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Guess? is able to locate the exact location of the house as Melissa listens in. It has a back door and a window.
Melissa stays quiet, continuing to listen to the conversation. "They've got a way into the auction, and now we have a way in with them!" The man shakes his head. "We only have the one chance at this, we can't rush. There's a few days, we can vet them." Guess? prepares to knock on the front door...
Guess? nods in appreciation towards Del. "I appreciate any Kalisto info you can feed me. It'll only help!"
When Guess? knocks on the door and it opens, he'll say, "Welp, seems to me your vetting time frame has been accelerated to conclude..." Guess? pretends to look at his watch, "...now."
Guess? looks up from his watch and says, "I'll be honest. Your spying on us has left me very upset. Some may even say murderously so.
"HOWEVER! We want something - namely wealth via the auction. And you also seem to want something that we can potentially provide.
"So perhaps we can find a way to align our interests, help each other out and everyone gets what they want. By the way, I also agree. We get just one chance at this, so let's not rush." Guess? smiles and winks, reveling in their realization that their conversation has been overheard.
"Let's start with introductions and since you know what we want, how about you tell us what you want? Then we can begin negotiations!"
Guess? bows and says, "My name is Estriar Isatra Jaez of Clan Kastris, House Tivora, Sworn-Friend of the Blood of Mur. And you two are...?"
"Guess?, I wouldn't count on charitable motives, and definitely not here on this station. Do you want to just ring the doorbell and say hello?" Akh asks over comms. "I don't know how much I like the idea of even another party trying to use us for their own ends... Maybe it'd be easier just to tie them up somewhere and handle things ourselves."
"Guess?, I wouldn't count on charitable motives, and definitely not here on this station. Do you want to just ring the doorbell and say hello?" Akh asks over comms. "I don't know how much I like the idea of even another party trying to use us for their own ends... Maybe it'd be easier just to tie them up somewhere and handle things ourselves."
"No worries. We can always murder them if we don't like what they have to say and bring nothing of value to the table."
Guess? gives Akh a thumbs up.
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Jaraduk gets a nervous look.
Don't say the redrum word too loud right outside of their door!!
He sighs and starts towards the back door to cover.
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Akh suggests over comms "Maybe they'll be more pliable if someone is whispering redrum outside their windows. I know I would be."
"And Melissa can whisper from the air vents as well!"
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red rum... red rum... red rum...
After the door opens and Guess? gives his slightly threatening offer, the verthani man's jaw drops and he splutters. "I, uh, what... uh, come in?" He takes a moment to collect himself. "I am known as Ixander Merinesta." He adjusts his cuffs, bringing attention to the white gloves of a Kalistocrat prophet, paired with a set of cuff links in the shape of playing cards. “This is my associate, Thais Vex. We’re pleased you’ve decided to join us this evening.” He stumbles just a bit on this last line, as Guess? casually opens the curtains to reveal Akh and Jaraduk standing threateningly at the only other exits. "It seems we were not quite as stealthy as we hoped -" He passes a brief glare at Thais. "- and our methods have piqued your curiosity. I apologize if our caution has caused you any uneasiness; we hope to discuss a matter of some delicacy and didn’t wish to be overheard. Now, given your..." He gestures towards Guess? slightly "... activities, I expect you share those sentiments. Allow me to lay a few cards on the table: I know you’re interested in acquiring one of the station's valued barges. I also know that you lack the funds to do so honestly, and I know that at least one of you" again, a wave towards Guess? - this one followed by another gesture at Melissa. "isn’t who you appear to be.” He holds up a hand to forestall any interruption. “Before you grow alarmed, let me assure you that we have no intention of interfering in your plan. In fact, we want to help you. It’s my hope that we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.” He smiles softly, more in control of the situation. "I think our intentions may be more aligned than you can imagine. And that there will be no need for murderous feelings. Let me offer you a deal: Thais and I will help your crew acquire the barge up for auction next, the White Wind if you will, in exchange, recover a secure data module from the barge’s treasures and bring it to a prearranged drop point." He flutters his fingers slightly. "Just a teeny tiny bit of the massive wealth at your disposal at that point. The module contains confidential company business plans and proprietary mining techniques for our firm. It fell into the hands of the Kalistocrats after being looted by pirates and resold several times. We are interested only in the data module; you can have the ship and everything else on it." Despite being held at gunpoint, the verthani maintain a nonthreatening demeanor, reassuring you and encouraging an alliance. They're happy to answer any questions you have, with Thais even bringing out some rather low quality dessert biscuits. Low sugar, low cost, and low on sin! their lid reads.
