planet Coventry is still there...?

Ha-ha! That would be great! And tragic... if the planet blew up! Of course, in that case, it'd be weeks before it was known... if the Overwatch ship got caught in it.

In any case, it wasn't a core tap. It used the rotation of the planet itself to generate power. It was one of the reasons there weren't any energy signature from the facility. Its composition blocked out anything else.

It's not that the system doesn't have value, it's just that there aren't too many corporations or government that can make it work.

There was no reason to edit out any of the images of the computer, since it was already mentioned that there was one. What made it strange (and probably 'primitive') was the size. Nothing needs to be that big to have fantastic processing power or memory storage. The 3 visible units were the size of refrigerators!

Since the samples weren't put up for auction and were all found in cabinets, there's no reason for them to be on the recordings. Other than that, Nat, that's about right.


Indy/Sharik is a sidetrek for them. Just like the auction for Tescha, buying and selling cargo for Sir Walter, Val and Sly going to a ski resort, etc.

If you want to write up a timeline for everyone, go for it. I'm not intending to.

No timeline needed, as long as that "stays" separate. I was just expecting that Sharik would be calling friends to help. After all, Vonon is a 'cop'. Nat and some others with Investigate skill could run a real forensic toolkit to get started with tracking.

For the rest, I'll adjust some of my post being prepared. Make that posts. It is already getting bigger than the ones I have already done. I am walking back through the Coventry thread, so that I can know what Nat is seeing in the videos.

The power being left on (without computer control), and the patrol ship saying that they had not detected any power readings was one of the interesting data points. With that, and the -3C temperature, they might not bother to slag it. Without tech, even with the building for shelter, that is (apparently) a less livable space than where the … colonists … are currently. What happens to the system now that the computer is no longer managing things is another interest question.  Did you leave the door open?

In reply to Nathaniel Harken (msg # 28):

I think Indy would personally prefer a box. Or to jump out of a cake.

Ooh, ooh!  Sharik seconds a surprise Indy cake!  She'll bring the whip...ped cream!

EDIT:  Double post!
This message was last edited by the player at 03:03, Mon 14 Feb 2022.

Checking in.

Hmmmm … isn’t Indy bound and gagged?

In reply to Sharik Kaagira (msg # 37):

Indeed. Which is why I posted OOC.

     So ... Idiot Boy (me) finally went and bought a New Laptop.  Oh, and not just a new laptop -- oh no! -- I went and bought an up to date, current technology laptop.  Super-duper Processor, fast as a rabbit internet, more graphics power than I'll ever need, and it even has Windows 11 installed ... this thing is something the NSA would be jealous of.

     So of course, I have no idea how to make this damn thing do any of the things I want it to do!  I keep giving it commands ... it keeps refusing ... I keep hitting the Run button ... it just runs around my house, yelling "Nyaa-nyaa" ... I keep chasing after it, waving a 3-pound ball peen hammer ... sigh ...

     So please bear with me, until I beat some obedience get through the learning curve of this new machine.

I got a new desktop lately - my old one basically stopped working reliably after 8 years.

In reply to Inderpal Kumar (msg # 40):

I'm on a linux box now, get my windows 10 back next week, hope it doesn't cost too much.

Looking at having to replace my computer of six years since W@indow 11 will not work on it.

In reply to Walter Zeller (msg # 42):

Why are you going to Windows 11 then?

I suspect for work since sometimes I work from home. No rush but also some of the video games are very temperamental with the current system (Looking at Fallout 4 and Battletech.)

In reply to Walter Zeller (msg # 44):

Be Warned!  I've found out the hard way that Windows 11 is NOT compatible with the Antivirus program that I've used for the last 4 years, and am very, very happy with!  Same with a bunch of others, too.

Now I'm gonna get stiffed for the cost of the year of protection I still have on that account, and the "basic level" of default protection that Windows 11 provides is inferior to what I've lost....

Double check for compatibility with your most used programs and apps, before you commit to Windows 11.

Thanks Microsoft and Windows!  You are always making our lives easier ... in the Most Difficult Way!

:-/ Sure Windows 11 is easier. If you can't use programs at all, you don't have to learn how. That is EASY, right? :-/

I use various flavours of linux. Except where I need to do support for others using windows. But then I am not running any games that only run on latest versions on m-doze. For main applications, there are free alternatives, though that does need some extra work to research what will do the best job, and get it installed. Not everything 'plays nice' with linux either.

Never used Linux myself. Or MacOS.

Is everything OK at the moment, GM?

In reply to Inderpal Kumar (msg # 48):

Yeah ... no, it's not him, it's me ...

RL's been smacking me upside the head, past month ...

Haven't really been feeling myself, lately ...
(wait a minute ...)

A little off my Meds ...

*sigh*

Just making excuses ...

I'm trying to get back into my normal 'swing of things', I promise.

Gonna try right now, in fact ...

Hey StarMaster & Sharik...?

Vonon's last post to Sharik was to ask if she thought she could "hack"(? -- or otherwise get) info from the local police grid that would let us track down the current location of the All Star Tech service van.  If I understand the current situation, we/she has confirmed that:

     1. That a company called "All Star Tech" does actually exist.
     2. That All Star Tech does use grav-vans for service vehicles.
     3. That All Star Tech does own a grav-van with the observed ID tag.
     4. That All Star Tech has said that they did not dispatch that grav-van anywhere near the winery/restaurant.

Planet Duncinae is Law Level 8 -- they probably have all kinds of methods for tracking vehicles in operation.  And they are Tech Level B (11), so much of that will likely be computer controlled.

Of course, that Law Level 8 also means that their computer security will be significantly tougher.  Say, Sharik...all your computer Mojo is, what, TL14?

And that the "local criminal element" will also be versed in appropriately "avoiding" legal entanglements...

So anyway ... I'm guessing we/you are just getting together over all that ... and Sharik is just waiting for that info before she can respond to Vonon ...?

The GM hasn't logged into the site at all since Monday, which is why I'm concerned.

In reply to Inderpal Kumar (msg # 51):

He's just busy, he's alright. Seen him other places, Vonon would know, they're close friends.