Contract Phase"Mrs. Ocean, I spoke with Neil and together we've redesigned our contractual structures."
You respond, "And that means what exactly?"
"Well it's something Danny had in the works but never got to standardizing. It's a win-win for us and our clients. You'll see."
OOC: Major rule modification! Now that you've seen how convoluted major operations can get, contracts have been altered to support multi-turn play. For example, with a two turn deadline, you can spend your first month dispatching an ISR team with the FLIR binos to case a target, and confirm what kind of assets you'll need. The next month, dispatch that ISR team off to another operation, while your assault team goes in with key gear you acquired based on last month's ISR. Or you could try to rush the mission on the first month, and get your profit twice as fast. Or get spooked by what the ISR team finds and decide it's worth breaking the contract.Grace O'Malley
"She's the political prisoner we personally rescued from Flossmore PCF. I checked my contacts again, but the situation on Anghabar moves so fast that nobody in the public really knows what's going on anymore. She's defintely someone though, and still owes us for her rescue."
-Sam
I know I still owe you one, but how about some easy work in the mean time? One big paycheck for one of your guys to spend the day standing around looking like a badass. Do I have your attention now?
So this month is the Founder's Fifth Festival. It's an Anghabar planetary holiday celebrating some bullshit that happened long before any of us workers were born. But it's when we get together, crack some beers, and grill some ribs. Now that's something worth celebrating.
Well this year has been tough, and us ex-pats in Rattlesnake Ridge on Harad could use some holiday cheer. So we're setting up the festival on the riverside outside town. It'll be great community building for the Diaspora too.
I'd love to attend, but unlike the PUC's who were released after the so-called Rampage, I'm technically still a fugitive. Now AMR security forces legally can't do shit on Harad, and I doubt I'm worth sponsoring a Marshal's bounty, but I'm not an idiot. As the saying goes, "They only have to be lucky once. I have to be lucky always." I'd be a lot luckier with a professional bodyguard.
So yeah, meet me at a cookout, watch me shoot the shit with some old pals, then grab some ribs to go. It's practically a paid vacation.
Estimated Profit: 10k
Contract Deadline: 1 month
United Labor Movement
"They're a critical safeguard to some, a cancerous tumor on the organs of free enterprise to others. Either way, they're a legal interstellar organization always needing muscle while possessing an impressive liquid asset portfolio. Personally, that's the only part that really matters."
-Sam
Solidarity, my friends. That's the whole point of the United Labor Movement isn't it? After those Black Mask agitators cocked up everything, AMR came down hard on our lawful strikers. Most ULM Chapters have now been shuttered by AMR. Sadly, Asiatic scabs and those gorram Tyrell robots have kept the refineries running despite our strike. It's all turning into a longer and harder struggle than we expected. Our loyal chapter members still got mouths to feed, and I don't blame them for starting to waver.
But solidarity works both ways. Across Anghabar, we're flying in hard currency to cover the strike pay AMR has been refusing. It's not a full wage, but it'll keep food on the table. It may not be kosher to move that kind of currency into a warzone, but neither are AMR's strikebreaking methods. But we owe our members this kind of vital support, legal or not. That's how solidarity works.
ULM 323 in New Dublin has been particularly hard hit. They were one of the first chapters to be banned, and local law even forbids ULM members from possessing arms. Furthermore, AMR security forces have developed a strange harassment campaign against them. For months, law-abiding workers in New Dublin are routinely rounded up to be bizarrely questioned about "Santa," "elves," and their whereabouts. Strange, but true.
With out own security legally disarmed in New Dublin, we require a third party armed escort. The escort will bring a credentialled ULM organizer with a duffle bag of hard currency from the spaceport to downtown, and back. We would prefer a reliable vehicle and at least three armed men as adequate protection for that much currency.
Estimated Profit: 40k
Contract Deadline: 1 month
Goodhaven Sheriff
"Who could forget this frontier police force on Harad we've since supported numerous times? Not the most lucrative of clients, but relatively low risk. Plus, we have a great working relationship with Sheriff Nash Wilder."
-Sam
Gorramit, there goes the neighborhood. Anghabar trash are everywhere now. I'm not prejudiced, but it's not like they're sending us their best people. Nearly the whole lot of them are criminals straight from Flossmore. They dress alike, stick together, and probably don't even believe in Our Lord and Savior.
Now the Mayor may have rolled out the red carpet for this filth to trample upon, but I know a street gang when I see one. Some 'concerned citizens' have decided to act before Goodhaven becomes a modern Chiraq. Any cowboys who happen to run these rascals out of town will find it worth their while. Need I say more?
