Blood in the Water OOC Thread, Cyberpirates: Chatter here! Options

[Marwynn]

The only thing that's popping in my head with LXG is "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen".

Hmm, I think I overlooked that part about surveillance. Though Iago wouldn't have a background in analysis, I think he would know how to set up that. Hmm Knowledge Skills... don't know what you don't got since you don't have it.

[budoka05]

I'd be willing to do the Intelligence Analysis. OOC, I have plenty of knowledge about real-world intel analysis. However, that is not IC. If the GM is alright with this, I will nominate myself for Field Intel Analyst.

[MusicMan]

Alexander wouldn't touch Intelligence Analysis if he had the choice. Gathering intel is one thing, he does not have the skills really needed to do a proper analysis the was meant for anything more than tactical planning.

[CollateralDynamo]

Intel officer seems to me to be the guy that collates all the data and prepares to send the intel packet to our Jay. Using surveillance, interrogation, and negotiations would just be methods for getting the data that goes in our report. As XO, and therefore the guy primarily involved in day to day affairs, intelligence reports seem to be things that either Zalermo should be writing directly, or getting on his desk regularly before they are sent out. Zalermo has volunteered for the job, but if someone else wants to do the grunt work, thats fine with him.

Also, yes, LXG was a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen referrence...maybe I am too old. None of you remember the long heart warming scene with Sean Connery and that American Ponce guy out on the deck of their submarine shooting ceramic balls? C'mon! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Penta]

After discussing this with CD, in the interest of moving you guys from your fugue of trying to figure out who does what, I'm going to OOCly appoint people, since it wouldn't do for Walker to go back on his word about the CO appointing to posts.

I tried to take preferences into account. At the end of the day, though, skills won out. The list is done by player name, not character.

Engineering Officer: Karoline
Gunnery Officer: Budoka05
Marine CO: MusicMan
Thaumaturgical Officer: Marwynn
Intelligence Officer: *CollateralDynamo
Quartermaster: Budoka (no skills required)
Medical Officer: Karoline
Navigation Officer: Ears
Communications Officer: Whizbang

Intel officer really requires no skills, but will get a crash course towards the Intelligence Analysis knowledge skill.

Expect an IC post later today.

[Karoline]

Aww, only two posts and no quartermaster for me. Should make some fun IC play as Budoka has to get his budget approved by me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Edit: Also, I hope ears knows enough English to provide "Left" or "Right" directions (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[CollateralDynamo]

Ohh, a crash course in "Intelligence Analysis"!? I'm sure I'll stay awake! Sounds sooooooo exciting. (Quit my desk job for a reason) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Whizbang]

What is this left and right you talk about? It's starbord or port.

[CollateralDynamo]

Don't forget "fore" and "aft". But whatever, while you kids do cargo, I'll be in the "head".

[Karoline]

What is this left and right you talk about? It's starbord or port.

I figure with an English skill of 2, it is left and right, front and back.

[Whizbang]

Perhaps Melisandre needs to get to work coding a translator program for him..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Ears]

Edit: Also, I hope ears knows enough English to provide "Left" or "Right" directions (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

To ease communication I'll now give you the definitive guide to Troll <-> English concerning this topic:

left <-> *GRUNT*
right <-> *GRUNT*
No, you dipshit, the other left/right! <-> *SMACK OVER THE HEAD*

I hope this answers all questions.

[Penta]

She'd need to know Hausa first.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Anyway, to describe in-processing.

Before breakfast, you left your weapons and other gear bags with a Petty Officer, who brought them to your quarters. Or led a drone carrying them to your quarters. (Jane, this includes your drones. No drones at the table.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

After breakfast, each of you is taken aside by Roberts, to meet a Petty Officer who's running the computer setup.

You're asked to provide a palmprint and a voice print. Roberts explains that the ship has extensive AR features; some added by the Navy, some from the original ship. Most important while you're new to the ship is the "guidance lights" on the wall - they'll guide you to any specified destination aboard ship, and are activated by voice command specifying the location, followed by a palm applied to a nearby pad on the wall. You then follow your assigned color code, which lights up for only your AR view to reduce confusion.

