I have you on the board for investing the ship. I will take Valeska off (Effectively you traded the ship for her shares).



Please do check Sharik. I think that the shares were invested when we bought the ship initially with the Count. When he left, everything was paid off and that was when the Megacorp started.

I will be paying out the current ship funds and that will be for each of you to spend (3,285,345 cr) and any ship expenses will be handled by the megacorp. You might want get some upgrades/equipment at Concorde (No Battle Dress/Heavy Weapons/Pocket nukes).

The number crunching is a bit heavy so at this point, there is no other investments (unless there is a post/PM that I missed).

Thank you. Back to creating Longshotenstein.

In reply to Walter Zeller (msg # 524):

Serge also invested into Longshot Ship Company / Longshot Trading Corporation / Longshot Enterprises 2.5 MCr in total.

ANother thing we need to decide how to resolve is the Alien thread. Fast forward 2 years and what has happened as a result.

As Starmaster was winging it we can do what we like, theres various routes we can go, but ultimately thats something for the new GM to be involved with - as unless we just kill it as storyline, then it will involve them getting up to speed and coming up with some information about it

Already have you as a Board member Serge.



Let me check out the thread and see what I come up with.

In reply to Walter Zeller (msg # 531):

     Okay, I make this suggestion very weakly ('cuz it's kinda lame)...

     So, when we pick this game back up, it's "2 years later".  As for the "alien investigation" (and the apparently related "disappearance" of the prisoners off of planet Coventry) -- we say that after the stuff that was found on Duncinae, and maybe some other follow-up on our way to Concorde, the trail suddenly went cold.

     In the intervening months, we've found the occassional tidbit of data, but nothing significant.  And, suspisciously, on a few occassions it almost seemed like "someone" had been there before us and "sanitized" the scene.

     This would bring us to "now", where we still have an interest in the events and are "keeping our sensors hot" for any info, but we're starting to think there really is somebody out there working in competition.

     GM can then do something, or not, with that at his convenience.

     From memory I would suggest 2 potential "rivals" in this endeavor -- I forget his name, but the Rich Guy from the auction on Duncinae.  For whatever reasons of his own, he's looking into these "aliens" and their involvement in the "disappearances" from Coventry (Matter Transmission tech, maybe?)--and, of course, he could be coming at all this from the direction of looking for "lost" Iltharan Tech/Treasures (There was an Iltharan "research station" on Coventry...What's the Aliens involvement?)

     Also!  Recall that, after we escaped the "Pyramid Ship", we went straight to the Imperial Scouts.  We "sold" them all the data we'd recorded--we recieved money and signed non-Disclosure contracts.  PLUS, "Active-Duty Scout Serge" had been aboard for a couple days longer than us ... PLUS, Serge's Soutship had been aboard the "pyramid", as well!  Who knows what it's sensors may have recorded automatically?  And we left that ship with the Scout Service...

---

On another issue:

    Yeah, back at the time, Vonon didn't want to get involved with all the "business" and "legal crap" of being a Director for a "corporation" -- his interests were exclusively "running a starship" and "bumming around the galaxy".

     Vonon has an appreciation for Accountants ... he just doesn't wanna be one.

---

And on yet another issue:






      Admittedly, the biggest reason that we did not pursue the development of some of those formulas -- and we did/do have some lab notes that indicated that a few of the formulas had achieved some level of success, 800 years ago -- was because, at the time, we did not have anyone with the skills to do it.

     That said ... while I like to believe that all of us have generally "relaxed" and "open-minded" personalities, I'd point out that a handful of us on the Crew have a background (one way or another) in Law Enforcement -- we're ex-Cops.  AND that we were (for the most part) "good cops"...

     The stuff that was "illegal" we talked about.

     Most of us didn't agree with the whole "psionics is evil" concept, so we had no issues in ignoring the Laws about it (by the way, you did catch the subtle hinting that the "bioresearch" company we licensed these formulas to was "associated" with an Underground Psionic Institute on Invermory, didn't you? ^_^)

     As for the other stuff, we chose not to inflict it upon the universe -- even though some of it, while potentially useful to layabouts with questionable ethics -- like us -- the lab notes often indicated that there were some side effects that just plain scared the hell out of us, so we passed on them (Combat Drugs that turn you psychotic didn't sound like "A Fun Time").

