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[Iituem]

As a crew member, your job is to protect the station and ensure that if any wars do start, the station doesn't get caught up in them.  You also have opportunities for personal profit if you are susceptible to bribes from the ambassadors.

[Ghazkull]

sounds interesting...i would be in as a mercenary if that is possible...

writing up character tomorrow...

[Iituem]

Yeah, sure.  Not really station staff, but you can make yourself available.  Roll up as race as usual, but you only have Petty Cash and Clout at your disposal, and that is your personal wealth in total.  In other words if you're going to spend Cash or Clout, they won't regenerate next game as usual, so make sure you get good pay deals out of the ambassadors.

Incidentally, you might be interested in knowing about (though maybe not necessarily playing) the following race from the handbook.

++ Geck

The Geck are a race of reptilian humanoids, originally from the planet Geckan.  The race was originally separated into two castes; an Upper and Lower caste.  The Lower caste, while physically able and in some cases quite intelligent, lacked a sense of personal initiative and were completely dependent upon direction by the Upper Geck.  The Upper Geck possessed a great deal more initiative and were the thinkers and rulers of their race.

Geckan was destroyed 500 years ago by the Polnareth during an extended war.  The Upper Geck were completely annihilated in the holocaust, while several colonies' worth of Lower Geck survived.  Without any masters, the Geck submitted themselves to the demands of any who would rule them.  They do possess enough sense to recognise that their new masters are not Geck and perhaps would like to be ruled by Geck masters once again, but they are willing to do anything so long as they are paid.

In fact, the Geck will not do anything at all short of eat, farm and breed unless they are hired to do it.  They are unique as a mercenary race in that they have no cultural identity whatsoever and provide perfect mercenary support.  It is the view of the Terran Protectorate that the Geck cannot be held responsible for any acts of aggression they commit as they are incapable of the willpower to achieve it.

Geck are not generally recommended for player characters, unless they have been given a specific mission to fulfil.  They are not good with independent thought.

Typical Geck Stats:

Str 8,  End 8,  Agi 8,  Cha 0*,  Int 5,  Cool 5
Phys: 8  Wis: 4  DR: 1  Move: 3  Dmg: 4  Det: 5
Vitality: 14  Toughness: 14

*-1 from Warlike trait.  No cultural identity.

Warlike (+5 Melee, Unarmed, Pistol, Rifle, -1 Charisma)
Athletic (+5 Athletics, Climb, Swim)
Spacer (+10 Piloting, +5 Xenology)


Military 8  Economy 4

[Ghazkull]

Although they do look interesting, i don't wnat to play them, those are perfect NPC characters, i can almost imagine them standing in some random MMORPG with the exclamation mark over their head, not moving until the servers are shut down...

[Iituem]

The centre of the conflict is a world called Lester III, in a system of the same name.  Lester was part of the extensive Polnareth empire prior to its dissolution.  After the Polnareth were exiled, the Keltonians were the first to settle the planet in an expedition for mineral resources.  Unfortunately, the expedition went poorly as they found they had grossly overestimated the mineral wealth of the planet.  Although habitable, the ecology of Lester was too frail to support serious farming efforts and the world was all but abandoned save for a couple of mining colonies.

With the recent return of the Ackrians from their self-imposed exile, unclaimed worlds have been few and far between - even following the disappearance of the Polnareth.  Meagre as its resources may have been, Lester's habitability made it an ideal point to settle.  One Ackrian colony ship landed and started setting up shop.

This caused some consternation on the part of the Keltonian colony, but an uneasy peace managed to prevail as the world was (for now) big enough for the both of them.  During this time neither race applied to the Terran Protectorate for interstellar recognition of ownership of the planet, the original Keltonian settlers having neglected to during the first colonisation in part because of the worth of the world and in part due to bureaucratic oversight.

Three weeks ago, an Ackrian mining expedition happened upon a sealed chamber marked out with Polnareth writing.  Unfamiliar with the script they assumed it to be an old mine and, thinking to save themselves some trouble, attempted to pry it open.  When this failed, they had the ex-colony ship's railgun blast the doors open instead.

