My mistake LOL. In my group we just always say that a failure is a failure even in opposed rolls.

---

Gardner express his gratitude to the captain of the freighter for his willingness to take him to Orgill. He doesnt quite know what to expect from Orgill if the drugs are there he will find them.

On the way there he spend as much time as possible with the crew on the dissident freighter, listening to stories about life in the system and their dreams. With a little bit of luck they may even know who are the leaders of the Geonee community in the system.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:20, Tue 12 Feb 2019.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 8):

The crew are happy to talk about the dissident community. However, they correct you that they are going to Beta port, but they feel sure you can get transport to Orgill. They will introduce you to some of the underground when they land, as they will be taking the drugs that they are growing and selling them. They believe that the gakinisharra, however, only passes through Orgill on the regular freighter trips that Managudeli's 2 freighter colonies do. They believe he has 2 convoys that make the 2 month long trip, with one landing every month on Ceti Command. But it all must pass through Orgill...it is the only world in this cluster in range of Vilani space.

In reply to Dissident (msg # 9):

The route taken is not short. On 25th October 2172, you depart Nova Pacifica for Faith. The massive gas giants loom large as you come out of Hyperspace, and the freighter loads up with an impressive amount of drugs of various sorts, that go into the hold alongside the boxes of Vilani weapons taken from the crew of the Warships. Several of the crew stated they would happily join the dissidents if their families could be smuggled out, so there is a list of names the crew plans to bring back, and discussions about accommodating them here are a big part of the discussion.

The supplies they load up are something else though. Large bugs dominate the supplies picked up at Faith and they take quite some getting used to, much to the amusement of the other crew members, but you are assured they are very nutritious. The next stop is an uninhabited world, where you refuel and refine the fuel for the next jump. You are told the next system is Clameer, which you are told was uninhabited following a Vilani attack recently that cost them a patrol cruiser and a Shamshir. Now that the patrol is gone, the freighter makes another pass over the planet, broadcasting the news about the lost patrol. The date is the 20th of November 2173.

To everyone's amazement, they receive a response! The freighter immediately moves in to land near the signal, a deep canyon some distance from where the previous colony had been. From your records, you find that it is probably the location of the hidden base the survivors of the Jacques Cartier made.

[Private to GM: Offer to LT 1 dTon of Sharaddun, sale price $1 M (3000 doses)]
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:13, Tue 12 Feb 2019.

Deciding that giant bugs are the stuff that nightmares are made of, Gardner is happy to finally get his feet on the fround when the freighter touch down at Clameer. He steps out of the freighter and takes a deep breath - fresh air is just better than the recycled air aboard a spaceship. He looks up at the canyon walls surrounding the landing site and see if there is a welcome party waiting for them.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 11):

There are a pair of armed folk standing at the mouth of a very hard to see cave about 500 m away. The two crew with you begin to walk towards them.

Once you meet, they welcome you in, asking you to sell some of their produce for them. The herb is an odd one they refer to as Sharaddun, and they offer you 1 dTon if you will sell the other 3 dTon for them. The freighter captain says he is willing to carry it, but their purchaser does not want any more, and offers the deal to you, for a fee, if you are willing to sell it. For 5,000 solars, paid after 2 months, he will transport it to Beta Port. Sale price of 1 dTon is about 1 Million solars, and it would provide plenty of Vilani currency for insurgent work...

Feeling totally lost Gardner agrees to the deal. He has no idea about economics, finances or trade in general but the prospect of gaining funds to buy arms for the dissidents lures him in.

During the negotiations Gardner tries to get an idea about the people he is dealing with - how do they feel about The Empire, about the Terran Confederation and life on Clameer in general.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 13):

Life on Clameer was made much more difficult by the need to hide once a month from prying Vilani patrols. Even without them, life on the planet is difficult, but it is no secret most would prefer it over living under the guns of Vilani armour. Some have a distinct hatred of Vilani, but most just despise Managudeli's harsh policies. Whilst many would not be ideal citizens, you get the impression that outright criminals would be in the minority here.

Amoung their other work is production of Terran computers, which can enable Vilani craft to jump where there are no Jump drives. They have several working computers that they ask you to check, destined for Vilani dissident freighters in the sectors.

A computer operations, -1 for the unusual task, will suffice for checking the computers. Any further information should require an Influence roll of your choice.

LT David Gardner rolled 12 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,5,1.  Computer Operation @ 15-1 (Success +2)

LT David Gardner rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,2,1.  Diplomacy @ 16 (Success +7)

---

Gardner checks the computers whille all the time talking to the dissidents about their dreams and fears.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 15):

The computers seem to work just fine, and they are soon loaded aboard the starship.

