By the next morning, everyone's business has been completed (?) and they are back at the ship ready to deal with the day's new business.

Inderpal Kumar heads over back from the spa where she spent an enjoyable day and evening with Sharik, in order to see what will be needed of her today. She'll happily work if asked, but otherwise intends to engage in some more leisure time.

When the samples arrived with Valeska, Sylvester, and Serge, Sir Walter held up his hand before they were opened. "Would it not be better to open them in a sterile environment?" he inquired from Ms. Kirkonen.

Later that morning Khea awakes from her sleep. Rather soon for Aslan, it seems as if the long time working on a humanity schedule has taken its toll on her, but she is still more rested than on the ship.

She dresses herself, pockets her communicator and heads out to explore the spa further, glad that Aslan do not waste time with multiple meals each day.

"I had no intention of opening any of them here," Magda replies to Walter. "They are still 'on ice', and I don't know if any of them are frozen. I'll let the tab techs determine that."

Holding his hand up in understanding, he motioned to the samples. "We are in agreement then?" he asked, finishing up the last of the contract for the manufacture of the drugs that were found.

Most of the first day and into the second day, Reese will spend his time going over everyone's medical records, particularly those of Tescha and Dieter.

He's got a new medical baseline for Tescha, of course, but he's still looking for his medical records and anything Tescha can tell him that might not be in the records.

When the opportunity arises, he'll call Tescha to the medical bay for just a follow up consultation.

Same thing for Dieter. Get his medical records transferred to the ship, and do a basic medical examination to determine a baseline.


In between times, now that TAMI is hooked up to the ship and anyone can talk to her anywhere anywhere, he begins a conversation or three with her. He can't do a medical examination of her, even if he knew a lot about computers and electronics, but he can do an assessment of her mental state... a psychological profile.

At no point does he ever become alarmed by her answers, but he makes some keen observations, which he writes down on analog paper as well as making an electronic file. It's a precaution... of sorts. If at some point TAMI became paranoid or devious, she could very well erase the e-files, regardless of what encryption he put on them.


Later, when he's off ship, he'll have a face-to-face conversation with Sir Walter, Vonon, Jack, and Sylvester, not necessarily all at the same time, but whenever circumstances allow. He'll pretty much report his findings to all of them.

"TAMI was never meant to be self-aware. I'm not even sure she was intended to be an AI... at least as we define that today. At best. she could probably have been considered an Administrative Assistant, since that's what her function was--handle the day-to-day mundane operations of the facility."

"I wouldn't say that the people working there 'distrusted' her. I think it was more about overall security. If the enemy--and the Iltharans made a lot of them--ever found and invaded the base, the people didn't seem to have any doubts that the computer could be hacked. So, the less they put into the computer, the less information there was to be discovered."

"From what everyone's reported of the facility and what you found, the Iltharans seemed to have a rather nonchalant attitude about psionics and telepathy. On the other hand, it seems as if the only one who may have known TAMI was psionic was the facility's administrator and the person who created her. Considering that they were developing a wide range of psionic drugs, it may have been a precaution on his part to monitor anyone that took the drugs. I mean, if they didn't have test subject, how would they know if any of the drugs worked? And if they didn't have some way to monitor those test subjects, how would they have known they worked?"

"The bottom line here is that no one at the facility seemed to be concerned about having their mind read. TAMI has even said that she never did that. Then again, back at that time, she wasn't Self-aware, so I'm not really sure how much she 'remembers'. I think Sylvester may have to go through all those memory files and see what's there. Jack may have to help him because I have no idea how you'd store psionic memories."

"So, TAMI, being telepathic, picked up a lot of, for lack of a better term, sideband thoughts while the facility was in operation. Whether she stored any of this as memory, that's for Jack and Sylvester to determine. What it began doing, though, is modifying the engrams that comprised her brain. I don't know if she's organic or electronic or some sort of amalgam of the two. I suspect the latter, because, organically she could grow more neurons. That, coupled with a bit of sensory deprivation after the facility was abandoned, seems to be what eventually led to her developing self-awareness."

"I'm only guessing, mind you. Well, theorizing is perhaps a better word. The kickstarter event was probably when the planet was turned into a prison/colony. Suddenly there were new minds that she could sense and read... eagerly waiting for one of them to give her new commands that never came."

"She had no physical control over the facility that had been abandoned and shut down, so her only input was the mindscape of others. For reasons I don't understand, she wasn't able to contact them mentally. Maybe it was because she hadn't been trained to do so. Maybe it was because none of them were psionic and therefore not receptive. Maybe it was because she hadn't yet developed the ability or range to do so."

"Yes, yes, I know... you just take for granted that she IS a telepathic self-aware computer. Me, I want to know why."