It turns out that Lester is the site of a former Polnareth military stronghold.  Exploration of the site is far from complete and is being slowed by the current difficulties, but there is a strong likelihood of a weapons cache in the depot.

As if things could not get any worse, a rich seam of saronite has been discovered inside the base itself where part of the base had been used for extraction.  Saronite is a key miineral for modern hyperdrive manufacture and bountiful supplies of it are rare indeed.

The Ackrians applied for planetary ownership first, swiftly contested by the Keltonians on grounds of seniority.  The world has now become deeply interesting to both sides and on the ground the colonists are on the verge of open war.  Ambassadors from both sides have been called in, along with the ambassador of the nearby Trade Union world of Epsilon to act as a neutral party.

[Iituem]

All three ambassadors arrive on the station.  The first talk between ambassadors will happen the following day, but ambassadors are given time to visit any facilities they may wish to and settle into their provided accomodation.

[Jerick]

Power cables hummed gently, pipes rattled and hissed and dim lights bathed the square room in a soft yellow glow.
With a small sigh Lacrine Hackra leaned back in his chair.
The screen in front of him was filled with messages and files all relating to Lestor III or the Keltonians.
It seems the Keltonians were proving difficult and refusing to allow the Ackrians the rights to world they had claimed first.
Lacrine was often considered a naive youngling but the threat of open war was not lost on him.
And the fact that the responsibility for resolving this issue rested on his shoulders thrilled him though he tried not to show it.
He made a loud clicking noise with his beak as the main light of his study started flickering.
Buzzing the console spoke with the voice of the ship's captain "We're about 20 minutes out now,"
"At last" Lacrine murmured as he stood up and stretched.

The Ackrian courier ship speed across the void of space.
Blocky and ugly by anyone's standards, Ackrian ships are bolted together out of general purpose modules produced in lumbering Ackrian factory ships.
The factory ships are in turn supplied by the family operated mining craft.
Many of these factory and mining craft have been turned in to surface bound structures mostly to accelerate the establishment of the Ackrian civilisation but partly because a long time in space has taught the Ackrian's not waste anything.
The Ackrians could not let the opportunity that had presented itself to go to waste.
Or at least that was what Lacrine was thinking as he strode on to the cramped bridge and watched the station come into view

On arrival to the station everything was efficient and very formal.
He was shown to his new quarters aboard the station and told the talks would begin tomorrow and that he could freely visit any of the facilities.
It was only when investigating his spacious (or at least spacious compared to the courier) accommodation that he thought to ask just what facilities where available.
Carefuly he left his quarters to find someone to ask.

[Iituem]

Convenient terminals are available in the bars and cafes on the station for visitor use and hypernet access.  For the more personal touch, there are always the various barstaff and workers available.  The station boasts five main eateries for the approximately three thousand staff, residents and visitors on the station at any one time; the upper-class Blue Slug specialising in Klaxian delicacies*; the Hyraxic Blenham on the arboricultural deck, favoured for its expensive but fresh produce; the Synthbar on the engineering deck, noted for its dance chambers and wide selection of synthetic foods and drinks; the White Mary, a traditional pub in the style of the ancient Terran religion of Ireland; and the Gutter Cruor, a bolthole with cheap and gob-smackingly awful drink.

There are five or six small cafes on the recreational deck as well as a multi-species gym and spa catering to most species' relaxation habits.  There is a very small "multi-faith" church, which actually consists of about fifteen tiny chapels clustered side by side due to the space limitations on board a space station.  The engineering deck caters to the immense power requirements of the station through a mix of solar and fusion-powered energy.  Pheonix 303 was constructed before annihilation plants had even become theoretically possible, so lacks the cheap energy now available to the Terran Protectorate.  There are residential decks catering to the accommodation of the various visitors and residents - your ambassadorial suites are, suitably for your station, quite spacious.  Ordinary single workers may make do with a narrow crawlspace sufficient to keep a few personal items and a sleeping field in, and use communal facilities for all else.

