- Gvoudzon is wise. Listen to Gvoudzon: sell the Anolas!

Danila spent some time over the star map, checking the trading indices that Frederick provided him.
- Capt'n, for the best sale of the goods available on Aramanx, our best bet is to fly to Zikoca and sell Advanced Machine Parts there, supplementing with Common Electronics and Industrial Goods. Carstein is a bit sub-optimal option, since Advanced Machine Parts are not in demand there.

In reply to Danila (msg # 45):

"That should work,assuming the available price and amount of trade goods doesn't dramatically change. If they change we will make adjustment."

In reply to Andrew Steward Copeland (msg # 46):

Aramanx has a population of 1.6 billion people spread across eight major, and at least 20 minor, mutually independent nations, each with its own government, laws and society. The overall Law Level of 4 applies strictly to the orbital facility that serves as the starport for Aramanx. This Class B port, completed only within the last 10 years, was financed by a consortium of Imperial commercial concerns at the urging of Sternmetal Horizons, LIC, which has a heavy interest in Aramanx. It is only in the years since Sternmetal Horizons first began to open the world to extensive offworld contact that the planet has begun to advance but it remains incapable of producing fusion power, grav technology or even primitive atomic weapons. Extensive industrialization has kept pace with the rapid population growth of the last century or so and Aramanx is widely believed to be perched on the edge of a crisis period that could see the world blossom into a rival to Aramis or Junidy, or explode into a dangerous and world-encompassing war.

Sternmetal Horizons, LIC, has recently (within the last decade) embarked upon a program of exploitation of Aramanx along ambitious lines. Deciding that a straight economic takeover of
the planet would (given the complexities and variety of politics and political bodies on the world) involve too great an outlay of funds, Sternmetal has systematically invested in Lovrenyi, a smallish (population 37 million) industrialised nation, in the midst of the most heavily industrialised and settled continent. Sternmetal has introduced a small but well-equipped mercenary contingent to supplement indigenous Lovrenyi troops, with the plan of defeating the conventional armies of the major powers, thus enabling imposition of terms favourable for a wholesale infiltration of their economies by Sternmetal investment.

The Sternmetal plan did not quite work out as anticipated. Three brief and almost bloodless campaigns extended Lovrenyi influence considerably at the expense of several neighbours but their army became bogged down in a partisan war in the mountainous areas of Renitza, to the north of Lovrenyi. The slowdown in the timetable of conquest gave several other nations, possibly with the secret backing of some of Sternmetal’s competitors, time to hire their own mercenaries to act as deterrent forces. Many of these are still present.

Currently, the situation of Aramanx is one of watchful tension, particularly in the area around Lovrenyi. Several states remain technically at war and periodic raids and short thrusts are common. However, most nations on Aramanx are holding back for fear of lighting the fuse that will set off the ‘Powder keg of the Towers Cluster’.

"Quietly, and to the sort of researchers interested in them specifically," Carver suggested.

"I can help install the tanks if we can find some. Lets give that a try."

"Thanks to Sternmetal, it ain't safe down there. Dangerous place, we could make some money smuggling, I wouldn't advise it though. The Anolas wouldn't like it here I don't think, but if you can get enough, . . . meh."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:34, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

In reply to Theodore Bickle (msg # 49):

- So you suggest to stay in the spaceport and relax for several weeks, don't you? Looks good to me!

"Never said that! Just that if you go down, be careful of what you get into, Balkanized world with everyone at war. Sternmetal is taking over, the Imperium is letting them. One could study and improve themselves over the month that it takes to remove the external tanks and install collapsible ones."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:58, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

- And what should we do there then? The last time we decided to take a week off on a planet, we lost almost two weeks - which we could spend earning money - and flew out with the Anolas. I am ready to get involved in a fight if I know for sure what I stand for. And now I don't know anything about the locals. We load the goods and get out of here, don't we?
Danila looked at the rest of the team.
- What do you think?

"I think the external tanks are just fine, collapsible tanks in the hold just cut down on cargo we can haul. Get a load and jump out!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:11, Tue 19 Oct 2021.

In reply to Theodore Bickle (msg # 53):

A Bad Beginning
Arriving at Aramanx starport, the March Harrier and her crew go through the usual routines-customs and health inspections, cargo and passenger discharges and so forth. Routine consumes their first day in port; it is not until the next day that they have a chance to begin looking into other opportunities.

Unfortunately, they have reached Aramanx at a particularly bad time. Several large Tukera ships have recently left port, taking most of the available cargos with them. The port warehouses have few cargos left and those which are still present have been reserved by Oberlindes Lines, which is expecting a vessel due in soon from Junidy. It is only a temporary situation but in the interim the March Harrier is losing money.


Concourse 3 and the Worldview bar are both highly recommended as places to visit to meet people and hear the news and look for cargo.

In reply to Nerull (msg # 54):

"The best laid plans of mice and men" comments Andrew as he accesses the cargo situation. "With the dearth of avail cargo grabbed by the mega corps it seems this may be an opportune time to get those tanks."

He will ask his business experts "assuming we take the four weeks required to refit the collapsible tanks what are the chances the cargo situation will improve or get worse? Same question applies for speculative cargo options .

