You return to your rented room.  It has been a long day, and the local authorities are placing a curfew out until the riots are quelled.  All the public transportation will be shut down.  You are now stuck in the hotel, which has a bar and restaurant downstairs.

Bartja meets you in the lobby, and you catch him up while you get ready to spend another night here.

DAY 2

The next morning, you wake up ready to make plans.

This is the third day since LeGrange was assassinated, and your second day in the city.

You are at the hotel in Jedsis that is run by the Vrusk Ymen.  You are paying 10 credits per night each.  Ymen is a friend of Rezz, the unemployed shuttle pilot for Sik'Triksta who would take the shuttle to the mining colony on Tivalla, the closer of Kraatar's two moons. Since the explosion that destroyed the colony there, she has been working odd jobs as a technician.

OOC: Feel free to make plans or whatever.  Bartja is now back with the group, you are 10,000 credits richer, and the last night with the curfew seemed more peaceful than the previous one.

Here are the quest goals page to refresh your memory.  It also has a list of potential places to visit in your investigation:
link to a message in this game


Each player gained 2 XP.  Please adjust character sheets accordingly.

OOC: Pulled this from the list:
6) Jedsis: Talk to the non-Vrusk in Jedsis.  (Note: It is dangerous for Vrusk in this area which is heavily populated by non-Vrusk indigents.)

Figured since we're already here, why not knock this quest off next AND, we now have another non-Vrusk to help out in that aspect.  Our two Vrusk can stay at the hotel and try to do some research or make contacts from the room or dining room.

Still open for any other ideas...

Does Bartja need any credits?  i will give 500 cr if he needs some for spending.

Updated Xp and will cross off another 20 cr for the next two days for lodging.

Are there any places around that sells supplies, weapons, and or ammo?
This message was last edited by the player at 13:07, Tue 13 Nov 2012.

In reply to Desiraye Lipost (msg # 2):

Bartja is good on credits and I don't believe that includes a share (if any) of the 10,000 credits.  Unless we need to buy an Explorer, he should be okay.

Bartja adjusts his skeinsuit and slips a pair of brass knuckles into his pockets while  brainstorming aloud.

"This curfew sucks!  At least we have entertainment right here in the Inn, although I can't help but think we'd be wasting our time getting drunk.  NOT that I think it's a bad idea, just not moving us forward.

Let's hang with the locals at the bar or restaurant.  If they aren't coming here, let's hit the street and see where they go.

Once we get a feel for the local attitude here, we should definitely look up this Kirscht woman.  Remember her?  She's the human female who has a criminal record for theft.  She lives in Jedsis if she's not visiting granny in Quazzt.  Let's get our hacker dudes to find her domicile on the local web - or we could just 411 it.

Hell, maybe we find her first?  If we can't get local information on how to find her, let's ask around the district until we get a connection.  She can't be living in a vacuum, can she?"

Bartjas fingers slide in and out of the brass knuckles in his pockets with practiced ease as he talks, but the motion draws attention to his nervousness.  "I'm always a little fidgety in a new place, but it helps me think."

As the silence drags on, Bartja is distracted by his brassies and his thoughts.  Finally he turns to Des and with confidence announces his vote.  "Let's look up Kirscht, first thing today!  She's got a record, lives near here, and can probably give us a very good idea of how the local humans feel about all this.  Better than that, she probably has some shady connection who can help us to get a permit to speak with Nuna in the Kipur District!

By shady, I simply mean a local official.  They're the greatest crooks and cons of all, aren't they?"  Bartja grins a broad, toothy grin - half of which shows his titanium teeth in a smile that wasn't mean to be menacing....much.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:16, Sun 18 Nov 2012.

After some checking around, you find the apartment where the Kirscht woman lives.  You all go there, with Kri'lik and S'krllk being a bit uncomfortable in this highly non-Vrusk dominated area.

Her apartment appears empty, and she does not come to the door when you ring the bell.

Time: 10:30 a.m.

In reply to GM Heath (msg # 4):

"Maybe the Dralasite, Blirdor was it?"

Stepping back from the apartment door, Bartja looks in all directions, taking in the neighborhood with a practiced eye.

"Well, I see two options.  Now that we're here, we could always go on in and take a look around.  Not very upstanding for us to do, but we're not really citizens here anyway.  I guess that comes down to a question of how badly do we want to see with this lady might be hiding.

Second option is to talk to the locals.  Might as well start here in her area and see what the general opinion is - both about Kirscht and the friction we're seeing here between the Vrusk and the rest of the planet.

Perhaps we should go as two groups?  That way, we can distance ourselves as Vrusk sympathizers and maybe get a different picture.  We should stay close just in case some bully decides to take out his frustration on our friends."

As if he belongs here and without pausing any longer (which may draw suspicion), Bartja tests the door to see if it will open before they move on.