OOCly and ICly, the idea is a direct rip-off of an idea seen in "Ender's Game" for the kids, and being the Ender's game geek that I am, I'll be assigning color codes accordingly.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The phrase for the voice configuration is "My voice is my passport. I am <name you wish to be known by the ship's computer as. Make sure it's one you'll recognize automatically!>. Verify me." Movie geeks, you win no karma for recognizing where that's from, but if you do without looking it up, you win a cookie. It's a very shadowrunny movie, to me.

The color codes, by player name.

Knight Saber: Orange, gray, orange.
CD: Cyan, cyan, cyan.
MusicMan: Blue, red, blue.
Karoline: Red, purple, gray.
Ears: Green, green, brown
Budoka: Blue, cyan, white
Whizbang: Purple, white, purple
Marwynn: Red, white, red
Milk ducks: Blue, Green, Gray

There are other features to the ship's computer, but I need to think them up, first. You'll also learn how to navigate the ship without it (for emergencies), but I thought this feature up last night.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Other than that feature (if anybody protests to giving a palmprint, or voice print, or name...Roberts stares at you and asks why you don't think the UCAS doesn't already have all that info already...And besides, it gets stored in the ship's computer, nowhere else), in-processing is pretty standard. You're measured for and issued uniforms, of a sort - custom-sized fatigues for shipboard wear, including deck shoes, also custom-sized. If there are objections, Chief Ramirez patiently explains why they issue uniforms in the navy - it's not for camoflauge, like in the army or marines; it's for sanitation and hygiene reasons, as well as protection. You don't have to wear them, but they cut down significantly on laundry duty and water use. And, oh yes, expenses. He explains that there's a store of extra fabric, and a desktop thing that'll create new uniforms as needed. (They're not flats; they're more expensive and more durable...Plus they include limited fire protection. But they can be made automaticallly, and while they aren't disposable, they're more designed for practicality than style.) These aren't naval-issue uniforms. They're specific to you guys, without identifying markings. (One extra reason why they're custom-sized: You know instantly if you have the wrong uniform.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ) In feel, they're sort of like the jumpsuits NASA astronauts wear IRL, except they're two-piece. They're sized to fit comfortably, to an extent they're baggy though, and they have *tons* of pockets. If asked about the expense, Roberts shrugs. The auditors approved it.

You're also issued survival gear in the event you need to abandon ship, which Roberts explains the use of. If you've ever seen "Deadliest Catch", think of their survival gear, except more high-tech. (I...doubt we'll ever need to use it.)

You're given back some of your weapons, the smaller ones (really, nothing bigger than a pistol) - they've been immaculately cleaned while you ate and talked - and told that the rest are in your quarters. Captain Walker earnestly advises establishing an armory/arms room to securely and safely store weapons and ammunition, and has ordered space be alloted for that aboard ship, but will not insist upon it.

Finally, you're advised of where your quarters are, and shown to them by Lt. Roberts. You can change them after everybody leaves, but until that point, the ship's kinda full, so quarters assignments are fixed during training.

Everybody gets roughly the same quarters:

Not exactly the *biggest* quarters you could think of, these are still the size of a middle-class hotel room. They feature private heads with showers (no bathtubs), and also feature private trids hooked up to the satcom. Comms occur from the bridge only, to maximize security, but the ship has wifi, and you can access a fair supply of games and the like on the ship's computer system. Roberts advises, though, that in his experience, shipboard life is isolating enough without becoming a recluse in your quarters when you're off-duty. Better to watch the trid as a group when you can, but you can get some alone time.

Cooking occurs *only* in the galley - and until training is finished, only at mealtimes (roughly: Breakfast at 0700, Lunch at 1300, Dinner at 1800, "Midrats" at 0000) - this is a safety measure; fire aboard ships is even worse than on land. (The limitation on cooking to mealtimes is because the mess crew is configured like that, not for 24-hour service.)