With Guess?'s excellent read of the situation, he can discern that Ixander genuinely wants the data module, and he seems sincere about wanting to help the crew in order to get it. A layer deeper, however, the goblin can tell he’s concealing something about his true identity and the module itself.
"You put up a compelling offer. We already have a plan for winning the auction but your funding can only help should our current plan fall short.
"I'm inclined to take you up on your offer but, obviously, only if I know I can trust you. And I KNOW you are hiding something.
"Tell me. Who are you really? And what is actually on that data module? Til you come clean, there's no deal here."
Akh thinks this sounds fishy and his first thought is probably knocking these people out too. However, it looks like Guess has things well in hand inside, so he settles for looming ominously and hoping that his presence keeps them more honest rather than less.
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When Guess? presses the pair, they admit "Ok... Ixander isn't really a Kalistocrat." The man steeples his fingers. "Yes, just a businessman seeking his lost property." Ixander pauses, weighing his words carefully. “For those in the mining industry, the information in that module is quite valuable. My assistant and I are taking a calculated risk talking to you. The data would be more trouble for you to sell than it’s worth, and our assistance will prove far more useful to your scheme than some mining data.” He spreads his arms wide. “What would we gain from double-crossing you? We mean you no harm, and we want your operation to succeed. You have my word.” Guess? can tell that while Ixander might be hiding something further, he takes his word very seriously and means what he says.
"And not only our funding will be helpful! Ms. Vex and I are skilled in negotiation, surveillance, research, and corporate espionage tactics, all of which would prove useful to your endeavors here. We can also provide you with some useful technology. And… we’ve discovered something about the auction that you’ll want to know. If you agree to our terms, we’ll share it.” He settles down into a chair, pleased with himself while his near-silent partner nods in the back.
Suspicious, some of you begin investigating your mysterious new allies on your datapads during the conversation. A search on the infosphere reveals publicly available knowledge about Ixander Merinesta and his company, Darkside Refineries, including a company website and social media profiles for Ixander and Thais.
However, you can tell that these sites are far more recent than their top layer of code indicates. The false identities are very professionally made, far beyond the capabilities of a criminal gang or even most corporations; the likely source is a governmental intelligence agency.
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Hmm... an 8 is exactly the number an envoy with a reroll DOESN"T want. Re rolling the d20 with computer whiz gives me technically better chances. But the exptertise die is a lot more likely to put me in any key range.
Bdoooop On guesses com while furious typing happens in the vent: Hey, if you were a low level Bureaucrat being underpaid to protect very sensitive information resetting your password, Which character from The necromancer would you be?
(melissa is asking for the assist)
The mining data also might not look like mining data?
Guess? auto assists Melissa's scan of the websites and profiles and together, comes to a surprising conclusion.
"Wow. Just wow. I don't think I've ever met anyone who has underestimated us so many times in such a short period of time.
"First, you thought you surveilled us discretely. But instead, we tracked you down.
"Next, you throw up a fake identity thinking you could fool us. But we saw right through it.
"Then you admit you were not being truthful but yet you still elect to conceal the truth from us."
Guess? dramatically holo-projects the company website and social media profiles up for all to see.
"This is all well done. We commend you on how good your fake identities are. But again, you've underestimated us.
[b]"We still think that we can perhaps work together as our interests align and although your skills weren't good enough to fool us, you may very well be good enough to help us.
