In reply to Bannacor (msg # 28):

The Aslan waited impatiently, tails flicking about. They were ready to disembark! They would give it a few minutes though.

"No problem, Beto," Carmichael replied. "I was already working on it."

In fact, he'd been doing some exploring on the planetary web, finding out just what the catnip was to Aslan, whether it was legal or illegal, and just where it was sold, if, in fact, it was.

He could have probably gone through a broker, but the profit would have been a lot less.

Daphne tried her most trans-racial conciliatory smile, trying to pronounce as accurately as possible the complex Aslan sounds.

"There is no room for doubt of this statement: this one is honoured to speak to your leader. This one comes with all respect to your pride and leader. We wish to have a peaceful conversation, with benefit for all involved."

In reply to Countess Daphne Arslan (msg # 31):

The Noble Aslan looks down his nose,

"Agreed, Aslan nobility does not talk to mere common women, as noble humans do not talk to mere commoners," she replies, smile unwavering. "But you are far from common, noble leader, and this one is far from a commoner. This one is Daphne, Countess Arslan, and a great noblelady amongst the humanfolk. The wise pack leader is perceptive. The wise pack leader surely is able to recognise fellow noblefolk? There is no room for doubt of this."

A small pause to nod and congratulate the Aslan aristo for his acute perception.

"This established, let us, like highborn, discuss the business of highborn."

In reply to Countess Daphne Arslan (msg # 33):

[Language unknown: "Eeulmo latstrman."]

Carmichael continued his research on what was good and what was bad on Iryao, across many categories.

As it turned out, the Aslan-equivalent of catnip was kind of like caffeine to Humans, with a little buzz added. At least, that's how one Aslan had described it. It did make an Aslan feel happy and mellow, but didn't seem to impair activity, judgment, or performance, which is why it wasn't illegal. If anything, it boosted performance, though only a little bit as it allowed an Aslan to work longer, particularly at something that was normally a bit unpleasant.

So, that was 20,000Cr a ton.

Next up was Passengers going to... Vadada. He found 4 middle, 6,000Cr each.

Then came freight. 30 tons of major, 20 tons of minor, and 5 tons of incidental.

That was identical to the speculative cargo: 30 tons of basic consumables at 2,000Cr per ton, 20 tons of advanced electronics at 100,000Cr per ton, and 10 tons of luxury consumables at 20,000Cr per ton.

And, finally, mail: 1 container for 25,000Cr.

Not sure what everyone else was currently doing, he just forwarded his data to everyone via comm/text in case anyone else had any thoughts or suggestions on it.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:40, Fri 16 July 2021.

In reply to Carmichael (msg # 35):

In reply to Bannacor (msg # 36):

"The wise pack leader will learn this: the Florian pack leader Balducci, at Nora'a, wishes nothing but peace with the noble Aslan, and gainful trade. The wise leader lets bygones be bygones, and seizes the chance to enrich himself and his people with trade. Iryao for Nora'a, and let peace flourish, and wealth flow abundatly. This is my message."

In reply to Countess Daphne Arslan (msg # 38):

[Language unknown: "Pre omeersart Inadasss evre p era, fince pliodi intestast al inec ar, ioeion nd ieac e inioisfo k rencwa ck llesli, st tha preera'bleearwas."]

Daphne nods, hoping the gesture means agreement in Aslan culture too.

"Savvy words, noble leader. I myself was a warrior in the human Navy, but I amuse myself with trade these days. It is a new time, my peer; the sun of war has set, the moon of trade rises to light our common way, humans and Aslan. I will drink to your health and prosperity, and that of your honourable race."

In reply to Countess Daphne Arslan (msg # 40):

[Language unknown: "Ith. ll! Wh thuol nimich i on esun men!"] he says showing his teeth in a smile.

Daphne smiles and congratulates the Aslan leader - and, as soon as it is polite to leave the presumably ensuing party, she gets back to her chambers to get comms and give Balducci the good news.

Yuri had no idea what was going on with the ship. Carmichael had worked his magic and found some possible cargo, but it was up to... Baris or Beto? ...which cargo they'd take and where they'd go next. That hadn't been announced yet, nor had a departure time been established.

As an experienced space traveler, Yuri knew it was always a good idea to get off the ship whenever you could and 'stretch your legs' because you never knew when you'd get the next chance.

So, he left word that he was going ashore and exited the ship.

