J-003: Previously on Dominion Space, Part 3…
Module Introduction
The continued catch-up history for Chris…
(Played date 23 February 2019)
Module 7: An Illuminating Journey
Vizier Nanny 
has arranged for the project team to travel to Zargonia aboard the Illuminator – one of the Vizierate’s largest ships. When Chris arrives at the appointed time he’ll find Vizierate Wardens and Vizants shepherding people aboard – it seems they’re not the only team heading to Zargonia. The team are all travelling to the ship separately.
Chris will be assigned a cabin of his own and left to his own devices until a meeting of the team that Nanny has called for some time after the Illuminator has left dock.
Chris apparently goes exploring and first, finds a Bar on the Mess and Recreation deck, then bumps into Oliver 
after the ship has departed but before the meeting.
Chris is wearing a bold green T-shirt with The Green Cow Bar emblazoned across the front above a graphic of a brown and white mythological beast with big eyes, horns, hooves and a prominent udder that is breathing flame and holding a mug of foaming beer.
– 7-013
Reference – team meeting starts here: 7-019.
In summary:
- Expected travel time is about 30 Cycles
- The ship will make one stop (Witnish) before reaching Zargonia and everyone can get dock leave
- Everyone gets ‘personal development’ jobs to do during the trip to Zargonia
-
-
- Nanny and
Dicard will be undertaking ‘personal development opportunities for Viziers’
- Nanny and
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Halcyon is to observe and work with the Illuminator’s control crew – he seems secretly pleased and looking for something to complain about
Fromm will work with the medical staff – he is non-commital
Erin will work with the engineering crew – she seems excited by the chance to play with a big, high-tech ship- Oliver will continue to examine the items recovered from Pristine – he seems focussed in that nerdy workaholic way he has
Chris is to report to Vizierate Warden Wesley Reed-Hurley for security training
- Nanny makes an over-her-glasses point: “…and Chris, be sure you are fit for duty.”
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Nanny asks if there are any questions and Chis wants to know when they get paid again (it’s on arrival at Witnish.)
Illuminator [211.353 – 211.360] Not in Play
I imagine Chris showing up as instructed and… actually having a pretty enjoyable time of training with the Vizierate Wardens. ie – The Vizierate’s own security force. The Wardens are only a small fraction of the Legion’s numbers, but you can generally expect the average Warden to kick the average Legionnaire’s ass. Chris will find the Wardens disciplined and skilled and they train a wide variety of scenarios, tactics and skills. In addition to Chris there are a few other ‘Security Contractors’ taking advantage of the training opportunity.
For this period I envisaged Chris keeping his drinking under control.
In game terms, this period justified all the NPCs hanging around with Oliver improving their skills. While Chris was an NPC he was earning XP at half the rate Oliver was. However, as a PC Chris will re-start play with the same amount of XP that Oliver has and this is a chance to justify spending some.
On 211.360, Chris sends Oliver a message reading simply ‘No backsies.’
Oliver responds ‘No Backsies’, but doesn’t specify a meeting.
Next Cycle on 311.361 – Chris is waiting outside Oliver’s office on Deck 7 when Oliver finishes his work shift, and drags Oliver off to a bar.
Chis wants to have several drinks and a meal. He says he has no training schedule tomorrow so is taking the chance to have some fun.
He tells Oliver he’s really enjoying his training with the Wardens, that they are a tough bunch and the instructor knows more ways of killing people than seems reasonable for one person, although Chris himself is showing them a thing or two about the finer points of dirty hand-to-hand fighting. He wants to know what Oliver has been up to? How things are going? What he thinks about their job? The ship? Their mission on Zargonia? And whether Oliver thinks smaller Sportsball facilities like the one on the ship make a difference when sportsing in defense versus offense?
Oliver has a couple of drinks but doesn’t seem in a party mood (which is normal), but Chris seems to enjoy himself. Chris does most of the talking except when they’re discussing work.
Chris is standing outside Oliver’s office leaning against the corridor wall with his arms folded, “No backsies, Ollie.”
– Chris Uddin, 7-021
Illuminator [211.361 to 211.36] Not in Play
Chris has a Cycle off from training then it’s back to it.
Illuminator arrives at Witnish during Chris’ usual sleep period on 211.363.
Witnish [211.353 – 211.360] Not in Play
I assume Chris has dock leave, but it was not detailed what he does with his time at the smallish facility.
Illuminator [211.361 to 211.36] Not in Play
After Witnish we assume Chris is back to his training with the Wardens.
Just prior to arrival at Zargonia, there is another meeting. Nanny goes around the table for people to report back on their assignments. Oliver’s is the longest, and he goes through the data he’s found on their target, which is here.
For Chris’ report, Chris is actually a little quiet, and apparently sober. He’s had a crash course in Warden tactical operations, he seems proud of how he’s performed, but also respectful of the company he’s been in.