"BUT time to cut the crap and answer some questions:
"One, which government do you work for?
"Two, what are your real names?
"Three, what kind of mining data is on that module and why would a government be interested?
"And most importantly, where is your stash of food and snacks? You're no kalistocrats, so don't tell me you've been able to sustain yourselves on local food. We're confiscating it all out of principle!
"Be truthful now. Last chance. If you lie again, not only will we know but you'll also be tanking any chance of collaboration here.
"The choice is yours."
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..." and I know that at least one of you" again, a wave towards Guess? - this one followed by another gesture at Melissa. "isn’t who you appear to be.” ...
As the pair are found out, he two verthani exchange glances before Ixander nods and he says "Well... you are more skilled than we imagined. We didn't plan on attracting such intense scrutiny so quickly. I suppose we need to trust you more than we planned." He clears his throat and points to the cupboard under the sink. "Pull out the good stuff while we talk." His partner goes and grabs a tin foil covered vacuum sealed container containing fresh chocolate chip cookies practically melting from butter. "Yes, we're not kalistocrats. Yes, we work for a governmental intelligence agency." He squints at you, displaying a level of bravery not seen so far in the conversation. "And if you think I'll reveal which one, then you are underestimating us as well." He takes a slow bite out of the cookie, relishing it. "Two weeks off planet, and I'm already so tired of eating sawdust and calling it food. Our real names aren't important. We are patriots, helping to reobtain some critical State information." Another bite. "No, it's not mining data. I suppose you'd find that out soon. A group of pirates took out an off the books vessel, grabbing the ship's log. It's contents would be dangerous to a multitude of loyal agents if they were to go public. We are here to ensure that does not happen." He wipes the crumbs off his fingers. "And partnering with you seems to be the best way to do that. We can't win the auction on our own. We can't do anything with the riches even if we did. And the data isn't valuable to you. The bad actors who want this would sooner kill than pay for it. So, what do you say? Have we a deal? Our support for the data module?"
"I suppose in your line of work, concealing your identity, hiding your employer, and lying about everything under the sun is par for course. I can understand that - reminds me of my family.
"As for the module containing the secret identities of your agents, one can argue that such a thing is priceless, amirite? Tell you what. You put in the funds and contribute your unique skillset to this project per your offer. In addition, agree to repay us with a favor in the future (which we may never call in) and share a bit of your kalistocrat-unfriendly foods. Deal?"
Guess? addresses his party members, "Any other objections or requests? Let's put it all out on the table."
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His partner goes and grabs a tin foil covered vacuum sealed container containing fresh chocolate chip cookies practically melting from butter.
drooooool... She probably should maintain her position but come on...
...some of the cookies maaaay go missing under the couch.
from under the couch
"Can you narrow it down to 5 governments? Or at least rule out the Veskarium, The HGs, Eox and...anyone else on the list of "We do not work for" ? or uhm.. Have we ticked off any other governments? " ? "
Del likewise drools over the delicious cookies. "A baker after my own heart!" Then she pauses, flicks her eyes side to side, and remembers that she's recently fake-reentered the Kalistocracy. "This isn't taboo in every reality, you know..."
Regardless, she scarfs down more than her fair share of cookies.
"Yeah," she mumbles between mouthfuls. "I request they not kill people while we work together. Government agents are good at not killing people, right? I feel like they should be..."
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"Well, technically we're either very good at killing, or not killing, people. I won't tell you which kind we are." The verthani suppresses a smile. "We can offer your our smuggled foods, and whatever assistance we can provide within the bounds of our vows." He reaches behind him to pull out a metal box. "We have a cache of useful items we intended to use in our own plans. To seal our alliance, we would like to give your crew these..." He pulls out four short-circuit grenades, a holoshroud, a noise dampener, a tracking bug, two jammer charges, and three mk 3 micro taps. They also give each of you a whisper comm to keep in covert contact. "Since we'll be working together, here's some info we've found. For the auction, before the barge key codes are electronically transferred, there’s a split-second delay while the credits are moved from the winning bidder’s account to the station account. If auction day comes and you don’t actually have the necessary money to make good on the bid, you won’t receive access to the codes unless you can somehow cheat the system in that split-second."
