the things they carried - service bags

[Spenser TR]

I've been tinkering with ideas for various service-related bags for use IMTU. My games tend to be more story-based, using the 3I as setting and inspiration, and contain a fair bit of hand-wavium. My item writeups tend to reflect these points.

The thread title was inspired by Tim O'Brien's short story. I'll add posts as I have time and complete the various writeups; no promises as to regularity are made.

 

[Spenser TR]

The Scout Companion Bag

( narrated in the 40’s radiodrama voice of J. Peterman from Seinfeld )

Older than most of your friends and twice as mouthy, it’s the one item you grab before jumping through the tramp freighter’s clanging airlock, the taste of backroom Solomani synth-rye still in your mouth. After all this time, the bag still smells slightly of Sorcaen pollen, but that’s not a bad thing, right? At least she didn’t think so...

Presented with neither apology nor qualification: the Imperial Scout Companion Bag, serving throughout the Imperium as the piece of go-to gear our most dependable service depends on.

--
( For visual inspiration, I like the Gossomer Gear Kumo 36 Superlight )

Composition
The active expedition fabric is surprisingly light and durable. It will not burn, and acts as additional ballistic armor. The fabric gathers a charge from natural light or can recharge wirelessly with minimal source for months of operation. The bag is molecularly keyed upon commission, and will accept direction to drop unique micro-markers in case the wearer needs to leave a subtle molecular breadcrumb trail.

The fabric is also memetic, toggling from an album of presentations but defaulting to Scout gray with an red Imperial Sunburst ascending the IISS logo, all over the owner’s last name. The bag can be directed to easily adopt “local color” and blend in with more provincial gear. The SCB can also emit sustained light at a surprising intensity. The fabric of the bag also responds to its mechanism and to environmental conditions ( see below ).

Apparatus
The bag is a top-loading 36L backpack that adjusts to its human wearer’s frame.

In addition to the main toploading compartment there are numerous cavities unique to each bag; shielded spaces were small items or traces of substance could be secreted from all but the most intrusive of scans.

The bag has small, retractable apparati that filters water, can spark a fire, sharpen a blade, or emit a particularly jarring whistle.

The bag has an extremely light and hearty internal frame that sweeps the loadspace off the body and together with the harness creates a slight ventilation space between wearer and bag. The harness is designed to mission-critical specifications, has a minimal presentation and is embedded with an emergency micro-sized grav kit to prevent injury from sudden falls.

Mechanism
The Scout Companion Bag has an On-Board Brain in a shielded module. The mechanism of the OBB itself is very small and has sensory/operating elements woven in throughout the bag for environment perception and other operations. The OBB has an enduring charismatic personality with hobbies, skills, and extensive library dataset designed to support the Scout in the field throughout their career and beyond.

The OBB accepts direction from the bag owner ( sometimes with “spirited” resistance ) and can go for long periods in silence, effectively “hiding” its personality until engaged. The OBB has complete control over all bag abilities and functions, and can interface through microspeakers in the harness or any wirelessly enabled device. The OBB can engage in trusted or defensive modes with other OBBs or computerized personalities. Its interfacing capabilities are designed to make it conversationally compatible with Humaniti, if a bit abrasive at times.

When wearing or in physical contact with the SCB, the owner may also silently give direction to and receive input through tactile/haptic interfaces. With practice the potential bandwidth of such silent communication is considerable. The bag has a memory of everything it perceives. It can also hold public- or private-keyed endorsements such as location stamps, service or medical records, accreditations or licenses.

The bag can do passive analysis of the surrounding environment, making subtle measurements of local gravity, weather, altitude, sound, and light to make predictions about conditions. Even without input or direction from the OBB the bag’s fabric can display visual indication ( in the form of colors, splotch patterns, etc ) of oxygen level, presence of toxins or taints, radioactivity, and EM signals. All display functionality can be toggled on/off.

The bag has an embedded emergency beacon with an atmospheric range; this beacon broadcasts in Scout and Navy emergency frequencies.

The bag can track physical activity and from its environmental/spatial awareness can compute distances and maintain a map of places it’s been. The SCB can easily pair with equipment that can extend its functionality, such as sophisticated scanning gear.