Chris notes that, Argyle was working for the Vizierate at one point and asks for clarification. There’s an awkward exchange of glances between Dicard and Nanny, and they admit that they don’t know if that’s true. Ignoring that, Nanny continues with the briefing for their Zarginia visit:
- The team will be based briefly in Purpleton, at the foot of the Vizierate Tower.
- Nanny will be busy, and handing over to Dicard from here on.
- Dicard will ‘have to organise the logistics for our next project stage’ and handballs most of the work to Oliver to lead
- Halcyon and Erin will be helping Dicard
- Nanny advises that they have come up with a lead – a man named Alec Bronze-Stepping, and Oliver, Christ and Fromm are to interview him
- They are also to visit the Planning Bureau and MaPaCoA (the Dominion’s biggest computer centre), where Argyle may have worked.
It turns out that it’s also payday, and Chris earns ʄ8,000 Money.
Fromm asks Chris to help load some medical equipment into a shuttle for the trip down to the surface.
- Dicard seems interested in Dominion finance, money and politics, “…so there’s something going on with the Governor of Mundo Zargo and the Finance Bureau is witholding the balance of trade report…”
- Fromm is quiet, and seems to tackle every conversation as a problem to be solved, he is complementary about the bar’s selection of wines, and at one point buys everyone eighths of a wine he likes to try, “…everyone, take a moment to enjoy the nose…”
- I’ll leave it to Chris to decide what he thought of it
- Alan proves he really is grumpy and cynical, his contributions to the conversation being mostly dark observations on human nature. Erin calls him on a bullshit anecdote at one point and he doesn’t actually seem to mind, “…yeah, well you would say that, wouldn’t you Malan…”
- Erin engages both Oliver and Dicard at one point in a discussion about probability, and both Fromm and Alan join in, although Chris seems to feel left out of this one.
- Oliver doesn’t say much, seems to be studying people as if they’re data for analysis.
- Chris himself has some funny stories, but they often seem to involve real life slapstick humour, “…and then he disappeared over the balcony!”
Chris is pretty drunk by the end of the evening, and, with his consent, Fromm doses him with something to sober him up a bit for the next day. However, it also puts him to sleep and Fromm and the others guide Chris his cabin…
Chris frowns more, like he’s constipated by a thought that won’t quite come.
– 7-144
NextCycle it’s a shuttle (which is less comfortable commuter than military drop ship) down to the surface of Zargonia, along with about 150 other people that have been aboard this ship. The station where they docked is actually in orbit around the planet’s moon, not the planet itself, so it’s a much longer trip than most orbital descents. Chris dozes for some of it.
On landing the team transfers to a travel pod. Zargonia has breathable atmosphere and a biosphere – Chris is excited that the windows on the travel pod can actually be opened. At the end of the travel pod ride there’s a cab ride and then they arrive at a sprawling complex titled Vizierate Visitor Accommodations. Everyone is assigned accommodations and he is told to show up for a briefing nextCycle. This place is equipped like a resort and Chris may relax and enjoy himself. Nanny bids them farewell.
The next Cycle he shows up for a briefing from Dicard (detailed at 7-169), Dicard begins the briefing which is that Chris, Fromm and Oliver are to:
- Go see a guy and ask questions
- Go to a computer centre and ask questions
- Go to a Bureau office and ask questions
Chris seems happy when, firstly, Dicard hands them each a Money card to cover expenses and then a Warden shows up with a trolley-load of weapons. Chris is now allowed to carry concealed weapons or open carry if he also wears a tan-coloured vest that he is issued with
“ AUTHORISED VIZIERATE CONTRACTOR
written on the back. (This is so he doesn’t accidentally get into a gunfight with the Legion.) His tag is updated with his weapons carry authorisation.
Chris spends some time discussing the weapons tech with the Warden, who seems to be something of an enthusiast.
Chris grabs an advanced combat shotgun and a pistol.
They discuss options for questioning their guy, with Fromm suggesting he may be able to provide ‘pharmaceutical assistance’ if needed and Chris suggests they can always do a ‘cosh-and-carry’ if they need to. Their target is on a different continent, so it will be a long trip. They agree to meet up shortly after packing for the trip. When Chris shows up he has a duffel bag with him to carry his shotgun in that looks suspiciously like the one Alan uses for his clothes and gear.
They return to the transit station at the end of the city and catch a fast train to their destination.
As it’s a long trip they opt for a serviced cabin, and when the train arrives at Snow Lake some time later, Chris is a bit tipsy. He heads immediately for the toilets, discovering they’re class-segregated here and they have to tag in.
They catch a taxi to the address of their target. It turns out to be in an old and run-down part of town; it’s dark and cold. The cab drops them off around the corner from their destination. The streets are quiet and it’s a residential apartment block.
Just around the corner, a group of four men and two women are standing warming themselves around a barrel with a fire going in it, which appears to be in the process of consuming a broken-up chair.