With the info about the technological level of the world, Gvoudzon realized that his dream of directing a video and just let it buzz on the world's infosphere wasn't possible. The one thing about the Empire that he liked - besides not jumping down at eachother's throat - was the high tech. And this world hadn't it

How could he reach the maximum of rich people and zoos and science labs? Maybe placing classified ads in the newspapers?

He needed to know more about the world's medias. The Vargr stood up, reached the intercom and asked who would accompany him at the Worldview bar.

In reply to Gvoudzon (msg # 56):

- Alright, let's take a walk to the bar.



- The more time we spend on the planet, the bigger chance are that we will find something interesting. I'd propose to talk to the Oberlindes company, maybe they can have a use for us in their rivalry with the megacorps.

One night, however, the Worldview does pay off. As a service to visitors, the bar assembles major news reports from the various major cities on the planet’s surface, and plays these constantly, thus allowing interested customers a chance to catch up on the often confusing affairs of Aramanx. After a particularly bad day of searching for employment or cargo, some of the adventurers, relaxing at the bar, take notice of a particular story.

This news report is in itself of no particular interest. During the course of it, however, scenes showing the arrival of the Sternmetal party at the town show a clear view of a familiar face – Captain Bannerji, of the Wolblutn, is in the Sternmetal’s group, having traded his uniform for a business suit and attaché case.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:58, Wed 20 Oct 2021.

In reply to Nerull (msg # 58):

Handout Three

Tavanix, Union of Senled

A brief protest by citizens groups against offplanet interests in Senled was broken up by military police and regular troops today. The riot was sparked by the visit to this frontier town of a touring party sent by Sternmetal Horizons to assess the situation along the Lanaxian border in the wake of last month’s clash between a brigade of Senled’s light infantry and Vargr mercenaries in the employ of Lanax.

The Sternmetal representatives declined to comment on the riots. An official government spokesman deplored the incident, saying, ‘There has been too much bad feeling toward offworlders these past few years but we must all realise the need to bury the past and look to a future of freedom, economic recovery and national security’. The touring Sternmetal commission is scheduled to remain in Tavanix for another week, meeting government and military officials, investigating several important frontier installations and visiting the newly completed reservoir on the Tavin River near the town.

In reply to Nerull (msg # 59):

Alyx watches the news report and checks a few things on the local net in the starport.

"Color me intrigued. I'd love to know what Bannerji is up to. I'm sure it ties in to everything. The Sternmetal connection is new, but maybe not so surprising. Captain, what do you say a group of us, quietly, go down to Tavanix for some R&R?"

In reply to Alyx Karoll (msg # 60):

"It seems our Captain Bannerji is again involved with Sternmetal, makes me wonder if he be one of their operatives rather than a useful asset."

Andrew mull over Alyx's request before answering. "Going planetside could prove to be useful though we would do good to remember that Sternmetal will have most if not all of the local government in their pocket."

In reply to Andrew Steward Copeland (msg # 61):

Alyx muses to himself for a moment.

"It's a lot of speculation, but what if someone were to tip off the neighbors that a 'Captain' whose involved in piracy and possibly the black market acquiring of main guns was visiting. Just lob a monkey grenade, and not the anolas, into his plans for a bit."

Another pause for thought. "Some more supposition, based on the Horizon Travel memo. this is a diversion from his main mission, but an important one to pick something up. Maybe in that briefcase. I'm sure that security around him is tight, but not so tight that we don't have video of him and the car, so maybe we can separate him from it. We have a good idea where he's headed next though the memo said he might be here several weeks."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:58, Thu 21 Oct 2021.

In reply to Alyx Karoll (msg # 62):

"Right Alyx, better lob a monkey grenade. An anola grenade would be a waste of valuable assets!", said a concerned Gvoudzon.

[OOC : speaking of which : railroading surely keeps the plot moving, but since we come to view this news after at least one day's search, did Gvoudzon find a way to let the various research centers/zoo know they have Anolas to sell?]

In reply to Gvoudzon (msg # 63):

Place a classified add in the paper.

- I'm in.
- What do you think if we contact a local detective agency and ask if they can gather info on a particular person? We may disguise our interest by intending to do business with the subject of surveillance. Which is not too far from the truth...

"Well Mr Karoll, Character assassination can be a tricky grenade to throw. First you weapon has to be filled with juicy information, real or otherwise. Next you need a audience that would care enough to be drawn to it; much like predators drawn to the smell of blood. Finally you must throw it such as way that you will not draw attention to yourself, especially if your grenade does not have the desired effect. If we somehow manage to find or create such conditions then it might something to toss in the bastard's lap." 

Andrew will agree with Danila's suggestion. "Finding a local guide in hostile territory is always helpful, the trick will be finding a reliable one."  He will glance at the news feeds. "I wonder any local stringers or reporters working for TNS(Traveller News Service) or any of the other off planet news services. might be willing to be paid for stories that their bosses don't give a millicredit about but could be of interest to us?"

In reply to Andrew Steward Copeland (msg # 66):

"Ooh good idea captain. He could also help us to writeour Anola ad. Or point us to the direction of buyers for this comodity. A fixer is what we need. Not all journalists are honests conveyors of news; I new a journalist, a Barfis Jonangi-son who was supposed to report the news of an alliance his country belonged to. But he so deformed facts that he was able to get back and be elected Prime Molossus, overt he outrage he had contributed to create!"

In reply to Gvoudzon (msg # 67):

Teddy listened to all of the banter, he was part of this now, he was officially crew now!