He decided to stop at the nearest bar and order an ale. He wasn't sure what kind of liquor was made on the planet, or even imported for that matter, so he figured he'd start with something safe. With the first sip, he made a strange face before getting used to what the locals called 'ale'. It had a distinctive coffee flavor to it, but still seemed to be a variation of beer.

"Is this a regular starport?" he asked the bartender when he returned with a second ale. "Does it adhere to the standard extraterritoriality rules? Or have the Aslan changed that?"

"How big is the starport?"

He needed to learn what the boundaries were just so he didn't get into trouble accidentally. He certainly didn't want to get executed for spitting on the sidewalk like you could on Tyraxis. He didn't really know if that was true, as he'd never been to Tyraxis, but he'd met a spacer once who'd been there who'd been imprisoned for 6 years for protesting that his crewmate had been executed for just that reason. Or so he claimed. Yuri guessed you couldn't actually ask anyone who HAD been executed... unless that word had a different meaning on Tyraxis.

As it was, Yuri found it strange and a bit disconcerting that, here in the bar, there wasn't an Aslan in sight. Maybe the Aslan owner was monitoring things via camera. As he glanced around to see who was here, he tried to spot any signs of a camera, particularly locations where it would be smart to put one. Then again, pinhole cameras could be nearly impossible to spot.

It didn't take Nicodemus long to discover the score on Iryao. As per SOP he announced his presence on the net, and was, against SOP, rebuffed. That's when the messages arrived. Of course, the Aslan were civilized and of course AS SUCH they maintained medical facilities... for Aslan. The humans could accept Aslan medicine or take what they could get amongst themselves. At least, that's how D. Trask interpreted what he was told.

He interpreted what he was asked in much simpler terms. His college studies had included certain esoterica which he retained, and, in fact, lived by. When his screens went to rest mode, reminding him he had exceeded the suggested study time, they scrolled the same ancient phrases. Into whatever homes I go, I will enter them for the benefit of the sick, avoiding any voluntary act of impropriety or corruption, including the seduction of women or men, whether they are free men or slaves.

Whatever I see or hear in the lives of my patients, whether in connection with my professional practice or not, which ought not to be spoken of outside, I will keep secret, as considering all such things to be private.

Adherence to these disciplines had stood him well so far, Nico saw no reason to change. Thus, when the commotion of landing was over, and all had debarked, Dr. Trask took his small bag and hopped aboard a flivver parked a discreet distance from Downport. It wasn't a swift ride to a villa, or a slow jaunt to delapidated multi-bed facility. On the outskirts, Dr. Trask found human work crews, apparently unsupervised, clearing land and preparing soil. Whoever was in charge on Iryao wanted to grow their own food.

Such work isn't without hazard, and Nico spent hours in the makeshift tent clearing old wounds, closing new ones, and setting bones that would barely get to knit before being pushed, a second time, beyond their limit. That was all he could do. Nothing he said to the people would change that. This was obvious by the number of old wounds thick with preventable scar tissue, and the knobby areas around the broken bones. Before he was done, his entire body ached with the effort, and his mind was beat down by the incessant parade of pain.

He sat on stool for a moment, and murmured "no more" once before passing out. When he woke, he was back in the flivver, parked a discreet distance from Downport, as if nothing had happened. Except for the ache in his bones, the empty spaces in his bag, and the case notes on his laptop, the day had never happened. Subdued and disheartened, Dr. Trask came aboard. Saying nothing to anyone, he spent an extra ten minutes in the scrubber, took a broad spectrum antibiotic, and went to bed.

In reply to Yuri Argonov (msg # 43):

"Yea, they adhere to the extraterrestrial err territorial rules here in the Downport. It's a fair size but not huge. The Aslan let us run our own businesses, but tax us heavily.

Yuri found Beto on her back, lifting weights, huffing and puffing in a pink sweater and generally doing exercise in the emptying cargo bay.

"All this week learning Aslan, and then not being allowed to speak to them because they despise females! You can guess I am dis.ap.poin.ted, Yuri. Now I have to get back to the cardio-muscular training program that I paused", adds the red-faced woman.

"Regarding our travels? Don't worry, Charmichael planned everything. We'll buy - or transport luxury items - such as Vultine furs, Nargal feathers, Drex whiskey, you name it. Plus humans bored of being second-class citizens. We will cross the border back to the League, to Vadada. Sell and Buy. Then to Tanar and Sif, maybe smuggle weapons to Eahaw. Then retrace our steps to Thrush and pay our quarterly debt."