Most dissidents are simply everyday folk who want to make a good living, but under the Vilani caste system, managers above keep taking most of the profits making them virtual slaves of the system. They therefore looked to get out, and were punished for it, with friends and family often giving their lives. It is therefore not surprising that Managudeli is hated, as he has used both biological weapons and on 2 occasions rolled in the Armoured car platoon, and on one occasion even rolled in the Tank platoon based on Ceti Command. Most of the families of dissidents are kept in slums on Ceti Command, and though the population numbers nearly 50,000, the official count is just 10,000, including the Geaonee infantry battallion of 1000 men and 80 G-Carriers. They do not doubt that if the 50 armoured cars and 50 tanks could be disabled, and the Anukundu's fort overrun, then Managudeli would be gone. But then, his residence is within the fortress. His warships are the next biggest threat, with their nukes.

Beta Port has a population of just over 1,500, of which there are only 100 Geonee troops, with 2 Medium tanks and 5 Armoured cars acting as a local 'police force', but the Warships in the system always threaten them with nukes if they do not tow the line. It is largely a farming colony, but most of the produce is taken back to Ceti Command and exported.

Fortunately, Orgill has little more than a refuelling station. With a population of barely 100, half of whom are Geonee soldiers and the other half work the refuelling base, the warships in the system once again provide the real threat.

Clearly, they dream of a quiet, fair life free from fear of being nuked by Vilani overlords, personified by Managudeli. They point out that not all Vilani are that bad. Indeed, some are even amoung the dissidents. Not many, but some.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:39, Wed 13 Feb 2019.

Taking note of the information Gardner thanks the dissidents for the deal and make preparations to ship the drugs to Beta Port.

He inquires if the drugs are illegal and if they need to be smuggled into Beta Port.

Gardner plans to visit Beta Port, sell the drugs scout the place out and if that goes well then continue to Orgill.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 17):

The drugs are definitely illegal, being combat drugs.

The jump to Beta Port is routine. The binary system has nearly as many stars as it does gas giants, and the twin stars make for the perfect place to jump in unnoticed. The small cargo vessel then maneuvers around to one of the uninhabited gas giants where it meets a Vilani patrol. Saying they have just arrived from Orgill, they are permitted, after a brief discussion, to go and land on the main Colony.

The colony itself is on a 5,000 mile diameter moon, very similar to what you might imagine prehistoric earth to be like. Water covers about 2/3rds of the planet, and carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are in dangerously high quantities, so you are advised to use your respirator, and they offer you an oxygen bottle to go with it.

Despite being told that the population is 1500, when you arrive at what can only be described as a ramshackle hanger with a couple of fuel tanks out the back and another similar freighter to yours parked near where you land. It seems like there are only 500 people there, and every second one is in a militia uniform. The colony headquarters can be seen behind the hanger, made obvious only by the two tanks and 3 armoured cars parked out the front, with a fourth armoured car coming over in your direction.

The 'inspection', however, is very brief. The Geonee inspector inspects a bag of drugs the captain offers him, with a handy packet of Solars, before declaring everything is 'in order', though when he notices you he warns you all to keep your heads down and stay out of trouble. It would appear he knows the crew, referring to a couple on a first name basis. He then departs, and the captain has the air raft load up most of the combat drugs except the 4 dTon you are to sell, and take them straight to the other freighter.

Date: 6th December 2172.

[Private to GM: A streetwise roll would be appropriate to try to work out how/where to sell the drugs.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:53, Wed 13 Feb 2019.

Question: dton?

---

Being new in the drug-trafficking business Gardner isnt quite certain on what to do. So he does what he has seen in so many old movies and visit the local bars making subtle inquiries about who the local druglord is. At the same time it will give him the chance to get an idea about the local garrison and the condition of the troops there. He starts making a map of the place so he can note any defenses, major barracks, police stations, comm towers and such on it.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 19):

[OOC: You forgot the roll. Normally, you make a roll and post results as a PM..]

While sitting at the bar, one of the locals notices him drawing on his small computer, making notes. He approaches him and sits beside him, disturbing Gardner, who looks up at him and puts away the notepad.

"Oh, don't stop that on my behalf. You are Terran, right? You sure look lie one. That is fine, I have seen a few before, but if you are making maps here, it probably ain't for commercial purposes..."

He smiles, and the two of you talk for a bit.