     Plus, as I recall, there were a few drugs looking into controlling people or forcing information out of them, or painful physical augmentation.  Remember, these guys were research scientists of the Iltharan Empire!

     Y'know, the Traveller equivalent of North Korea!

     "Friends of Humaniti" they were not...
This message was last edited by the player at 16:41, Fri 11 Aug 2023.

Was their leader Kim Jong Ilth?

The "Determination TAMI and Drugs" thread has the oog discussion about the drugs and what that could potentially do.
The "Destination Invermory" thread, msg 947 seems to be the start of the details of the deal being made with ShogiSunStryker. Msg 950 says that LongShot retains patent rights on the formulas.

Kim Jong l0l th?

Independant of, and not conflicting with Vonon's idea about competition.

Given the information so far, if the aliens are 'done' after they finish delivering the 100 people to where ever, they could be gone by then. 3 ships, delivering 1 person every 3 days needs about 100 days for the job. From when they started.  When they started has not been narrowed down. With no other information about them yet, aliens are 'alien', and without any knowledge about what their goals and thought processes are, they could just vanish without a trace. Other than the pyramid ship that vanishes into the scouts research labs instead. A conversation with StarMaster said that although the ship was nearly invisible to LongShot's sensors, there was a high probability that the drive they seem to use (projecting a gravitational source, and falling toward it) could be detected with the right equipment when it was in use. Nate already started some research to see if any (possibly astronometric) gear might have detected the ship when it dropped 'Dar' off, but not recognized it as a ship. It was just an anomaly in the data. Also planned is seeing about customizing something to specifically look for the gravity disturbance, so that one of the ships under drive might be detected. That seems to overlap enough with Nate's Engineering: M-Drive skill for him to create a prototype for Longshot. Not compact and pretty (or reliable), but functional. In maybe 2 or 3 weeks. No details about the range and sensitivity that might have. It 'makes sense' that larger ships and higher accelerations would cause larger disturbances. So if we happen to cross paths while not in jump, there is a a chance that Longshot could detect one of the alien ships. A longshot. Making any sort of contact would be another problem entirely. The apparent speed they have would make any sort of interception very difficult, unless they stopped almost in front of us in the process of delivering one of their passengers.

For Nate, the aliens are a puzzle with potential major benefits, but low success probability. Several big jumps in areas of tech are hinted at. For Nate though the biggest draw is hints about technological control and use of psionics. That telepathic 'address' system, that seems a variation on what TAMI has. TAMI might be the only reason for the aliens to get close to Longshot.

For Longshotenstein, a copy of the prototype could be installed, and explained as a tinker trying to improve on the mapping of asteroids for mining. Maybe with hints that the goal (dream on) is to assess what resources an asteroid contains. Faster ways of finding paydirt (pay rock). Gravitational 'echo sounding' that can detect the presence of specific ores.

Indy wasn't really involved very much in that, was she? She was mainly doing communications and diplomacy with the active authorities.

In reply to Nathaniel Harken (msg # 535):

     Oh!  Oh!  I like that idea, Nate!

     AND that's another good reason to keep TAMI on the ship -- such a super-sensitive & finicky prototype sensor system will be better if operated/supervised by an AI supercomputer!
     Right? Right?

^_^

I think the Aliens were doing 1 jump a week - not every 3 days. Or rather, the colonists were appearing every week or so, so there is potential in 2 years for not all the 100 to have been returned yet, but the idea that the trail has gone cold, or is just bubbling along would work ok. The thread was maonly about sorting out what we were doing on the planet before we left rather than wrapping up the whole issue

You just did not want to play "Bookkeepers and Spreadsheets" like Walter does :).

Part of the issue is the money that was generated in the process of the the game. Some of us have shares in AcquireCorp LLC from what we started years ago. Taking out the trade function, it will help streamline things by cutting out the number crunching, that is why you have that payout from what had been earned by the ship from trade when Longshot v2.0 started (after Count Cromwell departed). Everyone will have a rich lifestyle working for the Megacorp. There is a good chance that other payouts will occur but they will be for you to note on your sheets/buy gadgets. You can say that you spent it on a retirement place but investing it in the megacorp is not an option.

