Before we start moving towards the end of your film debut, need some rolls please.

Tepha or Ledo:  Investigate/Edu.  The other may help them

Rig:  Computer/Edu.  He can add a +2 to the roll

Two of the other characters (your call which): either Streetwise/Int or Diplomat/Int

Thanks

Tepha and Ledo work to discover the truth behind the Duchess but neither of them have much experience beyond standard public search engines.


12:58, Today: Tepha Pezal rolled 6 using 2d6-2.  Investigation/EDU -4 unskilled +2 help?

Rig seemed to have a solid plan ahead of him and yet dealing with an AI, especially one hit with a nasty virus, was never easy or straight forward.


12:59, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 8 using 2d6+6.  +2 computer +2  edu +2 bonus.

Despite his normal gruff nature, Ledo could really pour on the charm when he needed to.


13:01, Today: Ledo Typhin rolled 13 using 2d6+2.  +1 diplomat +1 int.

Silver was used to hitting the streets as an ex-beat cop but the vices she had available from the crew were a big distraction for her.


13:02, Today: Silver rolled 6 using 2d6+1.  +1 streetwise +0 int.

Tia lifts off from the ice ball.

The film crew grumbles as they are put back into cryo.

Relen and Gosh both ask to be able to send messages on the net.  Neither message is provocative.  Relen to his agent, telling him they're almost done with the project.  Gosh to his girlfriend, telling her to be faithful.  And then they have to pack their gear up into the hold.  Relen is specific about the storage of the hard copy of their film.  Ulie seems distracted.

But as the ship is preparing to enter Jump, Tepha you get the film crew into stasis.  Ulie and Calliope return to their quarters.

Maribel is pretty much sharing her room with you Rig.  She's a good distraction from the problems with Fritz.  You are pretty sure the program will work.  But you won't know for certain until you have one to two weeks worth of data.  In the meantime, you could maybe teach Fritz old space shanties from your merchant marine days if need be.

Tepha, you manage to put together a fairly extensive bio on the Duchess.  But nothing that seems to give any color into her interest in your crew.  The Reach doesn't have a leading noble.  The Emperor hasn't appointed one for several generations now.  Duchess Mora acts as the de facto Voice of the Reach.  But as to why she has security detail on Tia's burners...you have no idea.

Ledo, shortly after the ship enters Jump, you come across Calliope in the mess hall.

She's sitting there, frowning.  A deep kind of frown.  Like whatever she's thinking, she's not pleased about it.

She must be so far into it, she hasn't noticed you.  The actress blinks rapidly, as if you startled her, even though you're about half done making the drink you came in for.

"Oh.  Captain.  I'm sorry.  I..."  She clasps her hands together on the table and leans forward.  "Do you have a moment?  I know you're busy with the ship and all.  But..."

She sighs and then takes a deep breath.  "Captain.  I don't want to come across as paranoid.  But...how much do you trust your passenger Nero Madigan?  I'm...What can you tell me about him?"

Ledo freezes for a moment expecting the worst but then when Calliope asks about Nero, Ledo lets out a nervous chuckle.

"How much do I trust him? Well that depends on what I'm trusting him with. He is a spoiled noble obsessed with his video feed and seemingly oblivious around him. He was used by some eco-terrorists to get on board our ship and I'm pretty sure that some pirates are using his video feed to shadow our ship..."

He paused and sighed.

"He's not a bad kid, he's just very sheltered and naive. I looked at his feed and he is still obsessed with that Pansy Paws girl that had him wrapped around his finger. Anyone with sense would have realized she was using him but he is still fighting for her. That kind of loyalty can't be all bad, right?"

He paused and sat down across from her, taking an active listening position and giving her his full attention.

"What's on your mind? Where's this coming from? Did he do something that made you feel uncomfortable?"

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 7):

She sighs at your question <purple>Ledo<?purple>.  "Well no.  Or...not in the way you might think.  He wants me to pose as his girlfriend for some...complicated scheme with his family.

"But what really freaks me out is the coincidence."

She bites her lower lip for a moment and then lays her hands flat on the table.  She seems to have come to a decision.

"Do you know about the business with his cousin?  Hollie Madigan?"

She studies your face.  Waiting to see what you say about that.

Ledo's face goes stone still as she brings up Nero's cousin. He realizes he tensed but there was nothing he could do about it now.

"That's a really odd thing to bring up. Yes I know he had a cousin who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. What does that have to do with posing as his girlfriend at his grandmother's birthday party?"

In reply to Ledo Typhin (msg # 9):

"Nothing to do with his offer to pose as his girlfriend.  Maybe."

She glances towards the hallway.  "I...I don't mean to burden you.  But...we're actually filming two movies.  Not one.  Ulie doesn't know.

"Our director, Relen, wrote a script based on the murder.  He says he has some information about who did it.  Anyway, he tried pitching the movie, but no one wanted to touch it.

"Thing is...it's a really good script.  I mean really good.

"When Relen got the job to direct this project, he talked me and Ergan and Wisco into filming his movie on the sly.  I know how that sounds.  But sometimes in film, you have to go about things in a roundabout way.

"Anyway.  We're pretty close to wrapping his project. But then Hollie Madigan's cousin shows up.  And wants me to go with him to some family party.  And things have been...weird...with the main shoot.  I don't know.  Things seem odd at the moment.

"I just want to make sure I'm not about to get in the middle of something I shouldn't have gotten into the middle of."

Ledo gave a sigh and tried to put as much reassurance into his voice as he could.

"After watching Nero for awhile I will say he is not some kind of mastermind moving pawns on the chess board. I think checkers or tic-tac-toe is more his style. It is quite the coincidence but I'm pretty sure it is just that. Nero is just another passenger going along the same route as you guys are. He didn't know you were coming on board and Ullie made the arrangements on your end on account that we were the only ship in the area. Come to think of it that was how we got Nero as well. Escaping right before a terrorist attack nearly blew up a spaceport kind puts you at the top of a lot of lists...good and bad."

Ledo stood up but lingered. He was still here if she wanted to talk but he did have places to go and ships to run.

"As for posing as his girlfriend...I can't offer you any advice about that. I'm sure it would be...interesting."