[Secret to LT David Gardner: I rolled a streetwise roll on your behalf. Rolled 10, 4 under skill.]

After a while, you gather that, like most of the locals, he is not fond of the current regional Administration. He can offer you maps, not that the area is complicated, but he suggests that to sell the cargo, you might want to hitch a ride with the outbound freighter. It does a circular route, coming through here on the 22nd of December on it's way to Ceti Command and going back out on the 8th of January. He tells you that there are folk on Nunashi fighting a guerilla war against the planetary Governor there who would pay well for it. The freighter passes through Nunashi, and both of Managudeli's freighters pass through there, so coming back would be easy. But here, with so few people, and even less troops, what would we do with such a large quantity?

Date: 6th December 2172.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:57, Sun 17 Feb 2019.

Gardner try and enlist the local as a contact. It can never hurt to have contacts in the system even if the man may not be completely trusted. Basically Gardner will make the local man quietly observe the local troops and security forces while Gardner himself is away running drugs ("for the greater good of mankind" and all that).

When Gardner returns he will have to verify the intel the local man has gathered and see if the man can be trusted. But right now Gardner is more concerned about the drugrunning operation and how complicated things are starting to get.

Gardner is going to Nunashi as soon as possible.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 21):

It is over a month before the freighter is ready to take you to Nunushi, during which time you have plenty of time to sort things out.

Make a streetwise roll to find a way to transport the goods to Nunushi under a legitimate cover.
Make a diplomacy roll to recruit coworkers you have met, and another streetwise roll to find more potential co-workers. (So 2 rolls to new folk, and just a diplomacy roll to recruit this guy).

In reply to Fate (msg # 22):

[Private to LT David Gardner: Rolled for you. Rolled 2 under Streetwise both times, but rolled 10 under and a critical success (natural 4!) on the diplomacy rolls!]

The time waiting for the freighter is useful. Gardner meets with the local, a Geonee laborour named Eneri who introduces him to his friend, security worker named Shugilamar. Together, they come up with some documents indicating that the shipment is stock feed for a farmer they know in the Nunushi system. Since the documents are genuine, and stock feed is often transported to farms on Nunushi due to wars there destroying crops, the cover is pretty good.

Their positions also let them see what is coming and going, and what and who are stationed here. There are 5 armoured cars and 2 medium tanks, as well as 100 security personnel. However, there is only 2 squad of Anakundu, numbering just 20 men, who man the communications base and the armoured vehicles, overseeing the other 80 local Geonee security workers.

You learn that there are only three Gashiddas assigned to watching this system, which has 3 gas giants but 4 orbiting moons. However, there are two freight convoys, each consisting of a Shamshir, two Gashidda and a branch freighter (2000 dTons) that do the run between Ceti Command and Eneldun, a two month round trip. However, only one of them comes by Beta Port, the one you will be using to get to Nunushi. These are the supply freighters of the Anakundi's drugs. Whilst there are stores on Ceti Command, it is not known how many.

By the time you are ready to leave, it is the 8th of January, 2173. You are scheduled to arrive on Nunashi on the 22nd of January. The trip cost $5,000, which was loaned to you by your new friends, though they expect it back when you return! The freighter will be back on the 8th of February. Again, need a streetwise to find a buyer for the goods, and you will be expected to pay a tax of $100, 10% of the price of your cargo of stock feed!

In reply to Dissident (msg # 23):

[Private to LT David Gardner: You rolled 1 under your Streetwise skill. You hope it is enough, but you do not know the modifiers!]

The freighter is large, about 2,000 dTon, and there are 5 other passengers. One is an Anakundu travelling back to Kidashi for family reasons. He does not talk much, but spends way more time playing a space combat simulator. Two others are Vilani businessmen returning from a business trip seeking to source foodstuffs from the sector for a supply manufacturing Eneldun. The fourth is a Vilani administrator from somewhere nearer to Durim who clearly considers himself too important for the likes of you, and spends most of his time in his Luxury cabin. The last individual is a Geonee who does not talk much...with anyone. Not in the first week at least.

The first trip through hyperspace brings you to Orgill. The small outpost is little more than a refueling station, a hot greenhouse world with low oxygen levels and where everyone seems to be sweating in their respirators. The refueling process take a mere 3 hours, and you are not permitted to leave the ship in that time, being informed that this world has no local population other than the refueling base.

Your ship then returns to orbit, along with the three escorts, and reenters hyperspace.