One steps forward and says, “Well what have we got…”
He takes in the Vizierate vests, Fromm’s demeanour, Chris’ size and the object in his hands (a shotgun with a bag over it), and his voice trails off, “…here…”
Chris grunts at him.
“…Bluevening Mers,” he finishes and steps back to his position near the fire. The group around the fire falls silent.
By the time Oliver, Fromm and Chris are 50m down the block, the locals have disappeared from around the fire and are nowhere to be seen, leaving only the burning chair in the barrel crackling away.
Out the front of the target building they make plans if things don’t go well, but Oliver buzzes and they are asked to come up.
Inside the apartment they discover their interview target is a sick old man – Alec Bronze-Stepping – who lives with his adult daughter Doreen. He’s somewhat acerbic toward the team. However, he says that he worked in the Black Palace, did not know anyone there called Willard Argyle, but he does say the description sounds like someone called Abbas Lozenge-Sok. Abbas died when the vehicle he was travelling in went through the railing and over the side of High-Peaks Road and fell hundreds of metres to the chasm below.
“That’s so much better – thought I was going to burst a kidney.”
– Chris Uddin, 7-189
At one point Oliver asks Bronze-Stepping, “Did this man seem like the kind of person capable of taking a life?”
Alec Bronze-Stepping responds, “Abbas was not a killer in the sense of one who holds a knife and feels someone blow their last breath in your face, but he worked on systems that could be lethal at a distance without a moral qualm.”
Chris’ instincts perk up and he has a sense that while Abbas might not be that sort of person, Bronze-Stepping is probably speaking from personal experience about holding such a knife.
For whatever reason, Chris never shares this insight with Oliver.
Oliver does pick up that it sounds like Bronze-Stepping actually saw the wrecked vehicle.
Bronze-Stepping responds, “Lozenge-Sok and I worked security at The Black Palace. Do you understand what that means? A death like that among security personnel is a matter that needs to be investigated. So yes, I can say with confidence that no-one got out of that wreck alive.”
The team leaves shortly after and discuss what they’ve learned. Chris wonders if there’s more to be uncovered.
Somewhat ignominiously riding a bus back to the train, they contemplate their place in the universe.
Chris rubs his hands together, cracks his knuckles. “We could always ask about his prior work a little more forcefully.”
– Chris Uddin, 7-223
They catch a sleeper train to the Massive Parallel Computing Array – MaPaCoA. They rest, but Oliver wants to get moving and doesn’t wait for breakfast, ignoring Chris’ and Fromm’s complaints about being hungry.
They arrive at MaPaCoA to discover it’s a wasteland of concrete with the facility underground.
With Oliver’s blessing Chris abandons Olover and Fromm to go to the cafeteria.
“I thought you said cafeteria first.”
– Chris Uddin, 7-241
Chris locates the cafeteria where he has breakfast and strikes up a conversation with an attractive young female Vizierate contractor named Makani who also seems to find him attractive and giggles at his jokes. Makani is a maintenance tech on the MaPaCoA physical array.
Things are going well when Oliver and Fromm track him down:
“Oliver, this is Makani. Makani this is Oliver. Oliver shows up when there’s work to be done.”
She giggles, “Greening Oliver.”
Chris says, “Tell me you’re just here to eat and we don’t have to rush off and catch a train to another random part of this planet.
”I like this part.”
Makani giggles, tells Oliver what her role is, “What do you do, Oliver,” she glances at Chris, “except work?”
“Working is the primary feature of my resume, but in my spare time I build things and watch Chris get drunk.”
Chris says, good-naturedly, “I’m happy to get drunk for your viewing pleasure any time.”
The conversation is interrupted when a Vizier appears at Oliver’s shoulder. Chris remembers her from the Illuminator; Mallory something. She seems to be flirting with Oliver, he leaves the table and they move away to talk.
Makani is quite deferential to the Vizier.
Chris eyes Oliver and when he’s out of earshot, suggests to Makani that they should leave before he can come back and put Chris to work, and that she not tell Fromm where they’re going so he can’t dob them in.
It can be assumed, if you wish that Chris had a good time with Makani in her quarters.
We don’t hear from Chris again until a four Cycles later when the team are due to leave the planet.
Vizier Mallory
Chris shows up to the departure rendezvous looking dishevelled. He looks like he’s been on a major alcoholic bender. Hard to say if that’s sauce, wine or blood stains on his pants…perhaps all three.
Dicard looks at him disapprovingly.
They take a shuttle up to the Highport where they have a new ship waiting, it’s bigger than the previous one – a Maldemar-Class Sloop (Maldemar 732). Dicard says everyone can check out their cabins and get a couple of Jobs sleep, then he’d like everyone to assemble in the Galley at GR01 for breakfast and to get the ship ready for space.
Chris is normally more chatty but seems a little hung-over still; he has had a shower since yesterday though.
When the ship is ready, the team depart Zargonia for Pristine.
Any comments on the out-of-play bits?
Any questions?
The recap continues…