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"Okay, so it all boils down to this...
"Plan A. We make arrangements that will result in all competing bidders who have a chance against Estriar to withdraw or forfeit, allowing us to win with Estriar's current funds.
"Plan B. If our arrangements don't succeed in removing all of the feasible competitors, then we use the additional funds from Ixander and Thais to outbid those competitors.
"Plan C. If those additional funds are insufficient then we'll bid beyond the funds we have on hand but hack the system so that during that split second, it appears as though we've transferred the winning bid amount in full. This will, of course, require us to take the ship and get off-station ASAP before any fraud is uncovered.
"Good plan. Great plan!"
Guess? will take the noise dampener, tracking bug, one jammer charge, and one of the micro taps unless anyone objects.
"I suggest Jarduk take the grenades and Melissa takes the other jammer charge and two micro taps. I'm not sure about the holoshroud though... it's a bit bulky. Maybe Akh or Del? And these whisper comms are pretty nifty!"
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"I've got room in the picnic basket for the shroud, and am most likely to wind up needing to stealth for a while while holding still" also its an insight bonus it won't help Guess? at all "Ugh. This isn't Eoxian TV you can't just hac...well. I mean. If you had physical access to it you couldn't make it take longer but you could cool it off with liquid nitrogen and make it SEEM like time was going slower. Or launch it around the room on a tether moving at relativistic speeds but I'd need litbro for that and mom still hasn't gotten the purple off of the ceiling from the last time we tried that.... "
Is now picturing the shroud over Akh with his feet sticking out of nothing...
Guess? teases Melissa, "Hmmm... If you think plan C isn't feasible, then we can go to plan D. We murder the auction winner, take their identity, and walk onto the ship as them. I'm sure you like this plan the best due to its simplicity, amirite?"
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Guess? teases Melissa, "Hmmm... If you think plan C isn't feasible, then we can go to plan D. We murder the auction winner, take their identity, and walk onto the ship as them. I'm sure you like this plan the best due to its simplicity, amirite?"
"Would there be ANY reason not to knock them out instead.... "
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Akh is uncharacteristically tuned out, having started thinking about snacks after Guess? mentioned them earlier. The thought of any religion banning delicious snacks just seems far more of a critical danger than whatever ploy this duo of spies could provide. Truly, the Kalistocracy might be the greatest evil in the entire universe. And their dry, flavorless tentacles were - even this very moment - worming their way into the planetary governments all across the Pact Worlds...
He shudders at the thought, returning to listening in once the group has already wrapped up their discussion with the "government agents". He looks from side to side and sees cookie crumbs on cheeks and whiskers "Wait. There were cookies? Where? Don't tell me they bought you off with a delicious treat!?"
Once he receives sufficient assurances that the rest of the group hasn't been turned, he listens to Guess?' breakdown of the options. "That does sound like an OK plan. I think that means we have to go find out who all are bidding, or are likely to bid. Maybe after we go see what Estriar left behind. Other than his inevitable betrayal, of course."
"Oh, and Del can have the holoshroud. It's the least we can do pre-emptively to make up for the number of sad but necessary murders that are likely to occur here, whether we want them or not."
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After you accept the [s]bribes[/b] gifts and acknowledge the number of sad but necessary murders in your future (sorry Melissa and Del) you leave the paid of spies behind. For a few moments you debate the age old question "Am I a heroic figure of legend, or are those spies just incompetent?".