Extensibility
The bag is designed to accept modular components, and as a key piece of Scout gear to be a component itself. Some scouts find it useful to install modules that enable the bag to generate heat or cold, to hush sound, to accept a full grav-belt, and so on. The varieties of customization across the Service is staggering. The SCB is well suited as an “anchor” device that holds key components of Scout’s personal area network ( PAN ), including a prefered persona and mechanisms for a ship’s computer, commsplus unit, or other mainstay devices.



Additional notes

- Even in its basic form, the SCB is clearly a higher TL device

- It is a hallmark of service in the Scouts, and is rarely parted with

- The SCB is commonly used as a companion/assistant/extra set of eyes and ears, though it’s rare to see a Scout engaging in public conversation with it or acknowledging its non-physical attributes. In most public situations, it’s “just a bag.”

- XBoat crew and planetary exploration Scouts make serious active service use of the SCB
The bags are wildly diverse across the service sphere of the Scouts; it’s very likely that no two look exactly alike. They are valuable, personal items and are rarely found for sale. Those that are on offer are usually grabbed up by a Scout, looking to keep the piece of gear “within the Service.”

- Awarding of a SCB has much more to do with tradition than rank. It is most commonly presented before the first tour in Communications, after an “event that should have killed you,” or may be given as an award for mustering out of the Service

- Many Scouts adhere to a “one bag” philosophy, adopting a minimalism outlook and restricting most of their owned items to those that can fit inside their SCB.

- To many owners, the bag is truly a “companion” of sorts, over long years having adopted to the nuances of the owner’s personality. The bag’s OBB is designed to provide long term personality support to the Scout in far-flung operations and travelling after retirement. Some bags bicker with their owner like spouses.

 

[Spenser TR]

other bags I have on deck for this little opus:

Naval valise
Agent briefcase
Army duffel
Marine haversack
Noble portmanteau
Belter strapper
Specialist satchel
Drifter tiesack

 

[kilemall]

Here's a post I did for Gravpacks- the idea is grav-assisted backpacks with low power consumption only on when the pack is being carried, but multiplying the weight capacity of the backpack and therefore encumbrance.

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=35625

A necessity in more then 1 G.

 

[Spenser TR]

Cool post; now I'm looking for the DGP material that was mentioned ^_^

I went with the not-full-gravbelt implementation for the "stock" bag because after consulting various rulesets and supplements it seemed that the full belts were kinda bulky. I didn't want that, and I was reluctant to just hand-wave it away with "miniaturization due to high-TL-ness." The idea the bag could help in a pinch serves how I saw the bag, and definitely keeps it from being a gravbelt+ or a "gravpack" now that I read.

The gravpack is interesting piece of gear; I can recall many humps I wish I'd had something like one of those... heh

 

[Reban]

Love this.

The Scout Companion Bag


The fabric is also memetic, toggling from an album of presentations but defaulting to Scout gray with an red Imperial Sunburst ascending the IISS logo, all over the owner’s last name.

/Snip

In addition to the main toploading compartment there are numerous cavities unique to each bag; shielded spaces were small items or traces of substance could be secreted from all but the most intrusive of scans.

Any veteran customs official that has scout personnel passing his checkpoint on a regular basis will probably give Scout Bags special attention.

Mechanism
The Scout Companion Bag has an On-Board Brain in a shielded module. The mechanism of the OBB itself is very small and has sensory/operating elements woven in throughout the bag for environment perception and other operations.

/Snip

Additional notes

- Even in its basic form, the SCB is clearly a higher TL device

Now on first reading through this part of the description I thought to myself "Wow thats way too much tech and capability for just a bag", but then my mobile phone can do almost all of these things and within a very few years will do even more. I guess the only thing I say from a referee point of view these should be 'minor' capabilities compared to a dedicated piece of equipment.

Do I detect some inspiration from "Bagman" from the Rogue Trooper comic strip in 2000AD? And perhaps a hint of "The Luggage" from Discworld?

Nice write-up, I want to see the others, especially the Army duffel and Marine backpack.

 

[flykiller]

reminds me of that scene in airplane! where the two luggage bags start fighting. I can just see the marines' bag and navy bag trying to sabotaging each other.