There are the Docking Bays and Cargo Bays, which you have already seen upon arrival.  Pheonix gets a fair bit of traffic, and you are led to understand that the engineering deck can deal with some minor ship repairs and upgrades.  Finally, the Command deck is off limits except under close supervision, but it is the workplace for the operational staff of the station and the Pheonix's nerve center.



*The Klax are a race of tiny, militant people looking like a cross between six-inch high humans and hedgehogs.  They were responsible both for some of the worst atrocities ever to occur in Known Space and for their fabulous cooking.  Since traditional Klaxian delicacies fit neatly inside a thimble (or, for Klaxian preference, a thumbscrew), oversized portions are made available for other guests.


Edit:  A map of Pheonix 303 will come tomorrow, but I need sleep right now.

[Toaster]

((Nitpick- it's Phoenix))

Lankton Trill piloted his personal craft toward the station.  He flew a one-man space yacht favored by many of the explorers of his race.  It was larger than most single person ships, with a personal quarters, a small cargo hold, and storage for three months worth of supplies.  Its design was graceful and aerodynamic, like the majority of ships in the Keltonian fleet.  Most of the space was filled with diplomatic documents, star charts, maps of Lester III, and other documents to support his diplomacy efforts. 

Lankton docked his craft with the ease of many years of experience, and checked in to the station.  After storing his belongings in his room, he left in search of dinner.  After asking about options from a passing steward, he headed to the Hyraxic Blenham for a light dinner and a good view.  He allowed himself one drink, both to relax and to take the opportunity to chat up the bartender for the word on the street concerning the Terran Protectorate's view of the issues at hand.

[Jerick]

After careful consideration Lacrine decided to investigate the synth bar, hopefully he could find something there that would suit his tastes.
As he headed through the clean, busy corridors it struck him just how strange and different everything was here.
But still he couldn't help but wonder if any other Ackrian's where aboard or what the Keltonians actually thought of the issue.
He was still pondering when he entered the synth bar.
Since he didn't recognise half the items on the menu he ordered a meal and a drink he had picked at random before he settled down in front of a hypernet terminal.
His four hands descended on the keyboard as he began typing furiously.
He was searching for news reports about Lester III, information about the other two ambassadors, information about the station and it's past and pretty much anything else he thought might be useful.

[Iituem]

Lankton docked his craft with the ease of many years of experience, and checked in to the station.  After storing his belongings in his room, he left in search of dinner.  After asking about options from a passing steward, he headed to the Hyraxic Blenham for a light dinner and a good view.  He allowed himself one drink, both to relax and to take the opportunity to chat up the bartender for the word on the street concerning the Terran Protectorate's view of the issues at hand.

As this is more or less publicly available information, it will be displayed in the thread rather than via PM.

You take a little time to relax and take in the wide variety of flora aboard the Arb Deck.  The Deck is pretty expansive and appears to have microclimates catering for several different biomes.  Particularly pleasant is the holographic sky on the upper part of the deck, bright enough to provide light for the plants and translucent enough to still give a decent view of the stunning starfield beyond.  You stare at a particularly brilliant local nebula whilst you eat, then head over to the bar for gossip.

You get to know the bartender on duty, a Terran girl with long ginger hair called Sara.  Like all bartenders she has ears (except those species that listen through the soles of their feet) and after you slip her a suitably impressive tip she proves that she has a tongue too.  The Protectorate seems to be delaying judgement on ownership rights of the planet and has been for the last few weeks, probably in the hope that the two races will come to a conclusion themselves.  As for ownership, the bookies are currently favouring the Ackrians because they made the official application for recognition of ownership first.  It's a close bet, though, because the Keltonians were resident on the planet for eight years beforehand.  According to Protectorate Law, squatting races can be officially recognised if they have had sole residency on a planet for ten years, or if their population exceeds twenty million in number.  Neither of these are the case for the Keltonians (whose current population is less than a million and never exceeded fifteen million even in the heyday of Lester's colonisation), so their plea is less shaky than it might otherwise be.

Apparently they're trying to keep the news of the Polnareth fortress down as well, for fear of other races seizing an opportunity on the disputed planet.

