Re: Interactive Story - LARP/MMORG for the whole CofI to join in, if you like or dare

[Jame]

"Well, I have no preference, so Ditzie. The decor's actually a bit shiny, at least to me - I've got a PhD in the history of the Gateway region from Vilani times on."

Julianne take Ditzie's scatterness in stride - youth, after all. She asks, "Do you have something to drink? All of this adventuring has given me a powerful thirst."

"If you can get into that security feed, you must be some kind of wizard. Don't worry, though, because whatever I am, I'm with 'Old Ironsides.'" (Julianne snickers at the thought.)

 

[Klaus]

Panthera is tired, cold, and very, very annoyed! She has just spent 2 months on the Van Donvliet glacier, skiing downhill, uphill, and on the flat; over crevasse, down chimneys, through grottos. All a fantastic, stimulating, exhilerating journey; but that was then. Now she wants a hot shower, a hot bath, a massage, another hot shower, and a proper meal that isn't rehydrated with snow; and a hot shower. Instead, she's in the street with 4 trunks of gear and a broken heel. It seems all hell broke loose in space recently, something to do with space pirates and a luxury liner or something like that, and her lodgings, despite Panthera paying a hefty retainer, have been suborned by some Imperial toffs! Ok, she got her money back, but as she said to the landlord, "That ain't the point, Dumbass!"

Panthera looks forlornly down at her broken heel, lying in the melting snow of the Startown, shrugs, then slams down her left foot so that the other heel snaps off too. Pulling out her comm, she checks the local directory for possible lodging and to order a taxi. Then she cracks open a can of Choco-Caff, waits for it to heat up, takes 3 large gulps, and sits on one of her trunks to weigh her options...

 

[ditzie]

Originally posted by Julianne:

"Do you have something to drink? All of this adventuring has given me a powerful thirst."

"My roommate has some stuff in the cooler. Let's see."

(She rummages through a cupboard marked "Zelda's Cooler -- DITZIE STAY OUT!!")

"Don't worry about the sign. Her Royal Highness Zel Kuillenesku can be a little dogmatic at times, but she's ok. She's got better aim than me, in case anyone asks.

"We've got sparkling coffee -- sorry, it's generic -- some Blue Sun, a local tea, purified water, and some Vilani beer -- nasharas and kasgig."

Ditzie turns to Julianne.

"So what brings you here?"

 

[Jame]

"Blue Sun, please." Julianne sits on a nearby cushioned chair.

She considers her options for conversation while finishing off the Sun. "This stuff'd go great with Green Chips and Blue Dip. As for what brings me here, the Pride brings me to the planet, so I can go to Zhodani space on a personal field trip; I've always wanted to see the Psikes, so since I've mustered out I decided I should. As for up here? Well, the people downstairs gave you a very interesting description, so I decided to say hi. Someone who likes pistols can't be that bad!" She smiles at this last."

"Your friend seems like she might get upset about the drink, but I'm really too thirsty to care, or was..."

 

[kafka47]

Ref says:

After clearing customs without any problems, Franklin's personal computer indicates that there is a .25Cr surcharge to link to the planetary net. However, access to his personal finance seems to have been suspended as a many of the passengers of the Pride are requested to go to the local Naasirka office to re-establish their identity because of an accident whilst in flight a good portion of the Pride's mainframe exists toward the Core of a local Gas Giant ( this information was highly classified but Frank managed to override the security protocols ).

In the distance, Franklin can see a human female in distress with a number of grav suitcases, carrying long sticks of some description and agonizing over something to do with her foot apparel.

With a swoosh of snow, a snowcab pulls up and the driver takes one look at the woman and the woman says something back. The driver laughs and she becomes flustered, the driver in turn pulls out a proudly displays his union card and lifts his middle index finger...

 

[Klaus]

.... backbirth mothering son of a catemite!*@!"

Panthera sighs, smooths her tunic, watching the snowcab shrink into the distance. She turns to one of her trunks, about to look for a body warmer when in the distance she spies...

"Wow, is that a Hiver?"

Rummaging in her shoulder bag she pulls out her binox and takes a look, waving to the polypedal alien.

