Collace: Expansion, Promotion, Logistics

[BackworldTraveller]

The problem with saying NO to the journalists is that they are likely to get creative and follow and thus mess up our secrecy

What are the political implications of saying no to the scions of the great house? Given the need to ship out quickly, can we defer the decision? Or (if we can't say no or defer) can we get the stay-behind lot to put them through 8 weeks of indoctrination, assessment and training on Collace? After all, they may survive that as something useful.

What is the plan - Just getting dropped on Tarsus doesn't fix the lack of one. After all, we can't call back for help so we take everyone together, take everyone on an immutable schedule or ...?
The luggage arrangements may include moving staff quietly. Here two playboys who have no connection to the SEMC might be useful as a cover.

[shaidar]

Good points all round.

I was going to say that they need to go through some kind of basic training before they go on a mission and they can therefore stay at the Bsrtizan under Jakob for the Tarsus trip.

But from what Tiglath just said that's not an option.

Duran's offer is tempting, but enough to take completely untrained Ruperts on a mission. I'm really not sure, that's a recipe for disaster.

I'd still like to see their resumes first.

Also, we can't make a plan until we have more detail on the mission, such as what we are going to be surveilling. I don't see what we can get from 4DC if we don't have more mission info to at least have a rough idea of a plan.

I'd like to know how Duran found out the details of lady Hildegarde's offer. Either we have a leak or she does.

[The Bindoner]

I'd like to know how Duran found out the details of lady Hildegarde's offer. Either we have a leak or she does.

*insert obvious joke here*

[joertexas]

I'd like to know how Duran found out the details of lady Hildegarde's offer. Either we have a leak or she does.

*insert obvious joke here*

[BackworldTraveller]

Would you like the EW team to check their logs for possible comms messages containing the same leaving the bartizan?

[shaidar]

There is a very small window for the leaking of the message, between the message from lady Hildegarde and that from Duran. Also a limited number of people knew the contents of the lady's message.

That should make checking easy enough. If we did look into this would have to be kept quiet, so best to only have Freya do it.

[Tiglath]

I'd like to know how Duran found out the details of lady Hildegarde's offer. Either we have a leak or she does.

*insert obvious joke here*

I'm sure we've all been there! Wait...

Duran's never really said what he does for 4DC / The Shore but it's fair to say the urbane elderly gent surely doesn't do soldiering. If one were to run with the broad assumption that most noble households thrive on gossip and hold rumour like colanders you might have all you need to solve the mystery...

PS I believe Jess owes Klaus an IC response re his donation of a "racy publication" (you may already have it scheduled for le weekend).

[The Bindoner]

PS I believe Jess owes Klaus an IC response re his donation of a "racy publication" (you may already have it scheduled for le weekend).

It's one of several WIP documents glaring accusingly at me from behind each other on the desktop...

[Tiglath]

Good points all round.

I was going to say that they need to go through some kind of basic training before they go on a mission and they can therefore stay at the Bsrtizan under Jakob for the Tarsus trip.

But from what Tiglath just said that's not an option.

Duran's offer is tempting, but enough to take completely untrained Ruperts on a mission. I'm really not sure, that's a recipe for disaster.

I'd still like to see their resumes first.

Also, we can't make a plan until we have more detail on the mission, such as what we are going to be surveilling. I don't see what we can get from 4DC if we don't have more mission info to at least have a rough idea of a plan.

I'd like to know how Duran found out the details of lady Hildegarde's offer. Either we have a leak or she does.

Purchasing your promotion accepts that all the necessary training will be provided "on the job" - as you seemlessly bed into the role!

I'll see if I can knock out a couple of resumes but the bottom line is going to read "dissolute noble"... and quite possibly include "feckless"...

You could task your own REMFy Intel sneaky people to gather more... once the tea trolley has been round of course...

Juggling carts and horses here but your mission will involve gathering HumInt, ELINT... er... and possibly standard lint (depending on dryer discipline) then covert and/or active surveillance to gain Intel prior to a surgical strike with (as per your spec) zero collateral damage. There are believed to be multiple targets some of which are hidden (possibly in plain sight) together with more visible assets. Given the estimated size of enemy forces and assumed number of locations on Tarsus engagements of bigger than platoon (or much more likely squad) size seem unlikely.