The door is locked.  It is a manual lock, not an electronic lock.  It could be forced open, but that might draw attention to you.

Desiraye smies at Bartja's suggestion of a B&E into the dwelling.  "With everything going on around here, it might not be so out of place for something like that to happen!

We're going to have to be very careful if we split up.  We should be good in the Hman controlled sections and they should be OK in the Vrusk.  We should be able to gasin some more Intel that way.  It's a risk and I would to like ask them if they want to take that risk.

"Kri'lik, S'Krllk!  Are you two interested in splitting the group and checking out the Vrusk sector to cover more ground?"

Current Situation:

You are on the second day since the assassination of LeGrange.  Yesterday, after a lockdown and curfew, the riots have somewhat been quelled, though it is still likely dangerous on some of the streets.  You were able to give the broadcasting company enough confidence about whom to suspect that you got your reward and they were able to start broadcasts again.

Now you have a new day.  Security protocols are still tight, but you can look in the goals thread to see your possibilities on where to go next to search down the assassin and the plot behind the assassination.

Your suspects so far are one dralasite and one Vrusk who seemed intimidated.

You are now at the apartment of the potential female human suspect.  You found her door locked with a mechanical (not digital) lock.  You could force it and potentially get unwanted attention, or do something else.

It is currently about 10:40 a.m.

Bartja smirks at Des and takes another look around to see if anyone is watching them stand here at the door. 

"I have some sophisticated picks in my kit, but I also have a pry bar which is much faster, yet brutish.  If there's a security system here, I haven't noticed it.

What are our chances of escape if we do draw attention to a break-in?  How much time do you figure we'd have if someone calls in heat?"

OOC: Given the preoccupation of the cops with the riots and other things, and that it is the middle of the day, you will have 10d4 minutes, if noticed.

Reaching into a pocket, Bartja pulls out his pocket tool and motions for some space around the door.  "Okay, let's do this!  Step back and keep a sharp eye while I work some makication on this archaic lock.  If anyone asks, we're just repairing the door from a previous break-in."

Bartja takes one last look around, then bends down and inserts a thin blade from his Tool into the lock and a second small knife beside it.  Jiggling the two for a moment, he turns the knob and the door seems to open!

Unable to suppress his grin, he turns to his companions and wriggles his ears twice before swinging the door open and motioning for them to step inside.  "I'll just be right here fixing this door..."

OOC: Bartja Nemuco rolled 9 using 1d100. Open Locks (80).]

In reply to Bartja Nemuco (msg # 12):

Desiraye quickly moves into the the apartment and gives a quick look around to make sure that there aren't any more alarms in the place before moving into the bedroom to begin a search.  Once everyone is in, she calls out, "We're on the clock.  Fifteen minutes and then we're out of here!  If you have gloves, put them on.  Be mindful of your gear!"

"Try not disturb much but, try to be thorough."

You break into the human female's apartment.  Kirscht is apparently a bit of a hoarder.  Her apartment is filled with various nick-nacks in a jumbled mess.  None of them appear very valuable, and there is no rhyme or reason to them -- ceramic miniatures, old portable phones, a box of empty wallets, another box of keycards, and jewelry stacked in a jewelry box.  She is messy and unsanitary, by the look of things.  She seems slovenly and poor, though the jewelry is probably worth something.  You don't find anything related to your investigation, but you don't expect 15 minutes is enough time to sort through all this collection of junk.

A note is on her kitchen table that reads, "Dear Kirscht, Come visit me in Quazzt when you get a chance.  It's been a long time, and I know you're tired of those bugs down in Jedsis.  The thug bugs are such a pain in all of our arses.  I can also help you with your problem.  Love, Grandmother Elaine."

About fifteen minutes has passed, so it may be time to go if you follow Desi's advice.

Kri'lik takes a photo of the note then shakes his head indicating he has'nt found anything of interest.

S'Krllk spends the fifteen minutes scanning the dwelling with his bodycomp, to see if there are obscured areas that could be used for hiding places.

Bartja rises from his position at the door and looks around the neighborhood to see if anyone is coming or watching these goings-on.  He then quickly steps inside while hold the door slightly open to speak with his comrades.

"Photo that note and let's beat heat out of here before a patrol comes along or something.  Maybe we should head over to Quazzt and visit granny too, but right now we just need to stay out of jail.

Any ideas on what her 'problem' might be?"

Bartja returns to the door and pretends to finish the repairs, then motions that it's time to end the search and get out of sight.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:44, Wed 12 Dec 2012.

S'krllk doesn't really find anything unusual in the apartment.  It appears to be a small rented apartment of someone not very well off, without modifications anywhere.

You head out the door, Bartja finishes the repairs, and you are on the street again.

OOC: Where to next?