F-176-Oliver: Spanial (Hyperspace to Mundo Zargo)

Money Card Reader

Oliver’s rolls:

• Traps – 10/12
• Lockpick (Analog) – 12/12 
• Electronics Repair (Security) – 17/16
• Computer Programming – 13/15
• Lockpick (Digital) – 13/12

Over the next little while, Oliver works on the Money Card reader.  He detects and disarms a simple anti-tampering device that would disable the machine and is able to open the case, though it is ruggedly constructed and locked with a security key and special bolts.  The innards are apparently constructed to resist mechanical interference (like unplugging the fingerprint sensor and replacing it with an on-switch) so he’s going to have to worm his way in using a software-based approach – that’s going to take longer than he might originally have expected.  He’s concerned about bypassing the unit’s fingerprint authenticator, so that too might require an alternate, programming, approach – or an authentic fingerprint!  

 

To Mundo Zargo!

As discussed by text:

May I ask a Dominion question, as it may affect Lia?

When Spanial exits jump space Karmen will approach Oliver and tell him that some people are going ahead to Mundo Zargo in the shuttle. This is so she can minimise Spanial’s time spent there and get him to where he’s going faster.

She wants to know if he has any business there that means he wants to come along in the faster shuttle or if he’d prefer to stay with Spanial?

Uhh. He doesn’t have any business there no

So he’ll take the slower (and actually more comfortable) ride in?

Yes

Thanks – the results of that will play out as Oliver gets closer to Mundo Zargo, starting 211.451.

 

IT Project #72

As noted previously, IT Project #72 is Argyle seeking to hack into Patron and Associate’s comms and seek out anything of interest, and which might be a threat to Argyle.

This work was commenced by Argyle on his own initiative after his first job for ‘Patron’ and something he seems to have updated periodically over time.  In particular after Project #59 to assist Patron’s ‘Associate’, where he seems to have leveraged knowledge gained.

The project’s content is Argyle apparently seeking to hack into Patron and Associate’s comms and seek out anything of interest, and which might be a threat to Argyle.

The project contains an inner data file which will need further work to decrypt.  The exterior files and data has all been anonymised, with references to specific identities replaced with pseudonyms – like Patron, Associate, Middle-man, Mole, Head Honcho, Enforcer and Big Boss.  

Oliver can determine that Patron appears to be a representative of a local organised crime syndicate and that is who has been feeding him work.  ‘Contact’ was apparently from a rival organisation who was trying to muscle in on the locals’ patch and was dealt with accordingly.  Argyle seems somewhat at ease that he’s regarded as a useful asset and is to be protected.

Argyle makes a note about all this to himself – ‘Palace Discipline – No Journals’.

In Blue Shift on 211.450, Oliver completes his work on unpacking the inner encrypted file.  

There’s quite a lot of raw data here.  Some sound files, conversational transcripts, some video; lots of stuff that Argyle seems to have acquired from some of his targets.

He’s written a summary document:

‘Patron’

XXXXX.  Organised crime connections, probably to someone on Mundo Zargo.

Almost certain he was murdered for muscling in on Pristine territory.  Contact seems to have taken over his work.

‘Contact’

XXXXX.  Organised crime connections, seems to be responsible for supplying the mine with drugs and other services and handling me.

There’s some evidence he pays off the local PSO Commandant, but I have no hard evidence.

I think I’m valuable to him and he wants to protect me. 

It seems to be Contact who noticed Patron and took over his operation.  

I have plenty of hard evidence if I need to burn him but that is likely to be counter-productive. 

‘Enforcer’

XXXXX.  Mine plant operator.  Contact’s muscle man.  Huge, dangerous man.  Fortunately I seem to be on his VIP list.

‘Mole’

Unidentified.  They have a hold over someone senior in Pristine’s government, or with access to secure information.  Extremely careful about protecting this identity.

‘Associate’

XXXXX.  Undercrat Grade 1 in the Pristine Administration Bureau.  Plenty of material here to use as insurance.  He’s a little sloppy with security.  No wonder I had to set up an alibi for him.

Contact’s senior and one of the senior people on Pristine. 

‘Senior 2’

XXXXX.  Not a lot of info.  She seems to be a full-time criminal with no cover job.  Another senior person.  Associate’s peer.

Has some arrangement for Legion protection?

‘Middle-man’

 XXXXX.  Seems to be some sort of courier to other systems.

Comments such as ‘we have his nuts in a vice’ suggest another hold, but I have not been able to work out what it is.

‘Transporter’

Unidentified.  Seems to be referring to a ship or person available for covert transport work off Pristine.  Female?

To investigate further.

‘Big Boss’

Unidentified.  Alternate identities XXXXX, XXXXX? 

The leader of the organisation seems to be a woman on Captree.  I have identified two separate identities through which communication is made. 

‘Head Honcho’

XXXXX.  Local Pristine leader.  Through associate’s sloppy security I have been able to get a lead on this person.

Lots of funds laundered through Warmies bar in Clement Basin.    

‘Little Boss’

Unidentified.  Also Captree-based, this seems to be Head Honcho’s immediate superior.  Male.  There’s some use of spoken code I have not been able to penetrate – it’s like Enclaver but isn’t that.

‘Watcher 5’

XXXXX.  Their terminology.  Watcher 5 seems to be a person Associate is aware of from a rival organisation who’s job it is to watch their activities here.  They don’t seem to be taking any steps to deal with them, such as with Patron.

Each of the entries also has one or more references to the raw source material.