Rather than me having to track every credit that each of you have invested, it will just be seats on the board or as an investor.



Survey says "BIZZ". It has "Very Advanced Sensors" (details CLASSIFIED but you can say that it is more like TL-16) and given that it has been a mining ship in the past, it an already do that function with a Mineral Detection Suite.

My wife Val is on the Board, but I'm an investor?

I'm TL16, Darrian.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:01, Sat 12 Aug 2023.

Well, given that the original player is no longer with us, she is not on the board. You can be moved over to the Board if you wish.

In reply to Walter Zeller (msg # 541):

You're killing off my wife?!! The original player was gone before I started, many years ago.

One character to a player. No limit for the GM.

Here you all go. FYI, once I get you added, please upload you character sheet and be sure to include any allies, enemies, etc (if you still have it) from when the character was created. Also  please PM me with what skills you took along with any shopping you did while at Concorde.

link to another game

There is updated information from the more recent search results. See TEAM INVESTIGATE-THE-ALIENS thread, msg #14. That says latest analyse shows at least 3 ships that can do at least jump 1 distance in 3 days.


Mining was intended to be the story for 'public consumption'. It does not really need to work for that purpose (tinkerer, work in progress). It is specifically intended to detect gravitational 'disturbances' that might indicate a ship using a drive like the alien seems to have. Given the Longshot TL16 (ish) sensors, and how little they could 'see' right next to the derelict is another indication that the alien ship stealth TL is even higher.

Vonon, for an AI supercomputer, TAMI's INT attribute is pretty low. Maybe she needs modern hardware, but that runs into a problem keeping the telepathy.

I was delaying picking the skills (and expert software), until the group decides on who is stepping up for the admin slot. Nate has Advocate solid, and could work on the related skills, but (like Vonon) it is outside of his 'interest' areas. Admin is sort of there, for running a lab, but broker is definitely outside. But he can do it, if that is needed. From what I see, the role is not really a fit for any of the current characters.

had forgotton that bit Nate. Which means if they kept that rate of return up 2 years on it could be as much as 18 months plus since the last reappearance. Anyway, kinda academic, for Sam.

I have decided not to come across with Sam. Part of the attraction of the game for me was playing traveller as opposed to GM ing it, and whilst I haven't had my fill of that, was getting unclear what Sam was aiming for by travelling. So, as I said before, had thought about retiring her, and on reflection, think that this is probably a good point to do so. So in the intervening 2 years, Sam will have cashed out and retired somewhere.

Been a good run, but all good things....  as the saying goes

So long and thanks for all the fish!

As an aside - how many players had worked out Sam was Psionic? Had been playing it for her to keep that secret, and her UPP omitted it, though I think that on one occasion Starmaster had let is slip. Just curious who might have picked it up?

In reply to Samantha Kilgore (msg # 546):

I had no idea, so sad to see you leave. Have you considered coming back later, after a break, either as Sam, or a new character? Have greatly enjoyed gaming with you!

I'll Take "Clueless" for one thousand Alex. I had no idea.

After a 'hint' from Vonon, I worked it out based on the headache on the alien ship when the panel was opened.

Nate strongly suspected after reading the reported information on the encounter with the alien ship.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:39, Sun 13 Aug 2023.

Count me in the pretty-much Clueless camp as well, Sam; psionics in Traveller are so rare generally, that my mind doesn't really turn to them (even if this campaign has been more psionics-heavy than most with all the psi-drugs and clandestine research facilities).

And, like Sylvester, I am sad to see you go.  Hope to RP with you again sometime!  Take care and best of luck in all of your (gaming and beyond) endeavors!

Hi guys

thanks - been fun for me too. I think RPOL makes it easier to keep secrets than RP roudn a table, but was wondering who had twigged.

As for Sylvesters idea - maybe a ways down the road, but for now just fancy putting some time into some other games to try.

In reply to Samantha Kilgore (msg # 551):

Happy gaming Sam, hope to play together again, take care of yourself!