You make your way through the short remainder of Fortune's Wing and into the Guest's Quarters. Without event, you make your way to Estriar's apartment - utilizing a combination of hover walkways and regular sidewalks to pass the distance. After taking a few minutes to get your disguises, and stories, in order, you badge open the door. The suite’s front room features elegant furnishings with a couch and holo-screen opposite the entrance and a carved wooden desk near the door. A well-stocked minibar sits against the east wall, near an oval table with four chairs. Two open doors to the northeast reveal small bedrooms, while an open door to the northwest reveals a larger bedroom containing a four-poster canopy bed. To the west, a door leads to a luxurious bathroom boasting a large hot tub. Two anacites await in the living room. "MASTER ESTRIAR! YOU HAVE RETURNED! IT HAS BEEN APPROXIMATELY 13 MINUTES SINCE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE. WE NEARLY PHONED THE TEMPLE GUARD. ARE YOU OK?" The pair of nearly-robotic sentients swap off sentences - almost - as if they share the same mind. You know better, that they just share such similar personalities and goals that they nearly mesh together. You expect you could Bluff or Fight these two to make this suite your own.
I've always got room for more grenades! So... with plan A I run around using these to knock out the competition? He flashes a cheesy grin, already knowing the answer.
Cookies...?
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At Estriar's pad...
As the anacites start in on Guess? not-Estriar Jaraduk nervously fidgets and points sheepishly at the mini-bar, indicating to them that he'd like to bypass the proceedings and access it.
"Oh yes, I'm fine! Quite good as a matter of fact because I've managed to enlist additional help!"
Guess? points to the rest of the party. "I was caught up in discussions and negotiations, hence the delay in my arrival. My apologies for causing any worries."
Guess?'s expression brightens as he states, "Now, time for introductions! Please introduce yourselves to our newcomers along with your specialities and hobbies."
Guess? turns to his party members and says, "And please introduce yourselves to our anacite colleagues as well."
After everyone has introduced themselves, Guess? will ask the anacites, "Now, please, catch me up on your activities and progress "
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Am I a heroic figure of legend, or are those spies just incompetent?".
or was there another layer to the onion of bluffing that we missed or... Meh. That way lies insanity. Though come to think of it, there's no other direction...
I've always got room for more grenades! So... with plan A I run around using these to knock out the competition? He flashes a cheesy grin, already knowing the answer.[/b]
"Thats plan B... of the plans we have left anyway. "
Cookies...?
Holds cookies up to our "lasunta" and space noodle.
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At Estriar's pad...
As the anacites start in on
Guess?not-Estriar Jaraduk nervously fidgets and points sheepishly at the mini-bar, indicating to them that he'd like to bypass the proceedings and access it.
"You can drink and introduce yourselves at the same time. Hi Hi I"m Cid. Tech support and gofor gopher. Since you guys are tech do you need any maintenance now before the auction gets going? please tell me the new boss doesn't need things printed out on new tree like the last one. "
Jaraduk jumps in excitement and runs over to the mini-bar.
Oh, I'm Flageffom Galotfom. Say that five times fast!
He takes a sip of his single-malt and then gets a serious face.
No really. Try it!
Sip
When Guess? points at him to introduce himself, Akh looks left and right, wondering if the goblin got the right giant porcelain serpentine draconic being. Guess should very well know that Akh is a terrible liar under pressure, and the rest of the time as well. He gives a couple nervous echoey clanks from his open mouth before he blurts out "Hi, I'm furniture. Please ignore me."
He then stands very still and hopes they'll just roll with it.
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Akh is a terrible liar, thankfully he chose a terrible lie to match. Jaraduk and Melissa support Guess?, barely convincing the anacite team of the Estriar fallacy. "Hmmm, hello, I am Apkin-1. And I am Bankin-2! But you already knew that!" The anacites laugh in their tinny way. "We are here to support you logistically while providing you legitimacy in the Kalistocratic society!" You move into the room, exploring. Estriar’s room contains some of his valuable personal possessions: an impressive wardrobe of Kalistocrat garb (worth a total of 10,000 credits) and his collection of jeweled rings (worth a total of 14,000 credits). In the bathroom is a medicine kit containing five tier 2 medicinals (two sedatives, two stimulants, and one sal volatile). While Jaraduk convinces one of the anacites to mix him a drink at the mini-bar, others move towards Estriar’s personal computer in the corner.
