Chapter Eight: Breakfast on the Queen

[BackworldTraveller]

Nālani takes a professional interest in the construction of the virtual environment, looking for clues about who might have been involved in its creation. As a practitioner she knows the signatures of her contemporaries, and might be able to recognise where those off-the-shelf components were sourced and trace back to who accessed them.
[2d6]=4 +2 Streetwise, +2 Int =8

You don't know who, but you know Assana is being watched over by someone good...and Assana might have a contact...
...Indeed the place you found her might be related to that contact...wherever that was.

[BackworldTraveller]

Nālani takes a professional interest in the construction of the virtual environment, looking for clues about who might have been involved in its creation. As a practitioner she knows the signatures of her contemporaries, and might be able to recognise where those off-the-shelf components were sourced and trace back to who accessed them.

She will turn to trying to identify the individual rock depicted next.

Captain, I believe you should lead this. Your profile suggests you have more experience with systems analysis than the rest of us.

[2d6]=4 +2 Streetwise, +2 Int =8

"All right. Let's designate everyone who will be helping as crew, while I'm still not locked out. Who wants to help?"

You quickly discover that each account needs an associated person...and when the system recognises the assigned person as someone who already has an account, it starts merging the two accounts...While there is no problem creating crew, they need to be people - you need to get into the software to turn off the merging process...which means entering the core and risking an account or fooling the computer's ID software somehow. Both are do-able. Both are a pain! It's not quite so straight-forward to get infinite lives as you might have hoped. Celisse bought good software!

[The Bindoner]

Nālani could find the place she met Assana again. Probably. But without an introduction that would not be useful.

She uses her burner comm to message the dropbox Assana uses: Hello Ward. The Queen's computer has been turned into a puzzle-box. I think the friend who helped you could help me. Contact when you receive.

EDIT

Assume Nālani uses VPNs, blocks trackers, and all the standard stuff

[The Bindoner]

Nālani turns to Reven: You are a Navigator Reven, could you help here? This model, it looks like a real rock. Perhaps you have seen it, or can work out where it is from the construct.

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

She turns to Nālani. "I know of a good hacker. Did you ever hear of Bitz and Piecez? I've been told he's quite good. He's in jail right now, but word is that he still has influence and maybe even does work. I can tap him for finding some software."

"I'm in to help." She looks at the plate in the airlock and pauses. "Minas Ithil...I know that name." She pulls up her notes and exclaims.

"Yes. The list of assets seized included all those of Starflight Inc. I have the documentation for the incorporation of that company along with two others...Minas Ithil Inc and Minas Morgul Inc...
..Heinrich Rowne was the listed Company Secretary of Starflight Inc. The other two both have Jerome Shona as the major shareholder and Kiki Masai aka KK Masai as the Company Secretary."

Noor pulls the list of rare-earth smelters and shows it to the new woman. "Start with these locations, to see if they match what we see. Maybe we'll get lucky. Also, try the one that exploded recently...the Nakuru-Nyeri metals smelter." She smiles and continues. "I'm Noor, by the way. You're new crew?"

[cybersavant]

Nālani turns to Reven: You are a Navigator Reven, could you help here? This model, it looks like a real rock. Perhaps you have seen it, or can work out where it is from the construct.

Reven Stiilpahth gets up when Nālani calls and joins them. "I'm more hands on tech, not so much virtual. But i can take a look at the screen, see if i recognize anything."

[BackworldTraveller]

Maggie
Your queries on database images are starting to come back. Various matches to snaps from all over the networks, synthesized into a holo from all angles. About 95% of the matches are from P5813-6392.

[The Bindoner]

Reven Stiilpahth gets up when Nālani calls and joins them. "I'm more hands on tech, not so much virtual. But i can take a look at the screen, see if i recognize anything."

We will work together then. I have been studying for my ticket, this is a good opportunity for a tutorial.

[SpinwardMarch]

Maggie

I am getting back some matches for parts of the asteroid. They appear to be from P5813-6392. Does anyone know why that area? Is there something special about it?

While she waits, she continues to examine the construct for more information.

(She tried, maybe if she looks around more...) [1d6]=1 [1d6]=4 (w/ Admin 0)

She is listening to the others discuss the subject. Wait! Someone mentioned the Starflight fraud; that guy you found dead on the ship, wasn't he part of that? Could he be the one responsible for the asteroid?

[joertexas]

Indrani sits back and closes her eyes for a moment. "I'm really tired. Nalani, let me give you Second Officer's access privileges. That will allow you do to almost everything I can do. I'll see where you are with this after I get some rest."

[BackworldTraveller]

Maggie
While she waits, she continues to examine the construct for more information.