 

[ditzie]

Originally posted by Jame:
"...the Pride brings me to the planet, so I can go to Zhodani space on a personal field trip; I've always wanted to see the Psikes, so since I've mustered out I decided I should." ... "Your friend seems like she might get upset about the drink, but I'm really too thirsty to care, or was..."

Ditzie shrugs. "She's just a roommate. Our schedules are so crazy, we hardly see each other. She's usually in some sort of drama club or something, or maybe it's study hall or some market survey something or other, I don't know. And I think she does drugs too. She comes back so out of it I don't see how she finds her way." Ditzie's voice lowers noticeably. "She has never left campus as far as I can tell. Nev-er."

Her lack of knowledge about her own roommate's comings and goings are no surprise.

She quickly changes the subject, and perks up a little bit. "A field trip to Zhodani space? Sounds like fun. Which worlds are you thinking about hitting?"

 

[Jame]

"Well, most of the worlds in Foreven for now. Zhodane itself if I can."

Julianne finishes her drink and asks, "So, what do you do, aside from college?"

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Frank takes a moment to unpack his Vacc and climb into it. He leaves the helmet off to sniff at the snow. He scoops up a bit of it in his hand and lets it fall back to the ground... He highlights the Naasirka Office's location and begins to trundle towards it while takng in his surroundings...

 

[Klaus]

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran von Gushiddan:
Frank takes a moment to unpack his Vacc and climb into it. He leaves the helmet off to sniff at the snow. He scoops up a bit of it in his hand and lets it fall back to the ground... He highlights the Naasirka Office's location and begins to trundle towards it while takng in his surroundings...

Seeing the Hiver shuffling off, not in her direction, Panthera stops waving. Looking at her kit, she quickly sets up the multi-pro skis into sled configuration, puts on her speed skis, piles her trunks on the sled, clips it to her belt, rearranges her anti-rad smart poncho to maximum body coverage, and starts slogging toward the Hiver on an intercept course, leaving her broken strappies in the snow.

Despite her fatigue, she should still be able to catch up even if the local snow is a little bit slushy.

When she does, remembering enunciate clearly for the translator, she says:
"Hi there Mr Hiver, fancy a lift?" gesturing with her thumb to the somewhat makeshift looking sled. "Since the locals aren't over-endowed with charity or good manners or a sufficient vocabulary to hold a civilised conversation I thought I'd do my bit for Human-Hiver relations. I'm Panthera, how do you do?" Big cheesy smile.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Franklin looks Panthera over, curious as to the strange contraption she rides. Recent dealings with humans have made him wary, though.

"Destitute at the moment. Miss Panthera. I need to go to the Naasirrka Office. I must say it is refreshing to meet one so freindly. That is a rare find of late. I greet you."

 

[Klaus]

Wracking her brains for the correct formal greeting for a Hiver from her university classes, and remembering something (though in fact she has recollected the correct manner of curtsy for a human female of noble rank pertaining to diplomatic functions with non-humanoid sophonts) she bows and curtsies, using the hem of her poncho instead of a formal gown

"I greet you. Destitute huh? Well I'm suddenly homeless, so we've at least got something in common."

Panthera rearranges the dispostion of her cases, rigging the sled to it's proper field configuration while making a kind of saddle/nest with her sleeping bag and a bath robe.

"Here, hop aboard. I need to find new lodgings, I guess there'll be agencies near the Naasirka office. And to be frank, since Caspian left you're the only person to give me the time of day in this town. They are a bit nicer out in the countryside, just so you don't think everyone on this planet is a pre-stupid arsehole. I welcome your company. Pray, dear sophont, did you mention your name...?"

Panthera rearranges her skis and harness so that she is heading backwards, so better to look and converse with her new aquaintance.

Never been this close to a Hiver before, she thinks to herself.
There were several at the university on Regina but she'd never had a chance to actually talk to them. She inspects the alien closely, noticing a strange patina of scar tissue running behind the creature's head down into it's vac suit.
This ones definitely been in the wars recently....

 

[kafka47]

Ref says:

Inside a gleaming oblong building Naasirka has its corporate headquarters on Farpoint. As Franklin & Panthera enter a pleasant looking pseudoreality Hiver hologram greets Frank.