Immediately you learn that this month’s commerce barge, the White Wind, is in one of the station’s docking bays. Security around the White Wind’s bay is nigh-impenetrable, including squads of security robots and biometric locks on both the bay door and the ship itself. The auction is a monthly social event for the Kalistocrats, and attendees use the opportunity to network and impress their peers.
You also find Estriar’s social schedule for the week. It seems Kalistocrats are hosting or attending social galas and networking events throughout the week, most of which are invite-only, and Estriar was no exception. He’s scheduled to attend an Idaran-style tea ceremony tomorrow (6 days before the auction), a dinner for those in the textile and fashion trade 4 days before the auction, and a performance of Qabarat ribbon-dance 2 days before the auction. His calendar also lists a meeting with “Marayeen” scheduled for this evening! A search through his messages reveals that Marayeen Salvaris is a friendly business colleague. In the message setting up the meeting, Estriar mentions “calling in a favor.” According to his records, he lent her a substantial sum several years ago after some of her investments didn’t pay off. The loan’s status is noted as “deferment.” Estriar’s files also contain some unwelcome news. In the hopes of winning this month’s auction, he leveraged his fortune in a risky speculation that has fallen through. Aside from some locked-in investments and personal possessions, he was essentially broke.
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"I'll get myself set up here to watch the auction... "
"So.. lets say hypothetically I had a resume writing program write my resume to the job instead of reading the want add, knew nothing about the kalistocracy, and actually got the job with a kalistocrat. After tipping the programmers page, what are the basics I would need to know not to mess up TOO badly? "
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"Also, what should I know about working for the boss. How does he take his coffee..wait coffee isn't banned is it? Is he up early, up late, takes a nap at 12, absolutely never barge in on his 3pm meeting unless you want to see things you can NEVER unsee....that one cost me my last job... "
Because it would look weird if Estriar was asking Estriar about this.
Del nods imperiously at the anacites. "Ailledo Arosier." Then she strides right past them, bustling into the room as if she owns it—but careful not to get too close to them, lest they detect her much slighter frame.
Unfortunately, that's easier said than done, and she ends up cramming herself into the corner, near the door that leads to the bedroom.
"It's terribly crowded in here," she complains loudly. "Not sanitary at all to be in such tight confines. May I?" Without waiting for Estriar's reply, she strides into the bedroom and looks around. "Well, this is a little better, I suppose."
She continues to wander and blabber on about nothing important, aiming to either spot something of interest or distract the anacites from watching her companions.
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Now committed to the bit, Akh floats in and drapes himself over the sofa.
"Be the Sofa"
He repeats his mantra internally and tries to stay still and comfortable. He's very much hoping the others find what they need so he can get away from the analytical, judging eyes of the two anacites.
Guess? asks the anacites, "Please add to your to-do list the procurement of additional quarters so that we can all be properly housed."
Guess? says to the party, "Those medicinals may come in handy at some point. I'll take one of the sedative doses - who wants to hold onto the others?"
After reviewing the computer contents and seeing Estriar's lack of funds, Guess? mutters to himself, "gobbammit! oh well, have ta play the hand we're dealt!"
To everyone, including the anacites, "Okay, first things first. We need more intel on Marayeen Salvaris. What's her current financial position, is she likely to agree with paying back her loan, is she an auction participant, any involvement in potential scandals, does she have close family here on station, any other leverage that can be used to persuade her to repay the loan in full, etc.
"Next, we need a rundown of the customs and norms behind the first of the three social events - the Idaran-style tea ceremony. How do we dress, what do we bring, how are we expected to participate, etc. We'll need to blend in, not draw the wrong kind of attention to ourselves, while giving the impression that we're a contender who is a force to be reckoned with.