"Anyway, the gist of all this is that now that she's been removed from the facility, she no longer has a purpose. I don't think there's anything she can do about running the ship on a day-to-day basis that the ship's computer can't already do. It's a question of sophistication. Our current programs are 100 times better than the Iltharan ones."

"So, if you're worried about her turning on you, which I don't think can ever happen, I suggest you find a purpose for her, and possibly make her a member of the crew. While Veronika isn't a person, legally, TAMI probably is."

"The reason I'm telling you this face to face is because I can't say how this information would affect TAMI. Better safe than sorry."

Sylvester listened to Reese's thoughts on TAMI, Jack, Serge, and anyone with skill could help. It could take a year or more to go through it all, most likely more.

=============== DAY TWO ===============


After the auction and everyone is rolling in credits now, what is everyone going to do?

Dieter: what is Dieter going to do?

Indy: what is Indy going to do?

Jack: He's probably playing with his new toy.

Khea: She slept in until 11:00, probably had something to eat, and is now doing what?

Pablo: If anyone else goes along with Sylvester and Valeska, he'll tag along, too. There's bound to be something there to entertain him.

Reese: Getting caught up on medical records, conversing with TAMI, and reporting off-ship to Walter, Jack and Sylvester about his findings regarding TAMI.

Sam: what is Sam going to do?

Serge: what is Serge going to do?

Sharik: what is Sharik going to do? And who is she going to do it with?

Sylvester: There's no pressing need for him to deal with the computers on the ship nor work with TAMI's memory files, but he can if he wants.

Tescha: He is probably going over the results of the auction, evaluating what sold, what didn't sell, what sold well, etc. This will give a better estimation of how to do the same with the rest of the items to be sold on Duncinae.

Valeska: If Sylvester is free, she wanted to return to the Arcade and play the rest of the games. It's sort of personal challenge for her now.

Vonon: Spa in the morning, tail end of the auction, then what?

Walter: Returns to TAS office and continues to look for business deals, cargo, freight, and mail. No passengers!


Sometime later in the afternoon, Sir Walter is contacted by Magda Kirkonen and her business lawyer Argyle Krumm with contracts to be signed... assuming Walter was still interested in contributing 1MCr to the research on the drugs. Even though the conversation was recorded by both sides, this is an official business agreement establishing a new company called Longshot Pharmaceuticals under joint ownership of Longshot Enterprises and ShogiSunStryker corporation.

It appears to be a standard business deal. Longshot Enterprises is contributing 1.000,000Cr and samples to be developed while ShogiSunStryker is contributing 1,000,000Cr and lab facilities to do pharmaceutical research.

Everything seems legit, and Walter can even have Veronika go over them. It's got all the standard clauses for a joint venture, including possible expansion of scope and parameters of the research.

Sylvester will take Val to the arcade and work with TAMI on the way to Duncinae. He will help Val play as many games as she can. If Pablo or Serge want to come along, or any one else for all that matters, are welcome to join them. Dieter?

When the drugs are done, Sylvester might think about some of the anti-aging pills. He's in his prime at 38, but who wants to be 50 in 12 years?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:16, Fri 20 Aug 2021.

Serge will tag along with Sly/Val/Pablo.

Inderpal Kumar heads over back from the spa where she spent an enjoyable day and evening with Sharik, in order to see what will be needed of her today. She'll happily work if asked, but otherwise intends to engage in some more leisure time. Possibly doing some serious shopping with her windfall. She wouldn't mind a new watch or three.

In reply to Serge Baklanov (msg # 12):

The arcade! Good choice! Sylvester isn't real good at the games, but he is a good loser.

We can all have some Napoleon Brandy and a Cuban cigar later! To celebrate!

Shopping sounds like a good idea too!!

Jack agrees here. Who wants to be 50?  And there are reverse aging drugs too. I can see where 15% of our monthly profits will be going to.

Sir Walter was at TAS working on a cargo when the video call was received. Pulling up the agreement, he send a copy to the other members of the board for review and to Veronica. With everything in place, the money was transmitted to  ShogiSunStryker to begin the joint venture.

"Anyone know where we're going next?" he asks universally as he plays a shooting game.

"Unless something's changed that we haven't been informed of yet, we're heading to the capitol, Duncinae, to unload the rest of the artifacts," Valeska explained to Sylvester.

"If your memory is getting that bad already, maybe we should put a priority on those anti-aging drugs! Although, if I recall correctly, there were some memory drugs in that list. Maybe they could help you."

"I promise, though, that I won't hold it against you if you forget my name one of these days, let alone my birthday."

In reply to Valeska Brandenberg (msg # 18):

"You have to tell me your birthday before I can forget it love! Sorry, I forgot the other auction!"

