"Cheap? Yes, if we don't mind annoying the locals with that. Fast? No. It would take another what, three days to do it."

[Aboard Vultan, Docked at Torpol Highport]





     Varca happens to be walking past the pair at this point, on his way down to his favorite hidey-hole aboard Vultan, the Portside Countermeasures Suite.

     "Hey, Zhouth--you're juggling the books, right?" Varca asks, as he walks past, "I need to get onto Torpol's public access computer networks, get it set up, would you?"

     And....he's gone....

  "You can do that from any of the highport termi..." Zhouth's quizzical response - why did Varca want him to do that - trailed off as Varca kept right on marching. Undeterred, he switched over to the comm. "You can do that from the highport terminals, or comm-call them? I don't understand what you need me to do?"

In reply to Zhouth (msg # 75):
[Aboard Vultan, Docked at Torpol Highport]

     Surprisingly, a response quickly comes back over the intercom,

^{INTERCOMM OPEN >>>} "I need to research how a few things work on this planet--look up a few things, a few people.  Then I'll be making some calls.  The kinda calls where it would be a bad thing to make them somewhere I might be overheard.  Really Bad."

     "I need you because I've always been a passenger on starships, when they dock at a port, and I've never, myself, had to deal with all that getting access to local services stuff.  There were Officers, or Pursers who did it, then just told me how to access those services.  So, just tell me when we have access, and I can both start gathering data about the attacks, as well as seeing about getting some quick cash into our accounts.  Okay?" ^{<<< INTERCOM CLOSED}

Zhouth appeared to be no more assured than before, but nevertheless set about humoring Varca's request and brokered a connection between Varca's comm and the highport network.

In reply to Zhouth (msg # 77):

     Once Vultan has access to Torpol's planetary computer network services, Varca begins searching through them, gathering data about the Raider attacks a couple of weeks ago, building his own database.

     After an hour, Varca is confident that he has gathered all the information about the Raiders that he is going to get from local news sources, and begins a different search.  This new search takes him only a few minutes to accomplish, and once he finds he datum he's looking for, he composes a quick note and sends it to the electronic address he's found....

---

To: Commander Reldam, Torpol Air/Space Traffic Control

Greetings Commander,
     Captain the Baron McFarlane was impressed by your quick recognition of our elderly Vultan as one of the old Harrier-class vessels, and so wishes to extend to you an offer to come aboard for a tour of a vessel whose like hasn't been seen in this region of space for over two hundred years.  Tea to follow.
     The entire Vultan Group are quite proud of our accomplishments in restoring the ship, and the Baron hopes that he can impose upon you to allow him to show her off to someone who appreciates fine engineering.
     Tea, afterwards, will be an opportunity to get to know one another better; you can tell us of your lovely Torpol, and we will give you news from Drinax.
     We all look forward to seeing you soon, Commander.  Please RSVP to the attached CommCode.

                                                                                                          for Captain the Baron Theodore McFarlane,
                                                                                                                   V. Lexand, Social Secretary

---

Sadly I'm not a Baron, only Soc A.

In reply to Theodore McFarlane (msg # 79):

But Reldam doesn't know that!  And Theo is the Son of a Baron, he grew up in a Baron's Household--doesn't matter that his Dad was a Pauper Baron from Drinax--Theo knows how to act like a Baron.  So play along, Imperial! ^_^

Ingrid curtsied to Kundu. "Thank you, lieutenant, most kind. I'll be sure to do that." She couldn't wait to take one of those shuttles down to the planet.

When they were discussing costs, she mentioned "I have some money, I can pitch in."

Baron Mersy.

Varca receives a reply from Reldam within a few minutes.

"Thank you for the invitation. I would very much like to see such an old ship. I have nothing scheduled for 1600 station time if that is suitable for you."

In reply to StarMaster (msg # 83):

     Varca reads Reldam's RSVP, then taps a question into the computer, adjusting ship-board time with local time.  With a nod of acknowledgement for the answer, Varca then quickly composes an e-note, which he immediately pings out to all Crewmember's comms.