"Also, before the tea ceremony, we need to put together dossiers on all the other bidders that are in the running. We'll need to pinpoint any weaknesses that we can lean into or desires that we can leverage that would convince them to either drop out or lower their bids enough that we can outbid them.
"Let's get to work everyone!"
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Melissa is able to get some more information on station norms, which augment what she already learned about kalistocrat customs from Del. The anacites' laughter chitters out at Melissa's question about coffee. "hehehehe, coffee! As if the esteemed Estriar would taint his body with the impurity of caffeine! hehehehe!" Del owns the space, easily slipping back into her childhood attitude and routine. Meanwhile Akh... plays a very convincing person-who-thinks-he-can-pretend-to-be-a-sofa.
Reviewing Estriar’s correspondence and notes gives you a good enough idea of his personality — serious, intellectual, and dignified, though clearly calculating — to imitate him reasonably well. You expect that unless Guess? does something wildly out of character, and so long as the whole crew is subtle when inquiring about topics Estriar would be expected to already know, your lies will be readily accepted. Unfortunately, Melissa didn't see any ducts along her path that are large enough for Akh or Del - even squeezing. Some were small even for her! Akh's concerns over being spotted while out and about the station are mollified by the rest of the group. The holoskin is quite the effective disguise - even more so than ones that Guess? or Melissa are capable of making using traditional methods, though they may never admit it aloud. So long as you avoid touching anyone, or inciting suspicion, you will be free to wander the station's corridors without fear.
Without much time before your evening meeting with Marayeen, you have to be choosy on what and how you do your research.
Judging from her presence on the station and on the infosphere, Marayeen Salvaris is a human woman and a native of Absalom Station. The Kalistocrat prophet is known for her trustworthy nature and usage of her companies to further the public good. Marayeen's business interests ranging from fashion to starship parts. While she comes across as a bubbly social climber, she has a keen intellect, and more than one competitor has made the mistake of underestimating her. Her high-end fashion line, Candy Ice, is her most successful venture.
You note that Estriar's corporation is listed as a supplier to Candy Ice.
You learn that this month’s commerce barge, the White Wind, is in one of the station’s docking bays. Security around the White Wind’s bay is nigh-impenetrable, including squads of advanced security robots - several tiers above those you have met - and biometric locks on both the bay door and the ship itself. The auction is a monthly social event for the Kalistocrats, and attendees use the opportunity to network and impress their peers. Many Kalistocrats have interest in the White Wind, but only a handful have the resources to stand a chance in the auction. Bidders engage in backroom wheeling and dealing to discourage rivals, but violence is prohibited. Gossip is key to these negotiations—some competitors engage in industrial espionage, hack their rivals’ communications, or conduct illicit surveillance.
One of the attendees this month is Eline Reisora!! Eline is an Executive Vice President of EJ Corp and an influential Kalistocrat. An avid Qabarat ribbon-dance fan, she’s attending a performance 2 days prior to the auction. Eline hasn’t indicated interest in the White Wind but might have her eye on other valuable items also scheduled for the auction.
Another attendee attracting interest is a verthani by the name of Ixander Merinesta, a Kalistocrat owner of a multi-planetary refining company. Word has it he’s quite the gentleman, though oddly no one had heard of him until a few days ago. Still, his social media profile and company website are polished and present any impressive financial profile. You recognize this as the cover of one of the government spies you met.
The tea ceremony is located at Chrysalis Teahouse in the Contemplations Wing. Unlike most of the cafes on Fortune’s Heart, the Chrysalis Teahouse specializes only in tea. It serves rare varietals from all over the galaxy, although it’s best known for its traditional kasathan tea ceremonies. Teamaster Haloru Mora Qelvais of Clan Soris, House Vurdi, Jeweled Eye of Galain - a kasathan man - presides over these ceremonies with a grace borne of long years of experience. An Idaran tea ceremony has several stages, A group activity, any number of your crew can join "Estriar" to assist. Either a depth of knowledge of kasathan rituals or a keen eye and a quick hand will be needed to be successful. A setting like this will probably be attended by important members of the station's elite, people who could be potential rivals at the auction. You also find examples of the right outfits to wear; but the ceremony is private enough that you aren't able to find any video of the actual process.