Khea is quite surprised when she checks her comm later that day and notices the transfer to her account.
So to celebrate she books the biggest spa package she can find, including fur trimming.

Only after she is done she is done she remembers to text the others. A nice suprise in the mornings. Do you have anything planned to celebrate?

Having spent the morning rather leisurely (she was pretty sure there was a massage, two meals, a swim, and plenty of ... lounging around) with Indy, Sharik decided that afternoon was going to be just as leisurely - though shopping meant that she might be able to mix business with pleasure.  Though she didn't stop Indy from bidding, Longshot Enterprises' corporate secretary kept herself out of any of the proceedings; she monitored them, of course, as one of the corporate liaisons for general logistics, it was her job.  But, primarily, that meant properly configuring her virtual personal agent to really keep her alerted of any abnormalities.  But satisfied with the proceedings (and more than satisfied with the prices being accumulated), Shar had mostly made it her mission to ensure that Indy was reasonably comfortable (and distracted) as to not do too much to attract any investigations into insider trading or market manipulation.  Besides, where the hell was she going to keep that large exotic sculpture or heavy Iltharan card table?

Shar sent a missive to Walter (and Vonon) to let him know that she was going to refresh the stock of luxuries; with Count Cromwell now indisposed, she presumed that the task would fall to her - that and her tastes were reasonably refined.  The cosmopolitan dilettante was noted for her serious attitude towards recreation.  And if that meant trying fifty different types of brandy and caviar combinations to determine the best one; well, then Sharik was willing to take of the team on that.  That missive also had her signature with respect to any paperwork required of her for the pharmaceutical venture.

She also asked Walter if he needed anything else while she was out, prompting him about any additional software or hardware needs that his personal assistant, Veronika, might require.  Sharik simply figured that two weeks into their relationship his needs might have changed, or at least been refined, and since she was already out and about it would be easy for her to acquire (within the limits of the local laws and tech, of course).  Higher tech requests would likely need to be satisfied at their next stop in Duncinae.

Shar actually wondered if Sue and Gabe were on the hunt for her (and/or Indy) again.  Obviously, the ship's registry would have popped up on any official channels; and she and the crew hadn't really taken any extra precautions (that she was aware of) to remain overly discreet or inconspicuous on their return.  But, as far as Sharik was concerned, everything that the Longshot was doing was on the up-and-up, contractually authorized and all that.

Sharik also let Sylvester and Reese (as well as Walter and Vonon) know that she was available to work with TAMI, if they desired; Reese's reported findings, filed in any official capacity, would have crossed the Corporate and Ship's Secretary's virtual desk eventually.  She made those unaware, aware of her professional credentials with respect to computerized and electronic systems [OOC: Sharik has Electronics (computer)/2, as well.] (as if her technophilic propensities were pretty much always on full display given the plethora of integrated wearable equipment that she always seemed to carry).  She only made the offer once, presuming that the boys would want their own time with the exotic Iltharan AI.  And she respected that.

Later in the afternoon, Shar intended to join up with the other crew (assuming that Indy is up for it, otherwise - it is retire to 'relax' at the spa suite for the dinner and the evening) and then karaoke.  The lithe dilettante would have already forwarded her choice for a good singing bar (with decent food and plenty of proper libations), having had her virtual agent configured to whittled down the search and then going over the preliminary results herself looking for quality 'keywords' to recommend any given place.  With fairly extensive experience and her serious attention to the Nouveau Riche nomenclature and culture around the subsector and frontier, Sharik is fairly confident with her recommendations.  However, she is willing to go with the consensus, as necessary.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:46, Mon 23 Aug 2021.

Sylvester lets Sharik know she is more than welcome to work with TAMI anytime she desires!
This message was last edited by the player at 15:15, Mon 23 Aug 2021.

Having failed to find any watches to her liking, Inderpal decides to join Sharik in her meeting with the rest of the crew and the karaoke in the evening. Might as well socialise with the others and learn more about them. That was what she had been taught as a diplomat after all.

Plus Sharik was great company in general.

+++Thank you for looking into restocking the supplies Ms. Kaagira. You cannot go wrong with updating the vids. I liked the Count but we have seen everyone of his vids at least a half dozen times, some new ones would be nice. Some fine china for the dining room might come in handy if we have any guests.+++ Sir Walter replied to Sharik's inquiry.

+++I will have to see if there are any items that I can use. Oh, can you get with the chandler and update the life support? I am sure that the filters need to be replaced. Tell you what, since it has been a while, a full cleaning of the system is in order.+++ he added

(Spend 100,000 on Life Support)

Sylvester and Valeska have fun on Karaoke night, Sylvester makes a fool out of himself singing a love song to her and he is so happy he doesn't care! He eats hardy and gets drunk too!