"Greetings, Frank of Zeldar, according to my records you are a Middle Passage who suffered a room reallocation to room 808 aboard the Pride. Is this correct?"

Frank makes some elaborate gestures with his tentacles, some of which appear quite rude to Panthera.

The hologram pleasantly intones, "Franklin, I do see your cause for unhappiness. However, it is beyond the powers of the Naasirka Corporation to assist you at this stage. Due to the sheer number of passengers that we have had to find accommodations for, we are only able to offer this accommodation.

Should you be able to find alternate accommodations, you may fill out a form 3423-XX-33 and we will consider your application for partial reimbursement.

Naasirka also regrets that it cannot offer anything but a single complementary meal ticket at the accommodations provided. If this not acceptable, we have recorded your image and a company representative is due to come in two weeks hence and you can make an appointment with me, pending his arrival."

A plastsheet is ejected from a printer beside the hologram's base. It reads: "Stan's Roadhouse" and gives coordinates that indicate it is a good 20min walk from here on the outer edges of the city.

As Panthera comes into focus, a very handsome Vilani athletic man pops up and intones in a deep seductive voice, "You are not known to our system, kindly place a universal ID in the scanning receptacles and place your palm on the biometric scan to confirm identity."

When Panthera does so, "Greetings, Panthera, how may Naasirka be of service to you today?"

----------------------------

Ditzie's roommate comes back into the room, with a flustered face

"Ditzie! What the heck is this? How many times have I told you...you can't touch my beer??? My Dada with special permission of the Count himself brought this. Get out, I need to study!" Looking at Julianne and carefully scrutinizing her clothing and dress, "Take your middle class tramp with you, too! If you need get a drink just go over to Stan's, I hear that serve your type!"

 

[Jame]

"Ooo, a high-class rich bitch. I bet you've never been shot at by people who don't give a damn about you, while you've tried to patch a busted comm. Ditzie, you want to talk more about Zhodane, then let's leave this upper crust breeder out of it. I'm going to find the TAS bar."

Julianne walks over to the cooler and takes another drink on her way out.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

"Confound it."

"Begin File: Naassirrka Restitution Manipulation

"Begin File: Diplomatic Security Officers Wanted:

Must have clean Criminal Record.
Must have all appropriate Weapon Permits.
Must have all liscences and bonds up to date.

"Begin X-Mail:
Six Hands Nest, Regina, Spinward Marches... Date and cosign...

All goes well. Stop. May need to draw on further nest funds or perhaps backup. Stop. Tell Chester and Hoffmeyer I won the wager. Stop. I did find high technology almost immediately. Stop. No Gambling as of yet. Stop. Send New Replacement Camera. Stop. Now acting in FDA, Nest, and Federational Capacity as am only representrative. Stop.

Truly.
M. Franklin of Zeldar

Franklin checks his econo-program carefully with eyes 2 and 3. The others are on the magnificent Panthera female.

'Even if this is some other Imperial or Human ruse, he thought to himself, I welcome goodwill at all times. I must see if this is a coincidence our meeting. Or if there is some motive at work.'

Franklin sets his Scribe Program to call the Naassirrka office every hour on the hour with an automated message detailing his grievences with the company. This time he will be heard. Persistence is key. He also tries to GPS the location of Chief Stweard Jones' Perscomm.

He thinks back to the conversation on the Skimobile with Panthera...

"You know the formal way. I am not sure what to say. but I welcome seeing it. I thank you for the conveyance. It is most helpful. What is your Homeworld? How do you know my kind so well?"

 

[ditzie]

Originally posted by Jame:
"...Ditzie, you want to talk more about Zhodane, then let's leave this upper crust breeder out of it. I'm going to find the TAS bar."

"Zel, hold all my calls." Ditzie scurries out the door. "J, I know where it is I know where it is... follow me."

 

[Jame]

"Sure. Lead on, MacDuff."

 

[Klaus]

To Naasirka personality construct:
"Hmmm.... Well, to save time, and because I don't like arguing with robots,(aside to Franklin"Can't make them angry") please book me a room at Stan's Roadhouse, nextdoor to the honourable Hiver gentle-sophont Franklin if at all possible"
Big smile, batting eyelids.