As to the initial stages you'll need covert operatives (active and passive - so field agents and recon snipers) and maybe the kind of folk who can perform a "Survey"... These assets will need protecting by overwatch/QRF teams and in the event of compromise you'll need some mechanic to maintain your secrecy that chimes with "zero collateral".

If you find somewhere really "spikey" then the Aslan will deal with it. That would make sense... and be for the best... a sound solution all round there... I mean what could go wrong...

[shaidar]

By whatever means it would be useful to know if these are just useless nobles, or have deeper issues such as drug addition which we'd end up having to babysit their withdrawal (unless we have high tech means to resolve that kind of problem)

There might be hints that they are intelligent, but just bored. Just hoping to get a feel for how bad it might be.

[Tiglath]

unless we have high tech means to resolve that kind of problem

You have a cupboard stacked with SuSAG medi drugs and Universal Anti Toxin.

And Erica East who has a well respected Psychiatric/Counselling practice on Collace.

or

Dangling them upside down until all their drugs fall out and then taking then to a small town on Tarsus.

[Tiglath]

Quick idle list of 4DC Shore assets within the PC's collective ken (some more useful here than others):

"Full Fat" Grunt APCs with VRF gauss PD systems, Grav Tank variants of same.

Assassin class Tank Destroyers mounting shipboard lasers

Longer range specialist PD mounts.

A fleet of ten ton "heavy" G Carriers for logistics/looting/vehicle recovery

Ground attack Hog class assault sleds with rapid pulse plasma cannon (you saw these chew up armour on Avastan)

Hound class Recon sleds (equivalent to a human powered Essor Drone)

Multiple small craft and missile armed fighters (Colonel Skeet also flew an interceptor variant) some of these would be types you don't yet own - like 6G armed Gigs.

Combat Lander (armed and armoured milspec shuttles with space and ground combat capability).

Jump capsules for insertions from orbit (less use here)

Freight Tractor vessel 300t cargo interstellar

Operatives: Tourmaline (but you are not short of officers), Duran himself (which I only just thought of! ), the Twins, Recon One and Hawkeye (probably only getting out of bed for way more than this gig's worth).

Pirate "Techs" who can physically and electronically disguise ships, change transponder readings, etc

"Expert" robots

[BackworldTraveller]

"Expert" robots

Hopefully not those nasty "Expert at killing" Zhodani killer bots

I wonder if a cutting out expedition is possible?

[joertexas]

"Expert" robots

Hopefully not those nasty "Expert at killing" Zhodani killer bots

I wonder if a cutting out expedition is possible?

Prerna has grown rather fond of one particular Zho killer bot - Roland, I think?

[Tiglath]

Hopefully not those nasty "Expert at killing" Zhodani killer bots

More in the line of skills you haven't go so many of Small Craft Pilots etc

[Tiglath]

Prerna has grown rather fond of one particular Zho killer bot - Roland, I think?

He's more a of a not quite so cuddly exuberant household pet... with a Gatling gun...

[joertexas]

Prerna has grown rather fond of one particular Zho killer bot - Roland, I think?

He's more a of a not quite so cuddly exuberant household pet... with a Gatling gun...

Those are two of his better points, yes. And, he can fly while lifting heavy things.

[Tiglath]

Prerna has grown rather fond of one particular Zho killer bot - Roland, I think?

He's more a of a not quite so cuddly exuberant household pet... with a Gatling gun...

Those are two of his better points, yes. And, he can fly while lifting heavy things.

Dang, if he could just get down with the cuddling he'd be quite the catch!

[joertexas]

He's more a of a not quite so cuddly exuberant household pet... with a Gatling gun...

Those are two of his better points, yes. And, he can fly while lifting heavy things.

Dang, if he could just get down with the cuddling he'd be quite the catch!

He does have those cool hammock-for-two attachments. It's quite comfortable.

On another subject, I thought we were inserting Prerna's recon element ahead of the main force.

[Tiglath]

I've seen no agreement on that but things may be easier to move forward in game with an agreement to go ahead with T'lia's IC briefing which proposes a base of operations "dirtside".