Imperial Navy Ship's Boat THX-1138a docks with Type A Free Trader Bunnie in orbit Regina...
<lock cycles open> In comes an Imperial Space Marine in Battle Dress, the artillery battledress version, mounting an anti-tank cannon and 12 rounds. His buddy has a Mag-rail mini gun, heh packing light. Then again the AT gun could hull the ship, so I guess it's all a matter of proportionality after all.
"Good day, Citizen, this is a standard custom's inspection, courtesy of the Imperial Navy! We want *you* to know that the Imperium is not as far-off and distant as you might have heard, that we are here *ready*..." the other marine kind of jumps a little at that, barrel sweeping, he seems more alert now "to protect *you* against threats to trade and the Rules of Warfare!" He seems very familiar with this spiel, must say it a lot.
<lock cycles again> another Imperial Marine crowds in, and an Imperial Navy technician in grey vacc suit. The technician is lugging something (heavy), and what with the weight of the vacc suit it's more like a slug inching in than anything so fast as a turtle. You catch a glimpse of the poor guy through his visor: pale, haggard, gasping for air, barely able to move. The other marine has a boarding vacc suit, looks cool with the built in weapons and blades built into the arms. Looks heavier than the combined load of the poor navy rating. You can tell this marine is a lot stronger, so he sorta walks, er, clumps in like that movie you saw once 'bout this guy in a diving suit tryin to move 10 paces.
"...This is just a standard courtesy visit. Ids? thanks. ships papers? just the standard Financial ownership records, financial shares, current payment status, crew and passenger manifest, ship's crews certifications, medical officer clearance, the usual!" He seems chipper, happy almost. There's a gleam in his eye. You've heard rumors the military interrogators are specializing in torture these days, a bad sign!
"Uh oh! Citizen, am I to understand you are running at minimal manning, using a, a ...." he looks ill almost, disgusted "*expert* astronavigation program?!" The mingun marine guffaws, but it's muffled as his loadspeaker isn't on, kind a like punches the boarding vacc suit marine, who topples against the wall, puttin a nasty dent in it, sounds like he's sayin somethin 'bout jump tapes... shoulda ... used ... a... jump ... tape. maybe.
The Anti-Tank Cannon-equipped Artillery Battle Dressed Imperial Marine Sergeant says "...those expert programs requre an Intellect program to run. Now The Imperium is a pretty easy going place, we allow people to use lasers, even highly addictive narcotics! But not psionics! Actual AIs, that's goin too far! It's forbidden using that Intellect program. Illegal. Against Imperial Law." The guffawing Marine is leering now.
He switches back to rote mode "We now move to the investigative portion of these proceedings." It's only now that you notice the lil red record lights on all their helmets are on, how foolish of you! "All communications from this point on are recorded for quality control, investigative evidence. Your ship will be searched. This Spacehand" Indicating the grey clad, and grey-colored Navy guy who seems to have recovered some "Will use his InstellArms ComputerAI Detection System (mkXXV) tm to analyse software on your ships systems. Further Imperial Marines will conduct additional searches as deemed neccessary by Imperial Authorities." the navy rating sighs, starts shuffling off to the bridge lugging the 80 lb case, again like a slug, oof! (rest) oof! (rest). The Sergeant switches off his comm somehow, you can see him talking, but not what he's saying 'cause of the polarized visor effect.
<lock cycles, two more marines, these in the artillery ones with guess it's a PGMP an a FGMP you wonder, would a ships *laser* even get through these things?> Loadspeaker on again "OK every freaking living thing in this ship up against *this* wall, *NOW*" the minigun guy covers everybody, the other two marines start efficiently, swiftly rousting all crew, passengers, even the ship's cat against the wall. The sergeant stares at the cat. "Cats. they're associated with psionics! We'll have to do a full phase XCVIIVX procedure then (sigh)" switching channels you guess, maybe the Navy rating? "OK so all data copied and downloaded, all data storage wiped, right?" to you "As a matter of procedure due to extensive copyright violations and failure to pay royalties, it is a customary procedure to wipe all programs and data on board vessels in violation of sentient software prohibition (blah blah blah) to be reloaded once proper purchase receipts are verified."
to the rating again "Ya? ok thanks"
"Sentance for violation of illegal use of intellect software, looks like a usual day no crack down or anything (yer lucky!) Imprisonment on Imperial Prison Planet Dorsai for 3 months (assuming good behaviour), Permanent Exile from Imperial space (travel costs to be paid by exile), or a fine of lesee..." checking ship papers ..." wow full hold good at ya! lessee..." using the calculator on his arm pad "616kCr. KILO. 616,000Cr. Vessel will be taken in tow to the Port in regina, towing charges may apply, Ship to be impounded pending disposition of sentancing and notification of owners, passengers and any thereof agents of said violations of Imperial Law and of their rights and obligations thereof" he takes a deep breath. "So welcome to Regina! all right, take em home!" All are cuffed, taken aboard the boat, a navy crew takes charge. As they're being led away the boarding vacc suit marine with the built-in weapons, leaning against his dent in the wall (come to think of it once he got in he didn't really stroll around, or even move much!) can be heard saying to the incoming navy crew "... Don't even know why they keep tryin to come here, Regina don't even allow offworlders, let alone..." he gasps "... *land* or anything, or even leave the port, right?"