The Geonee passenger starts to relax around you, and shares a drink. The other passengers look on disapprovingly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:14, Sun 24 Feb 2019.

In reply to Fate (msg # 24):

[Private to LT David Gardner: Just moving things along to try to catch up with the date the others are at...]

It turns out the Geonee is a security worker from Ceti Command, and while not fond of Managudeli, he has family on Beta Command that would not fare well if he did not do as he was ordered. When you raise the question of the Anakundu, he shuts down completely, though, glancing at the other Anakundu passenger despite the fact that he seems well out of earshot.

On schedule, your small fleet arrives on Nanushi on the 22nd of January 2173. Slightly less gravity than Terra, and hence with a slightly thinner atmosphere, this planet had abundant oceans and greenery, and seems an ideallic place to live. The tourist brochures claim it is home to 50 million souls, and the city of 5 million to land at supports that possibility. You manage to get storage in a rented warehouse, setting up a bed there for credit at the way overpriced rate of $2000 per week, and start to find your way around.

It takes you a week to find a buyer. The guy who you meet with seems like some weird farmer inbred type. But his Solars are good, all $4.4 million of them, and you hand him the keys of the warehouse and $2,000 for the weeks rent, and wish him luck. Sleeping in a nice hotel that night for the first time, you finally get to wash and enjoy a decent meal. After yet another week, while waiting for the freighter to return, you ask around and find out about the local Vilani garrison. Disguising yourself as a local Vilani is not that difficult, and you enter the base under the pretense of looking for work as a pilot. What you find out is interesting enough. There is an attack imminent on the Yenesei system, but you are regrettably informed you are too late to participate in that. However, you are told that Ceti Command is looking for capable pilots, since they have lost many to the promise of greater reward in the fight against the barbarians at Yenesei. In particular, they are having trouble keeping the freighter captains, an important job as it keeps the Anakundu there supplied with their drug they need to stay alive. The freighters source this in bulk shipments from Eneldun, though there are other planets that could provide it, and ship it directly to Ceti Command, where the Governor keeps tight control of it. They suggest you return to Ceti Command and ask there if you are interested.

On your way out, however, a seasoned Vilani officer stops you.

"I could not help but overhear the advice he gave you. Take it from me, Commodore Managudeli is no Commodore, nor governor. It has been reliably reported he has lost several ships to dissident attacks recently. He cannot command respect, so he tried to keep people in line at gunpoint. You do not want to be working for him, believe me. Better working as a freighter captain..."

You politely thank him for his advice, saying that you will likely do just that, before departing. You find that statement ironic when you are woken by gunfire next day, only to hear the military respond with tanks. The gunfire soon stops and peace returns, and you wonder if that was some of the drugs you sold at work. By the 8th of February, you are well and truly ready to depart. The familiar freighter had pulled in late the night before and filled up, and you board, ready to leave. The two week trip back to Beta Port is as expected, though you notice the same Anakundu on board. You finally arrive back to Beta Port on the 22nd Feb 2173, and through your contacts meet up with the dissidents. They are delighted when you hand over the $3.3 million you sold their drugs for, laughing when you tell them about your concerns they were not used effectively, they tell you the group there are religious nuts who never use what they have effectively. But it serves as a distraction for them, and a source of income.

Remaining cash: $1,075,000 ($25,000 spent on accommodation, debts, taxes, warehouse, etc)

Date: 23 Feb 2173

In reply to Fate (msg # 25):

It does not take you long to realize that there is not much to be done here for you. The small security force left by Managudeli barely holds control, and there are a lot of colonists scattered in deep mines they know nothing about. The mines are not very productive, but they do provide for nuclear bunkers which the local folk fear will be needed before they ever get their independence. But from the perspective of a Terran intelligence officer, your work here is largely done: the people are ready to throw off the dictators rule if only they could.

The refueling base at Orgill, which you visited briefly, is little more than a garrison. It starts to be clear to you that Beta Ports real value is to protect the strategic location of Orgill, the lifeline that Ceti Command depends on. But Orgill is nothing more than a garrison and refueling depot.In order to deal with Ceti Command, you realize you will simply have to go there.

It will be the 23rd of April before the next freighter leaves Beta Port for Ceti Command. As such, you start to build up a disguise, making a couple of Fake IDs. One seems passable, but the other saw the ink run on the main page, and it is thrown out. Finally, the third one seems to be an improvement. You follow through with your background story that you are a pilot looking for work, so a check on Nunushi will back you up, and you got off at the wrong planet on the last trip. With plenty of time to work o the story, and your friend in security, you have it down pat by the time the freighter arrives. It is the 30 of April by the time you finally land at Ceti Command, having learnt en-route that war on Terra had been declared very recently.