"However, we need to earn more money than just what the interstellar trade yields. We need dangerous and high profitable extra jobs on the side, such as what we just did -  smuggling Aslan refugees... To find those missions, we should find patrons [I mean the GM is supposed to introduce patrons to us, with missions proposals], even if those patrons are in the form of classified ads."

The old lady seized the opportunity to pause in her gym, gulped from a Nora'an energy drink bottle, and started a mental gymnastic instead.

"How long are we going to stay? Well, I imagine Lady Arslan won't stop at this first meeting. This is a whole planet we're talking about, and a full government. She has to go to meetings and parties, meet the military (who fear an plot by the Nora'ans to take back Iryao), meet the secret services, ally with the merchant's guild, undermine the oppositions of those who object to the reestablishment of diplomatic relationships, and among them the Aslan Rights Party, which records every Aslan persecuted on Nora'a and spreads anti-Florian propaganda."

"Not the kind of party the countess prefers!", Beto jokes.

"Anyhow, I'd say she needs at least two weeks of intense lobbying to leave her mark, and she would call to every resource on this ship, - as leader of a diplomatic corp -, sending for example Dr Trask to a medical school to discuss humaniti physiology. He may be assaulted while doing this, so he'd needed to be escorted, and so on. Some invitations and show-business ideas could come from the Aslan leader [i.e. rolling with our actions, the GM would throw adventures seeds at us. "You declare you're doing that? Then this happens."] and be adapted to our respective skill range [i.e. Beto as an ex-journalist would have to visit slums and write a laudatory report about the way humans are treated here. This is called character-centric plots :)]"

Beto shrugged. "Of course you may consider these as just other ramblings of mine. But did I begin to address your concerns?"
This message was last edited by the player at 09:49, Sat 31 July 2021.

In reply to Beto Arark (msg # 46):

Sounds like a plan Beto!

"I wouldn't call them 'concerns'... just trying to determine an itinerary," Yuri responds. "It gives me an idea of what I might do to entertain myself."

"The male Aslan might not talk to a human female, but you could always talk to the female Aslan. They are the ones that actually get things done. The males hunt and posture and think they are in charge, but if it wasn't for the females, they'd still be stuck on their homeworld."

"The problem with that scenario is that if the males think they aren't controlling things, they get violent and kill anyone that doesn't agree with them."

"That's the myth, anyway. And from what I've heard, it still happens... just not as often as it did in the old days."

"Anyways... apparently the humans aren't exactly protected by Aslan law and authority. It only comes into play if an Aslan interest figures into the equation."

"I heard that a Mr. Kelo Trevor's kids have been taken by slavers and the Aslan don't care. They claim it's just human business and none of their concern."

"I'm thinking we might be able to parlay a rescue into a tidy profit. There's bound to be more than Trevor's two kids. Payment from one family won't be much, but ten or twenty might be. I'm not saying we do this with the expectation of getting paid for it, but there's no reason we couldn't accept a reward."

"There might also be an insurance angle. And I'd love to figure out some way to make the Aslan pay for their stupid indifference."

"The slaver's ship hasn't left yet. Probably looking for more slaves."

He waited to see what Beto's response and attitude would be. He didn't know how he'd do it by himself, but he'd been considering doing just that.

In reply to Yuri Argonov (msg # 48):

Krrshaeshgah. From the Glorious Empire, yes, Aslan were taken as slaves too!

"Yes, it's a nasty business," Carmichael agrees.

"As I understand it, Human law applies to Humans. Aslan law applies to Aslan and anyone else who is a Person. All the Humans on this planet are, by definition, property. They belong to one Aslan or another."

"I had someone explain it to me like this once: if your dog bites a neighbor, the dog can be arrested, tried and executed just as if he was a person. So, essentially, Humans here are like dogs. However, as long as they do what they are supposed to do, the Aslan leave them alone. With some exceptions."

"On the other hand, Aslan enslave each other. If one clan attacks another clan and wins, they are just as likely to sell the defeated clan into slavery since it gets them out of the picture completely, rather than let them hang around and plot and conspire to regain their land. If the defeated clan 'owns' Humans, they'll get sold into slavery, too. Most of the time. Even the Aslan aren't stupid enough to waste a valuable resource."

(OOC: Anyone else want to chime in here? Anzha, Bannacor, Baris, Daphne, Nicodemus, Oscar? Anyone?)