... may not know what a missile does for damage, but the AT round, sure, besides we have multiwarhead missiles for d6xd6 so who cares? I may only get about three passengers, and be lucky to fill the holds, but can (and will!) fill up on speculative, the sky's the limit! At least in CT i could design a ship get by actually buying refined fuel (sigh) now it's laser-immune and they got PA turrets for well dunno that either lol. a lot, my guess. leseee, 3x pilots at 6k per month *each*, plus um... besides the draconian law level stuff, half the time one can't even land, or exit the port (am I really expected to run an adventure like the movie "The Terminal" a lot?!) all of this sorta, um, you'll need to be THE Stainless Steel Rat (thank's Harrison!) to get by, or around in this universe looks like!
...wow, somethings, um, *changed* in the traveller I thought i knew. Maybe the foreven sector is where it's at after all, beyond imperial space, free from the restrictive covenants where it's either automatic robo-operated illegal ships to save on crew to be able to make ones way, or um, carrying passengers at a (BIG!) loss, or um, sheesh!
At least in CT push comes to shove you could stick a dagger in that battledress guy if you were good enough, knock him out maybe. now? I guess one points the limit. (um armor what, 17, 28? and i do 1d, ok...) plus i could at least get around in a vacc suit, and heck even de-orbit in a pinch (reentry foam comes with the vacc suit!)
I try, really lol but wow! It's not lost on me these the same guys did or doing paranoia, and judge dredd lol, right? In a weird way it feels like early traveller again, with wild over-the-top escalations of damage and immunity chasing each other (we used to call it power gaming, and/or min/maxing) (oh a 2000t ship? here's a 100,000t one! 100k? a *million*!) tempted to run it with sand and pebbles as the main weapons in use. And lasers. lasers on freaking sharks!
And oddly, all told, theres a lot of good stuff looks like floating around in all this. But WOW. Trade is major broke, and hence the ships. There's a thread (or two, or three...) on the Mongoose boards i stumbled on tryin to get it working, some. better. at all!
<off to design Shark Class MgT ship heheh>
<lock cycles open> In comes an Imperial Space Marine in Battle Dress, the artillery battledress version, mounting an anti-tank cannon and 12 rounds. His buddy has a Mag-rail mini gun, heh packing light. Then again the AT gun could hull the ship, so I guess it's all a matter of proportionality after all.
"Good day, Citizen, this is a standard custom's inspection, courtesy of the Imperial Navy! We want *you* to know that the Imperium is not as far-off and distant as you might have heard, that we are here *ready*..." the other marine kind of jumps a little at that, barrel sweeping, he seems more alert now "to protect *you* against threats to trade and the Rules of Warfare!" He seems very familiar with this spiel, must say it a lot.
<lock cycles again> another Imperial Marine crowds in, and an Imperial Navy technician in grey vacc suit. The technician is lugging something (heavy), and what with the weight of the vacc suit it's more like a slug inching in than anything so fast as a turtle. You catch a glimpse of the poor guy through his visor: pale, haggard, gasping for air, barely able to move. The other marine has a boarding vacc suit, looks cool with the built in weapons and blades built into the arms. Looks heavier than the combined load of the poor navy rating. You can tell this marine is a lot stronger, so he sorta walks, er, clumps in like that movie you saw once 'bout this guy in a diving suit tryin to move 10 paces.
"...This is just a standard courtesy visit. Ids? thanks. ships papers? just the standard Financial ownership records, financial shares, current payment status, crew and passenger manifest, ship's crews certifications, medical officer clearance, the usual!" He seems chipper, happy almost. There's a gleam in his eye. You've heard rumors the military interrogators are specializing in torture these days, a bad sign!
"Uh oh! Citizen, am I to understand you are running at minimal manning, using a, a ...." he looks ill almost, disgusted "*expert* astronavigation program?!" The mingun marine guffaws, but it's muffled as his loadspeaker isn't on, kind a like punches the boarding vacc suit marine, who topples against the wall, puttin a nasty dent in it, sounds like he's sayin somethin 'bout jump tapes... shoulda ... used ... a... jump ... tape. maybe.
The Anti-Tank Cannon-equipped Artillery Battle Dressed Imperial Marine Sergeant says "...those expert programs requre an Intellect program to run. Now The Imperium is a pretty easy going place, we allow people to use lasers, even highly addictive narcotics! But not psionics! Actual AIs, that's goin too far! It's forbidden using that Intellect program. Illegal. Against Imperial Law." The guffawing Marine is leering now.