This is a very different base. The large security detachment contrasts to the small group you saw on Beta Port. There seems to be a full battalion here, as you were told, and the Governors residence is surrounded by them, along with several batteries of missiles and heavy rail cannon, almost all manned by Anakundu. The spaceport where you land is also the base of a large fighter squadron, possibly 50 or more fighters.

As you look around, you notice the freighter begin unloading it's cargo. The first is labeled pharmaceutics, and judging by the interest the Anakundu have in it, you guess it is their drug to assist sleep. It is taken under heavy guard directly to their barracks, before the rest of the supplies, weapons, ammunition, spare parts and mining equipment, are all unloaded. Being Vilani, you are directed to a nice hotel in the centre of town, very near the edge of the 'fortress', where a young lady (early twenties, perhaps) is waiting in your room.

[OOC: For those who have seen the movie 'God of War', think that situation! The Vilani are his 'enablers, just as the arms dealer was the dictators 'enabler' in that movie.]

30 Apr 2173
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:04, Tue 05 Mar 2019.

In reply to Fate (msg # 26):

Rather than take advantage of his host's 'hospitality', Gardner instead tries being nice to the girl. She gestures something, and David initially thinks she is deaf, but when she tries again, he understands he is being watched. So he invites her to go for a walk with him to show him the planet a little. She seems very scared, but he suggests she take him somewhere she feel comfortable.

[Private to GM: Body Language first, defaults to detect Lies -4 and Psychology -4, but Geonee, so Psychology (Vilani) -5 =8 Rolled 12 for first try, then 6. Understood.

Diplomacy to invite her for a walk, 7, 9 under skill.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:46, Mon 04 Mar 2019.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 27):

She takes him outside and into the street, where she asks if he has a vehicle. Finding out he does not, she suggests it should be an early purchase if he plans to stay, and takes him to a bus stop. You notice that one of the hotel porters follow you to the bus stop, and you approach them, making polite conversation. You get the impression that he is trying to warn the girl to not do anything stupid, and she is clearly scared of him. When he asks you if you would like him to accompany you, you just reveal your pistol, and say you expect you will be fine. He smiles and nods.

"[Language unknown: Lesca neur, acame]" and departs.

You and the girl board a bus that heads to a decidedly poorer part of town. Life is not as kind to these locals, but as you progress on the bus, a an comes up behind you, and you feel a muzzle of a weapon in your back, and a voice growls

"Just what do you plan to do with my sister in these parts, huh, Vilani scum? Answer, don't turn around!"

"I plan on asking her about resistance to your lovely Vilani overlord, in the name of Terra,"

Gardner answer politely and diplomatically

"And then seeing what I can do to assist them."

He winds down a little at the answer.

[Private to LT David Gardner: Perception roll to notice someone following you, rolled 5 under, which could still fail. But not this time...they were not really trying to be stealthy.

Roll of 8 under diplomacy to talk him down somewhat.]
This message was last updated by the GM at 07:04, Tue 05 Mar 2019.

In reply to Fate (msg # 28):

"Why the hell would a Vilani work for the Terrans?"

He does not yet lower the knife, but seems less ready to use it.

In reply to Brother (msg # 29):

David shows him his suit material, extremely unusual for Vilani, as well as his small computer, which is in English with several survival programs, driving programs and language programs.

In reply to LT David Gardner (msg # 30):

It takes a few minutes, before the lad looks at his sister.

"Then you better come with us, mister."

He takes you up a few side allies where it is clearly not a good place to be Vilani, before turning into an old abandoned warehouse. Well, not so abandoned...there are about 5-10 underprivlidged individuals there with an assortment of blunt and sharp objects, and some nets. They look quizzically at your 'friend', who turns to you.

"We heard that Terrans are looking at helping out in this sector. What do you know?"
This message was last updated by the GM at 07:04, Tue 05 Mar 2019.

In reply to Fate (msg # 31):

"Glad you asked. I know that there is a small raider assigned to help out this sector, as well as a small number of troops. I know that there are a number of patrols that have been destroyed by these forces, but a show of force by Terrans would bring down the whole Sectors Navy, so we have to be discreet. Having said that, apart from supplying you with medical supplies and weapons, how can we help you get rid of the Empire?"

Date: 30 Apr 2173
Cash: $1,070,000
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:10, Tue 05 Mar 2019.