---

To: Crew of Vultan
     I've contacted that Commander Reldam, from Traffic Control.  The one who signaled us on our approach to Torpol.  I invited him to come take a look at our "antique" starship, and he's replied that he's available at Local Time 1600 Hours.  That's in a couple of hours, 2145 Hours, Ship Time, if you haven't adjusted your timekeepers.
     I told him he was "invited to Tea" to "meet with The Baron" and get a tour of the ship.  So, Theo, you're going to be needed, here.  Ingrid, it would be a big help if you were here, as well.  Between me and Theo, we probably both "know" what needs to be done for a formal, snobby Noble, afternoon Tea, but we'd likely mess it up if we tried to pull it off, ourselves.
     Zhouth, it would be great if you could be here, too.  As an Academic, you've attended similar boring meetings, and your input will be helpful, but I also want your insight and observations about Reldam, when he's here.  I'm going to be trying to get him to give us information about those attacks, a few weeks ago, plus I want to try and see if we can use him as a kind of "back door contact" to quietly get in touch with the Torpol Governors.
     But, if you can't be here, don't worry, I'll be secretly recording the entire thing.
     If we feel we can use Reldam to act as a go-between for us and his Government, I'm considering making an "offer of friendship" in Old Fat Ass's name, and gifting them an entire rack of a dozen of our Advanced Missiles.
     Everyone who can, and wants to attend should do so.  The more of us Reldam sees, hopefully, the more he will take us seriously, if we tell him we're here to hunt down the Raiders who hit them.

     If 1600 Hours Local, or 2145 Ship Time, is not enough time for you to do whatever you're doing and get back here, contact me ASAP.  Reldam is waiting for a confirmation on the 1600 Hour time.

     Varca.

---

Zhouth responded shortly afterward via ship comm, shifting from neutral to hopeful as he spoke. "I'm probably going to be here for a while dealing with all of the port stuff anyway, so I don't mind waiting around a little longer. Maybe we can get better rates for next time if we make a good impression!"

Of course, I'll be there, with tea Ingrid sent back. She was well-trained in playing the hostess, and she put the kind of focus in to pouring tea that miss Nova did for firearms training.

In reply to Ingrid Gustavdottir Sigar (msg # 86):

"I'll be there with bells on!" Teddy responded.

Replying back on comms...

"Yes, by all means, we should be here in our uniforms! Not super fancy ones, just everyday ones that makes us look like a 'well-oiled machine'."

"Everyone should check the ship's roster to make sure you know what role you are supposed to fill. It's flexible; you can wear more than one hat, but Teddy needs to know how to introduce each of us to Reldam."

"Good call, Varca, on using Reldam as a contact to the governors. Not sure it is necessary, but it can't hurt."

"Were you planning on telling them that Oleb sent us to help and to track down the raiders... or is this going to be on our own initiative? I mean, this isn't an unreasonable place to go to get the missile turret installed. It would sort of lend a bit of credence to our claim of hunting raiders. 'We're loading up for bear!'"

In reply to Viridian Starfire (msg # 88):

     "I didn't want to discuss this over open comms, Viridian." Varca grumbles over the comm, in reply, "But it actually would be of benefit to get this out now, rather than try to brief everyone later--when we might not have enough time.  Besides, while these Torpols have good Tech, our comm-encryption is better.  They can likely crack it, but it'll take them so long to do it, we'll be gone.  So, everyone who wants to listen, switch to encrypted channel one."

     Varca switches the ship's comm that he's using to the indicated channel.

     "Okay, I've given this some thought, as we were jumping here.  Torpol is one of the more-or-less required stop-over worlds on the Florian Route.  But all they have to offer passing ships are fuel and entertainment.  Tourism drives their economy, and they are doing okay with that.  However, being focused on tourism does not give them a heavy industry infrastructure--the kind of industry that would let them build the defenses that would have stopped those Raiders."

     "And now, after that raid, they've discovered that of all those Imperials and Florians and Aslan that stop by to enjoy Torpol's various entertainments, not a single one of those bastards is going to do anything to help stop the Raiders.  The big-shot Interstellar Traders that travel the Florian Route could care less.  They only care about defending their own ships, and if Torpol becomes too dangerous to visit, they will stop coming without giving it a second thought."

     "So I did think about showing up and brazenly declaring that King Oleb sent us to help out, all in the Name Of Drinax.  But, after some more thought, I've come to the conclusion that, at this time, that won't work.  For two reasons.  First, it was arrogant saber-rattling like that, which made the frikkin Pussies angry enough to invade the subsector and mess up a bunch of these worlds, two-hundred years ago--might still be some hard feelings about that."

     "Second, as a result of the Aslan Invasion, Drinax was blasted from being a rich Garden World, into being a de-populated, toxic hellhole, and the Drinaxi Star Guard Fleet was effectively destroyed.  And everybody in this little corner of space knows that!  For two-hundred years, Drinax has been a sad backwater.  Even when a handful of Star Guard ships started wandering around the neighborhood, it was mostly seen as a sad joke.  So, just openly claiming that we're a force from Drinax sent out to hunt the Raiders, likely won't instill a lot of confidence in folks."