Since he didn't recognise half the items on the menu he ordered a meal and a drink he had picked at random before he settled down in front of a hypernet terminal.
His four hands descended on the keyboard as he began typing furiously.
He was searching for news reports about Lester III, information about the other two ambassadors, information about the station and it's past and pretty much anything else he thought might be useful.

Data Entries on Lester III

Lester III has been featured in local news rather more than interstellar news.  Local news reports provide a basic overview of Lester itself; small world, largely arid with shallow, expansive oceans.  Until very recently, believed to have no mineral wealth worth noticing.  Very basic ecosystem introduced by early Polnareth terraforming efforts.  During Polnareth occupation, Lester was considered a minor world with very little trade, officially the home of a series of monasteries to the favoured religion of the Polnareth.  Industry was believed to be on the level of subsistence farming.  The empty monasteries still exist and have since been re-settled by the early Keltonian colonists for the sake of saving on construction efforts.  The Ackrian colony ship with five hundred thousand colonists has landed on the shore close to the newly discovered fortress and the monastery town of Bewe.


Data Entries on Ambassador Ga ra'Lacrine Hackra

Ga ra'Lacrine Hackra is a young Ackrian of royal descent, twentieth in line to the throne as his eldest brother is currently without eggs or children.  He has not yet earned his own name and is named in reference to his father, the old king Lacrine Hackra IV.  Lacrine (the Ambassador) was amongst those on the first Ackrian colony ship to return to Known Space from the long Ackrian exile and settle on the former Polnareth world of New Ackr.  In the last five years, additional colony ships have taken habitable worlds around Known Space wherever possible.

Lacrine's personal wealth appears to come primarily from the limited royal holdings in his name and the favour of his elder brothers.  He is not possessed of much estate or stature at this time.


Data Entries on Ambassador Lankton Trill

Lankton Trill is an ambassador for the Keltonian Senate.  A decorated combat pilot and explorer, Trill retired to the diplomatic corps after an honourable discharge and the discovery of several asteroids rich in heavy metals earning him a sizeable finder's fee.  Trill nominally owns a house and estate on Kelton but rarely has the chance to visit it due to his diplomatic responsibilities.

Trill's personal wealth stems from the massive finder's fee he obtained for discovery of those asteroids.  Much of this has now been invested into real estate or stock options, earning him a steady trickle of returns.


Data Entires on Ambassador AL31-K8R

AL31-K8R is a diplomatic unit for the Trade Union, a race of sapient robots dedicated to the protection of interstellar trade routes throughout Known Space.  The Union hire themselves out as some of the cheapest and most reliable bodyguards for merchant couriers available.  Part of this stems from their natural advantage of lower maintenance and support.  Although not a monopoly by any means, a plurality of Known Space routes are guarded by Trade Union ships.  The Union itself owns a single planet, Epsilon II, a small moon orbiting the gas giant of Epsilon I in the Epsilon system.

AL31's personal wealth is strictly dependent on the level of funding allocated to him by the administrative droids in the Union's bureaucracy.



Data entires on Phoenix 303

Phoenix 303 is an interstellar space station in orbit around the lone star Phoenix.  It was initially constructed by the Protectorate as a station for basic repairs and as a drop-off and retreat point for their espionage agents during the extensive wars of early Protectorate history.  After the Terrans beat swords into ploughshares (and then remembered that most people don't realise a ploughshare is still a pretty effective weapon) the station underwent a brief and largely unsuccessful revitalisation as a trade depot before becoming the diplomatic station it is today.  As Pheonix has no planets orbiting it, the only satellite other than a handful of asteroids is the station itself, making for the perfect neutral ground.

[Ghazkull]

+++The Ni'hirc+++

Traits
Born Mercenaries:+5 Piloting, +5 Explosives, +5 Pistol, +5 Rifle, -5 Admin, -5 Persuasion.
Spacers: +10 Piloting, +5 Xenology
Social Parasites: +5 Sneaking, +5 Xenology, +5 Mechanics, -5 Persuasion, -5 Admin

Economic Power: 2
Military Power: 10

To the present day scientists are arguing wheter the Ni'hirc are actually Insectoids or humanoids due to their quite mixed body build. Although they show many aspects of an humanoid(two arms and two legs, humanoid digestive tract), they also utilize many things of an insectoid nature( two big complex eyes, exo-skeleton, 3 pairs of pincers closing sideways over the mouth).