(She tried, maybe if she looks around more...) [1d6]=1 [1d6]=4 (w/ Admin 0)

Maggie spends a while inspecting specific items in the images for clues, and casting around for further information but doesn't seem to be able to get her teeth into anything specific. Either there's nothing more to find or some extra link is missing or she's just not seeing it now. And also, it's all very crowded on the bridge - although at least Noor gets a seat when the Captain retires to bed.

[BackworldTraveller]

Reven Stiilpahth gets up when Nālani calls and joins them. "I'm more hands on tech, not so much virtual. But i can take a look at the screen, see if i recognize anything."

We will work together then. I have been studying for my ticket, this is a good opportunity for a tutorial.

Nālani and Reven go through the Astrogation question. Can the asteroid's location be easily found?
Astrogation roll from Nālani please; and a roll for Reven's training and check of her results. I'd assume Nālani is taking additional care while doing the calculations given her inexperience?

[The Bindoner]

by joertexas » Tue Apr 20, 2021 6:14 am
Indrani sits back and closes her eyes for a moment. "I'm really tired. Nalani, let me give you Second Officer's access privileges. That will allow you do to almost everything I can do. I'll see where you are with this after I get some rest."

Nālani responds, her accent slipping : Thank you. I do not think I will be much longer at this myself. Long day, yah? And mine's not over, got to sneak home yet.

One more job.


Nālani carefully searches the database and runs through the object location routines she has learned from her online course. This is the first real-world application of what little she has learned and she is glad Reven is there to check her work.

[2d6]=6 (+2 Int?)

The roller is not my friend.

[BackworldTraveller]

Roll=6+2:INT-3:Skill+2:Cautious+?:Reven's teaching=7+
Reven is carefully checking Nālani's work...If you were in orbit you could validate it by the simple expedient of training the spotting-scope on the location and seeing if it was there - but from the dock, only maths!
He continues to ponder...

[Bluetongue]

Arnwulf

Asks a question.

"Was the young lady bio-chemist who was found dead on the ship, discovered behind this airlock? And she died of wounds taken from a laser.

Was she conducting a virtual investigation herself and the Queen security shot her real person as well as her avatar?"

[BackworldTraveller]

Queen
What young lady?
n.b. She was in what is now Pranit's cabin. It's probably good that it wasn't Reven's.

[Bluetongue]

Arnwulf Recon check [2d6+1]=4+1=5


Arnwulf finds it interesting that after asking the ship computers regarding the deceased chemist he gets that response. At least then we can assume the ship virtual reality defences didn't zap any investigators in the real world.

I wonder if the Queen similarly doesn't have any records of Jusu Saffa being aboard and his body being found here also.

He asks the Queen regarding any records of the scientist, particularly in relation to any links in the virtual set up.

[BackworldTraveller]

Queen
I have no cargo of that description in my records. I have a record of various police officers and their forensic team being admitted, and a list of items removed into storage by the police. I have no record of Jusu Saffa having been a passenger aboard this ship.

---

On another note, the port has lit the exterior of the ship. The bright lights aren't doing any of the bridge crew any favours with their circadian rhythms. This much light at 11pm is all very well, but doesn't help you settle.

[cybersavant]

by joertexas » Tue Apr 20, 2021 6:14 am
Indrani sits back and closes her eyes for a moment. "I'm really tired. Nalani, let me give you Second Officer's access privileges. That will allow you do to almost everything I can do. I'll see where you are with this after I get some rest."

Nālani responds, her accent slipping : Thank you. I do not think I will be much longer at this myself. Long day, yah? And mine's not over, got to sneak home yet.
One more job.
Nālani carefully searches the database and runs through the object location routines she has learned from her online course. This is the first real-world application of what little she has learned and she is glad Reven is there to check her work.

Reven Stilpahth "Well, we can continue this tomorrow. Are you sure leaving the ship is a good idea? You have a target on your back now. Better take someone along."

[The Bindoner]

by joertexas » Tue Apr 20, 2021 6:14 am
Indrani sits back and closes her eyes for a moment. "I'm really tired. Nalani, let me give you Second Officer's access privileges. That will allow you do to almost everything I can do. I'll see where you are with this after I get some rest."

Nālani responds, her accent slipping : Thank you. I do not think I will be much longer at this myself. Long day, yah? And mine's not over, got to sneak home yet.
One more job.
Nālani carefully searches the database and runs through the object location routines she has learned from her online course. This is the first real-world application of what little she has learned and she is glad Reven is there to check her work.

Reven Stilpahth "Well, we can continue this tomorrow. Are you sure leaving the ship is a good idea? You have a target on your back now. Better take someone along."

We finish what we can now, I think, and work another angle tomorrow.

I have to go, yes. Hoshiko is alone in my room, and I need to pack my things ready to move here.

If I change my appearance I should be safe. They have one image. Men's clothes, a turban to hide my hair, I do not resemble that image. May I borrow from you?