He switches back to rote mode "We now move to the investigative portion of these proceedings." It's only now that you notice the lil red record lights on all their helmets are on, how foolish of you! "All communications from this point on are recorded for quality control, investigative evidence. Your ship will be searched. This Spacehand" Indicating the grey clad, and grey-colored Navy guy who seems to have recovered some "Will use his InstellArms ComputerAI Detection System (mkXXV) tm to analyse software on your ships systems. Further Imperial Marines will conduct additional searches as deemed neccessary by Imperial Authorities." the navy rating sighs, starts shuffling off to the bridge lugging the 80 lb case, again like a slug, oof! (rest) oof! (rest). The Sergeant switches off his comm somehow, you can see him talking, but not what he's saying 'cause of the polarized visor effect.
<lock cycles, two more marines, these in the artillery ones with guess it's a PGMP an a FGMP you wonder, would a ships *laser* even get through these things?> Loadspeaker on again "OK every freaking living thing in this ship up against *this* wall, *NOW*" the minigun guy covers everybody, the other two marines start efficiently, swiftly rousting all crew, passengers, even the ship's cat against the wall. The sergeant stares at the cat. "Cats. they're associated with psionics! We'll have to do a full phase XCVIIVX procedure then (sigh)" switching channels you guess, maybe the Navy rating? "OK so all data copied and downloaded, all data storage wiped, right?" to you "As a matter of procedure due to extensive copyright violations and failure to pay royalties, it is a customary procedure to wipe all programs and data on board vessels in violation of sentient software prohibition (blah blah blah) to be reloaded once proper purchase receipts are verified."
to the rating again "Ya? ok thanks"
"Sentance for violation of illegal use of intellect software, looks like a usual day no crack down or anything (yer lucky!) Imprisonment on Imperial Prison Planet Dorsai for 3 months (assuming good behaviour), Permanent Exile from Imperial space (travel costs to be paid by exile), or a fine of lesee..." checking ship papers ..." wow full hold good at ya! lessee..." using the calculator on his arm pad "616kCr. KILO. 616,000Cr. Vessel will be taken in tow to the Port in regina, towing charges may apply, Ship to be impounded pending disposition of sentancing and notification of owners, passengers and any thereof agents of said violations of Imperial Law and of their rights and obligations thereof" he takes a deep breath. "So welcome to Regina! all right, take em home!" All are cuffed, taken aboard the boat, a navy crew takes charge. As they're being led away the boarding vacc suit marine with the built-in weapons, leaning against his dent in the wall (come to think of it once he got in he didn't really stroll around, or even move much!) can be heard saying to the incoming navy crew "... Don't even know why they keep tryin to come here, Regina don't even allow offworlders, let alone..." he gasps "... *land* or anything, or even leave the port, right?"
... may not know what a missile does for damage, but the AT round, sure, besides we have multiwarhead missiles for d6xd6 so who cares? I may only get about three passengers, and be lucky to fill the holds, but can (and will!) fill up on speculative, the sky's the limit! At least in CT i could design a ship get by actually buying refined fuel (sigh) now it's laser-immune and they got PA turrets for well dunno that either lol. a lot, my guess. leseee, 3x pilots at 6k per month *each*, plus um... besides the draconian law level stuff, half the time one can't even land, or exit the port (am I really expected to run an adventure like the movie "The Terminal" a lot?!) all of this sorta, um, you'll need to be THE Stainless Steel Rat (thank's Harrison!) to get by, or around in this universe looks like!
...wow, somethings, um, *changed* in the traveller I thought i knew. Maybe the foreven sector is where it's at after all, beyond imperial space, free from the restrictive covenants where it's either automatic robo-operated illegal ships to save on crew to be able to make ones way, or um, carrying passengers at a (BIG!) loss, or um, sheesh!
At least in CT push comes to shove you could stick a dagger in that battledress guy if you were good enough, knock him out maybe. now? I guess one points the limit. (um armor what, 17, 28? and i do 1d, ok...) plus i could at least get around in a vacc suit, and heck even de-orbit in a pinch (reentry foam comes with the vacc suit!)
I try, really lol but wow! It's not lost on me these the same guys did or doing paranoia, and judge dredd lol, right? In a weird way it feels like early traveller again, with wild over-the-top escalations of damage and immunity chasing each other (we used to call it power gaming, and/or min/maxing) (oh a 2000t ship? here's a 100,000t one! 100k? a *million*!) tempted to run it with sand and pebbles as the main weapons in use. And lasers. lasers on freaking sharks!
And oddly, all told, theres a lot of good stuff looks like floating around in all this. But WOW. Trade is major broke, and hence the ships. There's a thread (or two, or three...) on the Mongoose boards i stumbled on tryin to get it working, some. better. at all!
<off to design Shark Class MgT ship heheh>