Not much is known about the evolution and history of the Ni'hirc as the Ni'hirc themselves jealously guard the knowledge over it. Since humanity reached for the stars the Ni'hirc have always been there. Living from what Humanity left over, they were never seen as much more as vermin and parasites and at best they were mercs,smugglers,thieves and people for the dirty work. To the present day the Ni'hirc have spread all over the known space and are generally found in every civilizations dark and shadowy places.

The Ni'hirc themselves have no government whatsoever, they only live together in small groups of 10 to 50 specialising on certain illegal dealings. Almost every Ni'hirc learns at an young age how to operate a weapon, how to use alien technology and how to fly a ship, the three things which keep the Ni'hirc alive.
Almost every family group has its own ship, which is build from stolen or scavenged parts of other species. The ships are maintained and upgraded by their engineers which are known for their ingenuity...and for their cleptomany.


+++Irech Ju'o+++

Race: Ni'hirc
Age: 40
Clearance: Level 5
Planet: none/his homeship the "Crow"

Str: 5   End: 6   Agi: 7   Cha: 3   Int: 7   Cool: 7

Phys: 6   Wis: 6   Detect: 7   Damage: 3   Vitality: 11   Toughness: 12   DR: 0   Move: 2

Born Mercenaries:+5 Piloting, +5 Explosives, +5 Pistol, +5 Rifle, -5 Admin, -5 Persuasion.
Spacers: +10 Piloting, +5 Xenology
Social Parasites: +5 Sneaking, +5 Xenology, +5 Mechanics, -5 Persuasion, -5 Admin

Petty Cash: 2
Clout: 10

Acrobatics   14  (Agi x 2)
Admin         3 (Int + Wis)
Bluff           6  (Cha x 2)
Climb          13  (End + Agi)
Computers   14  (Int x 2)
Explosives    19  (Int x 2)
Electronics   14  (Int x 2)
Intimidate*   20  (Cha + Cool)
Mechanics    19  (Int x 2)
Melee          12  (Str + Agil)
Persuasion    -4  (Cha x 2)
Pilot            29  (Int + Agil)
Pistol*         32  (Agi x 2)
Rifle*           32 (Agi x 2)
Sneak          19  (Agi x 2)
Swim           13(Agi + End)
Throw          12(End x 2)
Unarmed       11(Str + End)
Xenology      22(Wis x 2)

Irech Ju'o is quite young for an Ni'hirc Clan Leader and Ship Owner. But in the last mission half the clan died and thus, Irech being the oldest remaining of the Clan of 10 people is now searching for mercenary work onboard the Phoenix...

i hope the two racial traits are ok...

[Jerick]

After his meal Lacrine strolled back to his quarters.
He hadn't much left to do till the talks began.
Still he probably should check his room for bugging devices.
While he doubted he'd find anything it would kill some time at least.

[Iituem]

Detect Roll: 2+9 = 11

You are pretty sure there aren't any bugs, but now that you look around the place, there are plenty of places you could hide some if you wanted to without them being seen.  There is a security vid camera in the corridor outside, as well as a fire sensor in the room itself - fire is a particular danger aboard a space station.



-----


The dock re-pressurised with a heavy hiss as the third-rate, possibly stolen freighter arrived in the bay.  Dockworkers around the bay immediately groaned upon seeing the small group of Ni'hirc appear, although only their leader was permitted to leave without additional clearance.



Irech Ju'o, you're in the game.  Day 2 will commence once everyone's done everything they want to on Day 1.

[Spartan 117]

Record cycle-127541

AMBASSADORS TRILL, HACKRA = SAFELY ABOARD.

A short video of the two ambassadors played.

End/archive/send cycle- 127541

SPR-10, REPORTING OBJECTIVE SUCCESS. STATUS: SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE BREAK.