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Before heading out, you find a notebook hidden in Estriar's desk. Estriar’s records contain details of the minor favors he hoped to call in from others on Fortune’s Heart, which you can take on as needed.
To maintain your cover, you must keep Estriar’s social calendar, starting with his meeting with Marayeen. Estriar and Marayeen are scheduled to have dinner at Prixe Mari. The restaurant is located in the Ascensions Wing. Prixe Mari is a restaurant aboard Fortune’s Heart that specializes in traditional kasathan cuisine. Like all the food and drink on station, its offerings adhere to Kalistocrat standards of purity, sometimes necessitating creative substitutions that put a different spin on ancient dishes. Rather than having a set head chef, its array of kasathan celebrity chefs rotates by the month, as does the menu. This month’s chef, Saraa Ovis Liranelle of Clan Fenik, House Dacia, North Star of the West, showcases kasathan dishes from several centuries before the Gap, updated to modern palates. When you arrive at the restaurant, they’re directed to Marayeen’s table by the restaurant’s host. Jeweled chandeliers hang from the ceiling of this lavish dining room. Circular tables of multiple sizes are scattered throughout the room, complete with silver velvet chairs around them. Staff in black and white suits bustle between tables, bearing trays of spice-scented food, and a long bar with an impressive array of bottles stands behind the counter. A quiet hum of conversation fills the room, accompanied by soft music piping through the restaurant. At a table near the center of the room sits a human woman with light brown skin and black hair streaked with red. Her white clothing embroidered with gold appears a bit more flamboyant than that of most of the other diners. As she sees her old friend approaching, she rises to her feet, smiling warmly and holding out a hand. “Estriar, darling, it’s been ages. How are you?”
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Melissa is able to get some more information on station norms, which augment what she already learned about kalistocrat customs from Del. The anacites' laughter chitters out at Melissa's question about coffee. "hehehehe, coffee! As if the esteemed Estriar would taint his body with the impurity of caffeine! hehehehe!"
Melissa will update the local wikipedia/infosphere with the basic fact that caffeine is a necessary amino acid for ysoki without which they stop moving.
Oh right and look something up too
Blech. odds reroll =60%
Odds d6+1 ..5050?
computer whiz reroll
"you want to pick up some "Candy ice" fashion clothing to suck up to her? D....the stone giantess is usually more the target audience " she does check to see if they have a space noodle, fireplug, and with more hope than she'd want to admit to herself, something for ysoki.
"That's her fashion line. Not an illicit substance. but abadar primes discount card those prices should be illegal... " her 1 rank in mysticism covers some interesting swear words from major pact worlds religions "You've also been supplying her with textiles for a while "
Next, we need a rundown of the customs and norms behind the first of the three social events - the Idaran-style tea ceremony.
Before their evening engagement Jaraduk tries to make himself useful by researching...
How do we dress, what do we bring, how are we expected to participate, etc.
The good news is, I found all kinds of information about the ceremony and where it is held. Chrysalis Teahouse in the Contemplations Wing. I found examples of the right outfits to wear. The bad news is that the ceremony is private enough that I wasn't able to find any video of the actual process. The tea ceremony has several stages that need to be execute precisely. So... who knows their kasathan rituals? Melissa?
We'll need to blend in, not draw the wrong kind of attention to ourselves, while giving the impression that we're a contender who is a force to be reckoned with.
Yup, check. A setting like this will probably be attended by important members of the station's elite, people who could be potential rivals at the auction. So Guess? is right about that and we'll get a good look at the competition too.
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Lashunta-duk fidgets a little nervously as they enter the restuarant.
Definitely would normally be above my pay-grade.
Pre-formal-meal:
Hmm, point. Let's see...
He looks around the group.