Naturally, such a thing would be entirely under-the-table. Under no circumstances would the Sheriff's Department get involved in such sordid and technically illegal affairs. In fact, they would be duty bound to intervene if they witnessed such violence. However, a prudent phone call to myself would help keep my men from showing up at a certain wrong place at exactly the wrong time.
Estimated Profit: 20k
Contract Deadline: 1 month
Potter Properties
"Everybody talks about how ruthless the glitterworld corps are. They're not wrong, but few know the kind of fraud local corps routinely get away with far from watching eyes of the big city. Potter Properties may not have a Task Force Orion, but that's because all they really need is just a smile and a gun."
-Sam
If there's an upside to this affair in Anghabar, it's that demand for real estate elsewhere is through the roof. We've decided to take profits under these fortunate circumstances, and liquidate a newly built 60-unit apartment complex outside of Rattlesnake Ridge, Harad. We have an interested buyer, and the sale of the newly built complex is on track for a closing date in two months.
However, the catch is that the buyer has comissioned an independent third party property inspector. Normally this would not be a concern, however there is a serious undisclosed fault with the property. Specifically a seismic one. We identified the seismic hazard too late in development to discreetly mitigate, and any engineering attempts to mitigate the hazard would both be costly and highlight the threat from seismic activity. Our in-house appraisers estimate the development would sell for less than half its current valuation if this hazard was known. An opportune divestment from the property is the decided course of action. Accordingly, we will pay a premium to ensure this property sale closes at the present valuation.
The hired contractor must:
1. Determine if the Inspector identified the seismic hazard.
2. If so, covertly alter the final report to conceal it.
3. Leave no evidence of tampering or other extralegal activities that would compromise the sale.
The third party property inspector is only a small local firm with an office in downtown Rattlesnake Ridge. We defer recommendations of tradecraft and methods to the contractor's expertise. Any contractor failure that results in the inability to sell the property at full valuation will be considered a default on the contract.
Estimated Profit: 100k
Contract Deadline: 2 months
Slavic Vor
"Slavic organized crime: half the pretension of Italians, with twice the violence. Perhaps unmistakable straight-forward brutality is how they overcome their lack of English-language communication skills?"
All empires fall. Such is life. Ask Romanovs or Bolsheviks if you don't believe. Or ask poor Deniska.
Can't have krysha without house, and Flossmore is house on fire. Do you understand? Worse, poor Deniska can't step outside to take piss without bumping into CoFor pig. Do you see problem?
I think saying in West was rats and sinking ship?
Poor Deniska cannot collect final dan from burnt krysha. Sad, no? But someone pigs don't expect?
See poor Deniska at Oasis Motel. It is safe place run by good babushka. Visit his krysha. Get their dan. Leave half with babushka. Other half is yours. Generous, no?
Estimated Profit: 30k?
Contract Deadline: 1 month
"Well it's nice to have some breathing room on the rent. It's almost like the good ole' days with how selective we can be this month. The lucrative pick here is the Potter Properties contract. Corporate espionage used to be our core competency, and it's time to ease our new crew back into that line of work. Grace O'Malley's job should be a one-man cakewalk, and it's such a minor commitment that I'm willing to cultivate that relationship. The other three contracts are a bit of a toss up. All muscle jobs, and any three of them can go horribly wrong in their own way. Neil recommends three guns and a vic for each. I think he's being too cautious."
Sam's Pitch (Grace O'Malley, Potter Properties, Goodhaven Sheriff, Slavic Vor)"Dear Grace O'Malley,
Happy to hear you're getting back into the swing of things. We'll take up your generous offer and send someone to meet you at the festival. We know you'll pay your IOU in good time."
"Dear Potter Properties,
As we're sure you're well aware, Ocean's Ten is the premier solution for corporate espionage. We understand and appreciate exactly how much capital you have at stake here. Our legendary intelligence team will infiltrate and case this office, in preparation for decisive action next month. We guarantee the real estate closing will go as scheduled.
"Dear Goodhaven Sheriff,
Over these short months, we at Ocean PMC have developed something of a soft-spot for the hard-working people of Goodhaven. It troubles us to hear you are being menaced by ne'er-do-well foreigners. Some of our more rough and ready fellas have been meaning to enjoy some downtime in Goodhaven again. Who knows what could happen?"
"Dear Pakhan,
Poor Deniksa. We are no friend of CoFor pigs. We will send strong men to Flossmore. Flossmore will pay dan. We are grateful for your generosity."
(1) Sam's Pitch (Grace O'Malley, Potter Properties, Goodhaven Sheriff, Slavic Vor): Sam
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Topic: Space Cowboys for Hire [Month 7] (New Blood Welcome) (Read 39633 times)