 

[Enoki]

How about the navy enlisted Jump trunk. It's the equivalent of the old sailor's sea chest.

Usually covered in stickers, etchings, and other personalization that tells someone looking at it where the owner has been, what ships he's served on, his rate and rank, that sort of thing.
Many are hand made. Others, are bought and modified. Some are hand-me-downs from one mate to the next, particularly when killed in action. Old ones, or those belonging to someone famous can bring very large bids at auction when they come on the market.

 

[Spenser TR]

...

Any veteran customs official that has scout personnel passing his checkpoint on a regular basis will probably give Scout Bags special attention.

Now on first reading through this part of the description I thought to myself "Wow thats way too much tech and capability for just a bag", but then my mobile phone can do almost all of these things and within a very few years will do even more. I guess the only thing I say from a referee point of view these should be 'minor' capabilities compared to a dedicated piece of equipment.

Do I detect some inspiration from "Bagman" from the Rogue Trooper comic strip in 2000AD? And perhaps a hint of "The Luggage" from Discworld?

Nice write-up, I want to see the others, especially the Army duffel and Marine backpack.

I love the idea of that scene at border control. One agent just rolls her eyes and waves him through. Another takes it as a challenge, his mission to find each compartment. They’ll be there a long while, and maybe the Scout just asks for a supervisor. Your scan didn’t turn up anything? Can I pass, or are you going to stare at the bag a bit longer? Sir.” Or maybe the Scout thinks ahead, and just passes through border control on the Scout side of the station. ^_^

I tried to be at least a bit judicious with the functionality. I had in mind a high-end object, but not just a tech-heavy toy, something with purpose. I left out a few things I thought might fit but stretch even my own believability, which is saying something.

I haven't read either of the sources you mentioned, though I've certainly heard of Discworld. Of course I'm curious, now.

I've had a ridiculous "T-shirts of the Imperium" idea floating around in my mind for a while, and some of that spilled over into this thread with the bags. I'm a "one bag" traveler myself so I guess it was inevitable there'd be some bleed-through there. I was looking for iconic gear to do, and I know some people wrote up jackets a short while back, so I wanted to do something different.

Thank you for the thoughts and kind words.

Flykiller, that's hilarious... hmmmmmm.

How about the navy enlisted Jump trunk. It's the equivalent of the old sailor's sea chest.

I was poking around and seeing what words and forms I had to work with; in my write ups the noble will get the trunk with the "portmanteau." I had visions of that luggage scene from Joe V. the Volcano going through my head, with the salesman. Great scene.

Enocki I'll do the write up for a valise favored by naval officers, the enlisted jump truck is a great idea and all yours. I feel like certain groups would definitely do the patches/stickers thing; there'd be a powerful drawn there and great story hooks. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[BwapTED]

I really like this.

TL 15 smart-bag?

I'll note that Earth's advanced nations today appear to have a split Traveller TL, with something like a 12 in electronics and computing, but only a 7 in most other stuff.
That's about right, isn't it?

 

[Spenser TR]

...something like a 12 in electronics and computing, but only a 7 in most other stuff. That's about right, isn't it?

Lately I've been referencing the tables in my version of T5. That puts computing, comms, and general tech all around 8.2.

And thanks...

 

[BwapTED]

Lately I've been referencing the tables in my version of T5. That puts computing, comms, and general tech all around 8.2.

And thanks...

I'm probably thinking of the TL 11 hand computer, and going off CT tables.

8.2 sounds like a reasonable number to assign for present day Earth.

Especially as one of the CT pamphlets I just flipped through, published in 1981, suggests Earth is about TL 7.5.

 

[Reban]

I love the idea of that scene at border control. One agent just rolls her eyes and waves him through. Another takes it as a challenge, his mission to find each compartment. They’ll be there a long while, and maybe the Scout just asks for a supervisor. Your scan didn’t turn up anything? Can I pass, or are you going to stare at the bag a bit longer? Sir.” Or maybe the Scout thinks ahead, and just passes through border control on the Scout side of the station. ^_^

Thats pretty much what I was envisioning. And of course there'll be that one really smart Scout that that knows there's one Customs official that knows all the tricks with these bags or is obsessed with examining them so he dangles the scout bag under his nose but puts the concealed item through in something else entirely.

