Does anything Davis have pick up on Imperial transmissions? It doesn't need to decode, just detect the transmissions. I assume the ship is EM shielded, both to protect the crew and the electronics from cosmic radiation

I think I agree with fanchergw about where to land, but I think we should stay in orbit and rest for a while (we last slept IC about a day ago), allow Max to double check his tests, maybe listen to local commercial broadcasts ( 86.1 WIPM, your local arm of Imperium oppression bringing you all the hits approved by Napai!), ect...

I'd be down with this plan.

I definitely want to get the latest news, if any, on what exactly happened after we left Jang-xur.

Also:

1) I assume we're still very much wanted, did the news make it out here yet?
2) If so, are the local Napai actively looking for us?
3) Is anyone looking for our ship?
4) Is there a local bounty hunting service? If so, is anyone looking for us?
5) Basically, gather all the intel I can without having to hack too deep into secured networks.

I also recommend we honor any request Swims-in-Black has at this time.

I can talk to Ngawai about a few of those, she'd know how the Kansat communicate and about the local bounty hunters.

I wasn't looking for exterior traffic intercept. I want to know if there's anything in here that's transmitting out. I don't care about listening in, I just want to know if there's a strong EM source in here on anything that's a broadcast frequency, some sort of fast-cycle frequency sweep. Anything that doesn't involve a spacewalk or boring a hole through the hull has to penetrate the EMF shielding on the ship, so it'll show up as a nice fat spike, and it'll rule out exterior ship traffic and our own transmissions, as that's on the other side of the shielding, so all I should get is background noise from in the ship and anyone trying to transmit without us knowing it. Less eavedropping and more bug/clandestine radio detecting.

And yes, I know it could be ULF or something ridiculous like that, but considering the power and the antenna required for broadcasting on those frequencies, I doubt it's something that a walkie-talkie can do, even out here.

Doh! You're bugsweeping. Very good, I'll edit.

I think something else to do is figure out what to do with Taylor's remains. Since they were assigned to a long-term mission with a high possibility of losses, I'm guessing somebody from HQ would have given Luis (or possibly Hugh) a packet of "what to do in the event I kick it" forms, whatever that would be. If he has something like that for Taylor, I think we should honor it as best as possible, and- important with bodies- soon. If it's possible with equipment on hand and he wanted it, we could theoretically do some sort of freezing, but then he'd require, well...stowage space for the duration. If that's not available/too bulky, or if he requested it, we could improvise some kind of cremation. It's easier to get a clean fire with technology than a sustainable freeze, and urns (frankly) take up less space than a corpsicle. A memorial service might also be nice.

Looks like hoodies, sunglasses, and balaclavas for everyone. Can we have a rundown of who among us that hasn't been scanned (ie. not currently having a big ass target painted on them)?

Hrm. I think Taylor would have been fine with cremation, but he wants whatever's left of him to end up on Earth.

As for Aikoro 911!, everyone but Ngawai, One-Ton, and Swims are listed as wanted men. If you recall, the problematic thing was that they have your names (except for Davis and Arketta) and you're listed even if you weren't specifically scanned during the Botane chase or on Jang-xur.

If the scanning just matches off visual records, then disguises should work fine.

admiralducksauce wrote:

If the scanning just matches off visual records, then disguises should work fine.

That's rather dubious and intentionally ambiguous.

The fact is, unless we're being physically scanned by a living, breathing Kansatai all the drones do is passive scanning of the populous. Although I think a person of girth like Semo may be a little more attention grabbing than say shifty-eyed Davis.

Or, you know, we could just get busted, but by the right people. I mean, we have a former personal bodyguard to the Emperor himself and a fully licensed bounty hunter here. I'm somewhat wary about putting Ngawai in charge of, well, us for the time being, even if it's just for show and we'll have our guns, but it's a perfect disguise. No one's gonna fuck with the two of them, and we'll pass right through the Imperial scanners because we'll show up as criminals that have been apprehended. We might even collect the reward money.

Punkey wrote:

Or, you know, we could just get busted, but by the right people. I mean, we have a former personal bodyguard to the Emperor himself and a fully licensed bounty hunter here. I'm somewhat wary about putting Ngawai in charge of, well, us for the time being, even if it's just for show and we'll have our guns, but it's a perfect disguise. No one's gonna fuck with the two of them, and we'll pass right through the Imperial scanners because we'll show up as criminals that have been apprehended. We might even collect the reward money.

I wouldn't put Ngawai in charge of cleaning out the Autochef. Who's to say she won't give us up the first chance she gets?

I am also staunchly opposed at the idea of willingly giving ourselves up.

admiralducksauce wrote:

Hrm. I think Taylor would have been fine with cremation, but he wants whatever's left of him to end up on Earth.

The "end up on Earth" was assumed. If cremation will work, let's do that. We'll need basically a pan or something, and a somthing in which we can create the required high-temperatures (800 or so degrees celcius).

No, you misunderstand me. We roll in like Ngawai and Swims have captured us. We get let in under the cover of being transferred to the local authorities, but we never show. If Ngawai's worried about getting burned, we give her a big chunk of the reward money. We're through the port security, done.

It's really the best I can come up with because having to dodge every single drone on the planet seems like an impossible task, not to mention something that will draw a lot of attention fairly quickly. If Ngawai decides to take us out, well, first we won't really be restrained and we'll be able to keep our Earth guns because they still don't register with the Imperials as weapons, and secondly, I'm pretty sure Swims has got some moves on him, and he'll probably be able to knock her ass out fairly quickly.

So basically the Chewbacca-in-binders ploy?

Swims has put a lot of faith in you. He hasn't given off much of any "gonna betray these monkeys for some phat lewtz" vibes other than, you know, the first time you met. However, he is an EX-Caretaker. It might get some respect from people in the right face-to-face dealings but it confers no real authority to him.

I would amend your plan to take into account Ngawai doesn't even need to act like she's handing you over to the authorities. She can just land, scoop up a perp, and take off. As long as you don't arouse suspicion by walking past the same guards again and again while acting all buddy-buddy with your captor, theoretically that plan should be sound.

One-Ton can do the cremation. Cruise engines get pretty energetic.

Back on point - the reward money is only going to come in if Ngawai actually hands you off to the Imperium. That is potentially very bad. However, if you were really captured the bounties would go away and people wouldn't be looking for you anymore.

Well, we get respect from Swims and power from Ngawai, and with the amendments you suggested ADS, I think we're in business. As far as the reward goes, sure, we'd get the money, but the whole lack of bounty thing would go away as soon as we break back out again, so that's unfortunately not an option. I would have loved to get those "phat lewtz" you spoke of.

Well, you could always turn in SOME of the team. Max and Hugh'd fetch the best price.

When sentiments such as these fly around, I take comfort in the fact that Semo obeys Hugh with little, if any, questions.



Gatac

So, we rolling with this? I've got an IC post ready to go.