     "So, what I'm thinking is that we tell them the truth!  Or, a variation of The Truth, at least.  Through quiet venues, we let 'a select few Important People' know that Drinax has been quietly restoring their infrastructures and recovering their old tech--doing so slowly and secretly, to hide the recovery from the Aslan.  We hint at the invasion of Asim being a big part of that plan, with Drinax planning to upgrade the Asimian industries to produce higher tech Drinaxi products.  And so, Drinax is now in a position to begin helping the neighboring planets, even if only in small ways."

     "And offering the Torpols a dozen Advanced Missiles is a gesture from King Oleb, we'll tell them.  The missiles could be used immediately, in defense of the planet--or, the Torpols could choose to try and retro-engineer them and then, maybe, build a whole lot more, on their own.  King Oleb, we'll say, doesn't want to make the Torpols dependent upon The Kingdom for their defense."

     "Which, as we know, is a load of crap!  It'll take years for these guys to retro-engineer those missiles!  And if we do things right, out here, they'll be buying new Missiles from Drinax, way before they ever figure out how to build these old things.  But if we do this, in this manner, then I think that we are addressing any suspicions the Torpols might have about us having ulterior motives.  If, after this, we then go out and do something about the Raiders, our prestige--and the prestige of Drinax--goes up just that much more."

     "So we subtly give Commander Reldam the impression that we wouldn't be averse to, maybe, offering some small token of assistance, on behalf of 'certain Important People' back on Drinax--which he will, hopefully, then pass on to his superiors.  We are, we'll tell them, just out here 'looking into' how Drinax might be of some small assistance."

     "Doing this maintains our pretense of being just a simple Courier crew--we're just investigating a little 'interplanetary diplomacy', we're not looking for trouble.  Wink-wink."

     "And when we turn around and start hunting Raiders like the Privateers that we are, we can keep confusing the situation with the claim that it was just a fortuitous incident, by saying things like 'We had no idea the little pop-guns on our plain-old Courier ship would be that effective!  Of course, the Vultan is Drinax-built...'."

     "Crap like that should start changing folks ideas about Drinax."

The secure channel promptly carried Zhouth's response. "I don't see why we shouldn't say that the cannon works. It makes it look more sensible to be doing something like poking around after a raider, royal commission or not!"

"Torpol is mostly missile-defense from the highport, right? So that gift idea looks even better to them, and it actually is better for them too! Though I suppose that means that the raiders hit things out of reach of the highport."

"We might not want to talk to much about taking over Asim as part of the grand plan, though. That sends the wrong kind of message about what Drinax intends to do, and I get the feeling that there are a lot of people who are still kind of sore about it."

"They could reverse engineer 3 of them to build their own and put the others into their defense, We could make a lot of credits selling a few. How else can we make money? Bounties for pirates we destroy? There isn't much cargo space on the Vultan and not so much of a market for ill gotten gains either. We could sell on Drinax or Tech-World and a few other places. Thoughts?"

"If we take out a pirate ship then we can repossess the stolen stuff, right? Or, well..." Zhouth trailed off for a moment as a note of distress crept into it. "I suppose that if we've radiated them all to death then we could take the ship too."

In reply to Zhouth (msg # 92):

     "That's correct, Zhouth.  On both counts." Varca responds, "There's an old Vespexer meme that goes 'you keep what you kill'.  When it comes to the contents of a pirate ship's cargo hold, Interstellar Law agrees with us Vespexers.  We get to keep everything, including the ship, if it's in any kind of usable condition.  We even get to keep the Pirate bodies, if we want to."

     "But, of course, a lot of Pirates also have Bounties posted on them, so, y'know, we 'd have to hand over the bodies, to get any Bounty Reward...so, no Meat Puppet stage shows..."

In reply to Varca Lexand (msg # 93):

"The suits you had made Varca, they good against radiation?" Teddy asked, wondering if they could take a pirate ship. They'd have to deradiate them he figured, wash them down. A robot or two might be a good idea.

"The vacc suits should be? Well, against the residual kind, anyway. I don't think they'd stop a direct hit from that particle beam, even with a ship hull in the way." Zhouth's voice audibly paused for about half a second. "Or did you mean those uniforms? I'm pretty sure that those won't do anything to protect you!"

"Hehehehehehe, I meant the Vacc suits Zhouth. The uniforms won't stop anything."

In reply to Zhouth (msg # 92):

"So we want to beat the really successful pirates" Ingrid observes.