I haven't read either of the sources you mentioned, though I've certainly heard of Discworld. Of course I'm curious, now.

Quick summary....

The Luggage from Discworld is a magical travelling trunk made of sapient wood. It spouts little feet when needed to follow its owner around. Thieves who try to steal it will find themselves eaten as the lid opens and reveals sharp teeth and a tongue. Its interior is probably infinite or a pocket universe. It crosses continents and fords oceans to be reunited with its owner*. The Luggage is a major character and usually ends up seeming a lot more tuned into the madcap events unfolding around the main characters than they are themselves.

Warning: if you read the Discworld books in public people will stare when you laugh out loud.

Bagman is the backpack of Rogue (from Rogue Trooper a strip in the 2000AD comic book), a genetically engineered soldier in a future war on Nu-Earth. His companions are the personalities of his dead comrades from his squad preserved on what T5 would term Personality Wafers inserted into his equipment; Bagman in his backpack, Helm his helmet, and Gunnar his weapon. They provide advice and provide extra sets of eyes via the embedded sensors in the equipment.



*An idea popped into my head just there; what if your lost luggage could book itself passage as cargo, routing itself to rejoin you at the earliest or most economic moment?

It could charge against your bank account, have itself picked up and deposited on a suitable ship, and passed along via couriers and delivery services.

How does it know where you are? Probably it uses a similar system to how your X-mail tracks you down, maybe it sends you a "Here I am" X-mail and when you open it it sends a receipt back along the X web stating your location.

Maybe higher tech luggage is smarter in the way it track you down....but what if you've lost it on purpose and now its following you? Or what if somehow someone has placed a bomb in your luggage and its tracking you.....

 

[Condottiere]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_F0e39RtUQ

 

[Spenser TR]

The Naval valise

From Deneb to Efate and back, there hasn’t been a more steadfast bearer of your own personal standard of elegant quality than this perfectly crafted valise. As you’ve been about the Emperor’s business across the Domain showing the flag with potent resolution, this peerless adjunct has proclaimed your appreciation of fine tradition at your side in sotto voce.

From your commissioning so long ago on the Academy parade deck all the way to the hallowed halls of Admiralty, we present the Naval Valise: the bag you carry.

( for visual inspiration, I like the Floto Piazza Leather Messenger Bag Briefcase )

Composition
The material of this bag has a heft, a durable solidity. Like other modern bags of quality it will not burn and is very resistant to damage, and acts as additional ballistic armor. The material typically mimics soft, dark leather in look and feel; an homage to the field behind the starfields where Naval officers serve. The only memetic affordance the valise occasionally comes with is a treatment that enhances this rich darkness... but this feature is by no means prevalent.

Somewhere on the bag in plain sight but expressed in subtle size is the Imperial sunburst and the simple locution “Navy.”

There exists a service-specific ritual expression of rank and service with this bag. To the uninitiated observer, some bags simply seem to have more piping, a line of silver here or gold there, a metal clasp around the handles, and so forth. All of these subtle accessories and “decorations” to a bag express a precise visual vernacular of rank and service record or the bearer. A civilian who never served on an Imperial ship of the line might see two Naval valises side-by-side and note very minor differences, where a Naval lieutenant could accurately deduce the rank, awards, and some of the sevice history of each owner.

Some Naval officers choose not to participate in this “dressing” of the Naval valise; indeed it’s just as likely among officers in the Admiralty to see an unadorned Valise as one proudly displaying a fully heraldry.

Apparatus
The Valise is stiff, one or two handles at the top attached with metal. Some bags have a strap and may be worn across the shoulder, but more typical is the carried presentation. The Valise is of a medium size, meant to transport an officer's small valuable personal effects and minor official artifacts such as physical orders, warrants, and other official devices.

The bag does not physically alter or morph; it is a tailored object perfectly sized for the bearer upon its commission. Traditionally the Naval valise does not proffer additional apparati as found in some other service bags; foremost with this design is simple elegance and quality reflecting the dignity and tradition of the Naval service. It’s never “showy.”