"Don't worry, Frank, I know where Stan's is, and I still got enough moolah to shout you dinner for the next few solar cycles"
Slight frown, looks up, small sigh.
"Though Stan's is not renowned for it's hot soak tubs and masseurs. Rats."

"Still got enough legs to rickshaw you to Stan's, so climb aboard. Hey, you any good at massage.......?"

Thinking back to her rather blurted conversation with the Hiver on the way to the Naasirka office, Panthera hopes she hasn't embarrassed herself. This alien has been the best conversation since she set foot on this planet!

10 minutes earlier......
On her background
"Oh I'm from Regina, way off anti-spinward. Studied Xeno-bio at uni, mainly for the field trips, I've got to say, but, well, some of it rubbed off on me. Aliens fascinate me, especially non-humanoid ones. They don't smell so much. Hey.... sniff sniff, you smell nice.... Like peardrops."

On why she's at Farpoint
"Well, he was nice enough I suppose, and he had a yacht! And I'd always wanted to visit this place, skiing was meant to be the tops, and to be honest it is up there with Mount Kuji on Rhylanor, so I pleaded and begged and, you know, special treats, until Caspian caved in. He was on his 'Grand Tour'. I know, he's a toff, but like I said, he had his qualities and I could put up with 2 months alone on his yacht with him and his crew and his retainer and his bodyservants. Said he was a championship skiier. Ha! Two days on the beginners piste did him in. I left him to it.... There was plenty of young naive noble totty around to satisfy his needs. I had the glacier. Much better...."

On the locals
"The trek guides were nice enough, Mik and Zev, but they weren't from round here. To be honest, I didn't spend much time around here in the main city - far to obnoxious. I mean, how can a diplomacy school exist on a planet as rebarbative as this?"
On earning a living
"Since finishing uni I've managed to get by helping out on hunting and trekking parties, mainly in the Spinward Marches. Tell you, Tarsus has some great trekking/skiing country. Got to say though, why do some guys just love killing things? I used to think it was some kind of substitute for having a small package, if you get my drift, but on those treks you get to see everything and several of them were more than 'adequate'. By the way, Mik said I could get a job assisting on the treks here after he saw what I could do on snow. Might need to if I ever want to get off this rock"

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

"A small package of what?" Franklin asks...

"I would like to make a formal proposal of partnership. Shall we travel together? I am going where I go at this point. Either that, or I could hire on somewhere on work passage... I would really like to find good lodging. I am about to have a Larva at any moment..."

 

[kafka47]

Ref says:

As Frank and Panthera approach the coordinates for Stan's Roadhouse, Frank sees a familiar face, it is no other than Julianne, the young female human that Frank rescued from the ailing scout ship. She is accompanied with a wiry 20 something human female who seems just as easy going as Panthera. By a remarkable coincidence (that seems to happen often in RPGs) they are all heading to the same place.

When they reach the very coordinates there is a hole in the ground with a thick iron door. Ringing the buzzer. A slat in the two door slides open, "Whatta yer want?"

Upon presentation of his reservation, the "door" slides open, and a burly Geonee with a braided black beard ushers them downstairs using a grav belt to move around. "Welcome, to Stan's place, it ain't much to look at but the sheets are clean and we can cook fish any way you like it. Yer letter of credit is only good for one week. If you need to spend any time bey'd that then the rates are 50Cr a night...of course, if you want to provide entertainment (eyeing the ladies) we can talk about hourly rates later...and I am Stan, by the way."

The stairs descend into a dimly lit large tavern like room with assorted species quaffing different forms of refreshments and socializing with each other. There are a pair Vargr twins who are arguing over over the latest grav races on Parablium 5, a number of Scuttlebut miners slowly slipping their beer, an Antarean bug trying to chat up a local harlot, a three fingered and toothless gangster type shuffling a deck of holocards offering them a seat, a few local drunks and a man with a growth of beard probably over a week downing large quantities of liquor, muttering to himself.

"Rooms are in the back...lights out at 3am and no exceptions!" hollers Stan from behind the bar, "What be your poison tonight?"