After that, you're informed that (it's now about 0945) "you have 15 minutes to get unpacked and ready for what comes next". Those are Roberts's exact words. What comes next? He has no idea, he was told to tell you that by the Captain. In those words.

At 1000, you're called to the aft sun deck, now cleared off to serve as a flight deck, by the Captain over the ship's intercom/PA.

(And now an admission of your GM's thundering RL stupidity. Today, I had stupidly scheduled my ride to school to pick me up...When it should have picked me up tomorrow. And bring me home...about when class was supposed to start today. Naturally, John isn't going to class today. John feels very, very stupid at the moment. I post this to publicly admit my stupidity, to warn that I won't be the best person to argue with or annoy for a bit...And so that whenever I check this page, I'm reminded of my breathtaking stupidity. Aren't I lucky this school doesn't really take attendance (and that I've not missed a class before this semester)? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) )

[budoka05]

So I can do gunnery without the gunnery skill?

[Penta]

You still need the skill, but you're going to get a crash course in it to bring you up to a 1, dependent on the expenditure of karma as you get it. Gunnery applies only to weapons mounted on the vehicle (fixed, in a pintle mount, in a ring mount...In a weapon mount). Otherwise, you take a -3 modifier for firing from a moving vehicle.

[CollateralDynamo]

THATS SNEAKERS!!!! "MY" "voice" "is" "my passport?" Good reference!

Also good post.

[budoka05]

Alright, I'll count on adding Nautical Engineer and Gunnery to my skill list.

If possible, we should do shadowing exercises. Given our skills set, we have surveillance and infiltration fairly well handled. However, shadowing is a much more difficult art. When following a target, a CIA team makes coordinated maneuvers to switch off between different individuals. Before the target begins to have the inkling that someone is following him/her, the someone goes off into a different direction and no longer follows the target. Someone else on the team take the shadowing over, and the target is none the wiser.

However, you said 48 hours right? Those exercises can take a whole day in of themselves to do. So maybe another time?

[Penta]

I actually screwed up on my estimation of the time it'd take you guys to get to your destination.

At 12 knots (which is what I recall the cruising speed of the Phoenix yacht to be), it would take you about 83.3 hours to get where I intend you guys to head next.

So it's actually closer to 4 days. Most of this time will be handled at the speed of plot - covered not quite via training montages, but close.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[MusicMan]

So it's actually closer to 4 days. Most of this time will be handled at the speed of plot - covered not quite via training montages, but close.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Yay speed of plot!

[CollateralDynamo]

Yay speed of plot!

I LOVE how fast that makes boats...and planes....and plantains.

And I also LOVE how slow it makes bombs...speeches...and government intervention.

[Penta]

To answer MM's OOC question: No, no rolls needed. I figure if you've served in any military, you at some point learned to identify rank insignia on the old US system, because of how common it'd be among friendly (or enemy) militaries.

[MusicMan]

I LOVE how fast that makes boats...and planes....and plantains.

And I also LOVE how slow it makes bombs...speeches...and government intervention.

Yeah... you can get from UCAS to Japan in three words ("and you arrive"), but it takes seventeen paragraphs before you can shoot the BBG in the face.

[Karoline]

Yeah... you can get from UCAS to Japan in three words ("and you arrive"), but it takes seventeen paragraphs before you can shoot the BBG in the face.

If you're really good you can do it in two words "You've arrived." (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Marwynn]

By the way guys, Iago has Braggart and Compulsive (Vain), so he comes off as a little touchy and arrogant. Feel free to needle him! He'll just remind you who's casting the Heal spell around these parts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Karoline]

Hmm... I was under the impression we didn't get the new duds until after breakfast.

And don't worry, I'll just remind him who is casting the "Ouch, lost a hand, huh?" fix (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Edit: Sorry if that sounded nitpicky, was a good post, and likely doesn't matter much when exactly we get the new threads.