The one concession to modernity in the valise’s apparatus is an internal protective lining of the compartments that will, upon a blow of blunt force respond by becoming quite rigid at the molecular level. Thusly the contents are protected from all but the most serious of kinetic deltas. With a subtle swipe of the ridge handle, the bag will once again adopt its default shape and rigidity. This change may be toggled by the owner.

Mechanism
Foremost, the mechanism of the Naval Valise is to convey small personal effects of the officer with a traditional class. The Valise is almost never fitted with any OBB modules, and does not interact in an active way with its owner or the environment. The unspoken statement here is that the Naval officer does not rely on tools for such things; she either has a capable staff for such matters or is quite personally capable of accomplishing any necessary task. The Naval Valise is not an active service tool, but rather a social implement.

The only capitulation to practicality here is a sophisticated tracking mechanism woven throughout the bag at a molecular level, quite impossible to remove without destroying the valise. The tracking is personally keyed to the owning officer.

Extensibility
The Naval Valise is not designed with extensibility in mind, except that which organically follows from the officer’s career trajectory, the subtle changes to service heraldry she decides to make, or of course the reputation her bag helps uphold throughout her Naval career.


Additional notes

- This bag conveys status, to those both without and within the corps of Naval officers. The bag is a subtle Patrician declaration of “see, I carry my own bag just like everyone else” ...while adjutants and staff in fact carry the bulk of other possessions an officer may bring ship to station to ship.

- As indicated, many of the bags subtly denote rank and record. A “mistake” of this unofficial conveyance of honor has profound consequences for the transgressor.

- It is a firm tradition within the Naval service that one is gifted the bag, typically at Academy commissioning. The gifter’s identity and personal status figures highly in the Valise owner’s own personal reputation.

- Additionally to the above, serious situations of etiquette can be forced by “insulting” a Valise, or more cleverly by gifting a new bag, forcing a decision on the owner’s part. In some situation where a new Valise is gifted as a reward for heroism ( or some such ) by a legendary personage, it is perfectly acceptable for an officer to gift their current bag to an officer “lower” in.

- The Naval Valise is never a mustering out item, almost never an anchor item.

- A Naval Valise is most typically referred to with apparent casual indifference: “this old thing? It’s been in family for generations. You know how it goes.” But the owner almost certainly has a profound attachment to it, due to that very lineage, tradition, and how it acts as a key star in the constellation of her outward status.

- The Naval Valise is never a piece of field gear, and traditionally does not touch the deck.

 

[Spenser TR]

An idea popped into my head just there; what if your lost luggage could book itself passage as cargo, routing itself to rejoin you at the earliest or most economic moment?

This is awesome lol I feel like the Noble's trunk at least actively tries to reunite if separated... hmmmmmm.


And Condottiere I've definitely seen that video, and believe me a couple of the bags will have that follow-along feature.

 

[Condottiere]

The only thing wrong with it, is that when a woman goes shopping, it would be a CONVOY.

 

[Enoki]

I'd add on the naval valise, that it's quite distinctive from an enlisted man's jump chest or trunk. The distinction being an officer of the naval service is in a different social status. The exception might be an officer promoted from the ranks who wants to point that out as a prerogative.
The exception is considered socially acceptable, as a point of pride of service. On the other hand, a junior officer using an enlisted style jump chest would be seen as a social faux pau.
Two officers seeing a new ensign coming aboard their ship lugging one might say to one and other "It seems we've been saddled with another idiot. I suggest one of the Chiefs might need to straighten him out..."

 

[Spenser TR]

The only thing wrong with it, is that when a woman goes shopping, it would be a CONVOY.

I know some guys who'd cut a swath through a crowd on the way to tailgating, or camping, all their gear swarming behind them lol

a junior officer using an enlisted style jump chest would be seen as a social faux pau.

I know my own views are very much colored by my experience with the US and Brit Naval officers I’ve known, but when I think of this bit of game flavor I see such a rich potential to explore a little of that social complexity. Something off the usual threat axis to challenge the players with or flesh the setting a bit more.

 

[Straybow]

What about the

Merchant Marine Manpurse?