In reply to Carmichael (msg # 50):

"True, the Aslan of the Glorious Empire are pariahs and all the rest of the Aslan want them gone. They enslave all prisoners, though some they ransom if important enough. The nobles and such that they capture. Unless they wish to humiliate them."

Yuri is right, talk to the females if you want something done, the males just posture, until they kill you."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:56, Sat 07 Aug 2021.

The old lady was still lying on her back on a mat, and looking from below to the three men discussing above, a little puzzled. Then she let go her 1.5 kg hand dumbbells and stood up clumsily.

"As the mother of Gemmie and the grandmother of Del Tu, I couldn't stand having them kidnapped and sold as slave, or ransomed!"

"Let's round up the crew in the main room in 15 minutes, so I have a little time to shower and think", the sweating woman added.

20 minutes after she had called an emergency crew meeting on all frequencies, the Lady that should be retired and enjoying the company of her granddaughter, stood wearing the ship's white uniform, pad in hand. The meeting was recorded for those who weren't present.

"All right. Yuri Argonov, always well-informed, even on a planet of the Hierate, has informed us that humans' kids are being taken by Aslan Slavers, named Krr-sha-esh-gah, originating from the Glorious Empire. The local authorities don't seem to do anything, apparently claiming it's human business - we can assume they're in cahoots. Taking a commission on the trade, maybe?

Yuri knows about two kids of a Mr. Kelo Trevor, but guesses there maybe 10-20 kids. The slaver ship hasn't left yet.

You all agree that this is a scandal and we have to do something. So that's settled.

If we can, we could turn the situation into profit.

Here's the sketch of a plan, additions and corrections welcome.

I suggest a two-pronged strategy. Spike 1 : we lobby the local Aslan authorities, trying to obtain their help in arresting the slavers. This is a job for our diplomat Lady Arslan, maybe helped with Bannacor, because he's the best in knowing the language and the customs of the planet.

Meanwhile, spike 2 : we gather the ransom by calling out to the humans of the planet. this is an old method that was practiced decades ago, you may not know about it, called crowdfunding. Everybody pays one centicredit, and by the power of the mass, it becomes hundreds of thousands.

I'm imagining a media campaign, with crying parents begging for help. This may lack dignity, but the child's sake needs it.

Benefits here :
1) The human population begins to feel concerned; we could get information on how many kids were taken and who their parents are.
2) The local Aslan may be less able turn a blind eye on this kidnapping on their territory (I still did not get why they allow this, but I'm old-fashioned and Aslan-ignorant).
3) The Slavers believe they really are going to get paid.

Media was my job, so I can organize it, and put my face everywhere. So the slavers know me from "seen on TV". So they'll accept that I would be the one delivering the ransom gathered from the kid-a-thon. We'll probably settle for an exchange at an unofficial downport.

While I distract them with my rambling, haggling, and bad handling of their language, a commando with our best Marines (Oscar, Kohr-Rhun, Carmichael, Yuri, - at least) slips inside their ship, extracts the children to our ship and plant explosives - on the slaver's ship, need I to specify.

Then we don't stay to bear the full wrath of K, and we depart immediately, we jump to Vadada in the League - with or without the kids, it would depend of the result of the lobbying to the local authorities. Let's prepare for the worse, and consider that newly-freed kids are kids running the risk of being taken again.

This jump would put us safe from Iryao's authorities.
Being ready to jump anytime implies that Carmichael, as our broker, has already filled our cargo bay.

Once on Vadada we put the kids in the hands of the local social services.

Has everybody a role?
Nicodemus you'll be in charge of the kids, and.. why don't you come with me aboard their ship, to check that the merchandise is in good shape?

Anzha, you may help convince the humans to pay the ransom, by campaigning on social medias... or help to convince the authorities... and/or be part of the commando to hack their systems and open doors. Wherever you feel at ease, dear. 'Seems you're needed everywhere.

Baris, your coordination skills will be needed at all the stages, and above all when the time comes for the delicate departure of the planet. Also, the weight of moral choices, who to sacrifice and leave behind when the s*t hits the fan, lies on you.

Now, that's a first draft, and whoever has an idea, or an offer of services, may speak up. In order, raise your hand and speak when it's your turn. I also remember Yuri has to explain his idea about insurance??"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:37, Sat 05 Mar 2022.

"What if they aren't interested in ransom? They will still get paid, they're slavers!"