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

[Karoline]

Somehow, 'Illegal profession' doesn't sound like a good cover. As to why they don't use air? Well, by sea may be slower, but it is cheaper and can move more goods.

I wouldn't imagine many bounty hunters go around in yachts either, seems like an oddly conspicuous way to hunt down targets.

I like the reality TV cover story, though I agree with Penta that if our first disguise is broken, we're already likely in more trouble than a second cover story is likely to get us out of. Maybe we could say that we are secretly working for their government to disrupt CAS shipping lines? So close to the truth that they just might bite.

[Marwynn]

I like the "secretly filming for a Reality Trid" angle. Might be able to explain away some of our activities, but certainly not the gear.

Our Face/XO will have to do a whole lot of Fast Talking there. Or the rest of us do a lot of shooting. (Or Iago can change their memories...)

[Karoline]

Well, the ship itself doesn't have much that is illegal and visible, so we just have to worry about people looking into our personal stashes.

[CollateralDynamo]

The reality TV angle I think is a good one. Zalermo has a contact in the media that may be able to help in making the cover story more legit if necessary, something that can back us up a long way.

One thing to note, I think, is that our starting package contains Fake SINs for all of us (plus a few extra apparently now that there aren't 10 PCs). If we can assume that these SINs are tied into our fake backstory (as was the point when we first purchased them), we can make it look like all of us work for a small subsidiary of Horizon. That way, governments will be naturally inclined to back off once they realize that we are related to a big fish.

Even if the governments DO contact Horizon, Horizon will likely not wish to give the vessel over to the police until they are sure that it isn't theirs, by the time they figure out what is going on we can have our "plates" and "paint" changed and hopefully be off running again. We'd probably need new fake SINs, but if we've botched badly enough for our first cover to be pierced, and our second cover to not be believed, we should expect some serious losses.

Also, clearly for our cover the captain would be required to see to ship duties. But I figured that it would fall to the XO (my character) to see that the rich kids get what they want and "give them the tour". By seeing to their every needs I have ample opportunity to ensure that they don't go snooping where they don't belong. The same goes double for anybody who tries to board us.

"Of course you can speak with the captain, sir. Right this way to the bridge. Oh, as we walk let me tell you the history of this fine vessel." And, when even my charms fail to convince the feds to gtfo, "Hit it with a rock! Wipe his memory! Leave him unconscious in Caracas, he'll be fine! RUN!"

[budoka05]

One other suggestion, pirate hunters. Since we're supposed to look like a luxury yacht and we're heavily armed, this would make sense. The only problem would be that pirate hunters can attract the wrong type of attention, especially from pirate gangs.

[CollateralDynamo]

If we say we are pirate hunters, or any sort of gray market industry, we should try to relate ourselves to an existing org.. What band of crazies would go out and hunt pirates without a support grid? Okay, we WOULD...but nobody will believe such a crazy story without some backup from mainland!

[budoka05]

True, no SANE pirate hunter would operate without support, but we don't have to be sane!

CD, nonetheless that is good point. We'd have to create much more to make that cover more bullet-proof.

One final suggestion before I detract from the good ideas being thrown around: PMC for corporates. Essentially we're contractors for corporations that find their people kidnapped by more dastardly elements of the Caribbean League. With all the tourists and organized crime in the area, I think it would make sense that there would be folks with underground connection that provide friendly extraction services for kidnapped personnel.

Additionally, we could provide extra muscle/security for execs visiting the region for business ventures.

Although corporations would probably find their valuable employees come hell or high water, there might be situations where discretion would lead to greater chances of successful extraction. That's where we come in. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[CollateralDynamo]

Thats actually not a bad plan. Extra muscle for corp-execs with an added service of discretionary extractions from the seedy element...could work as well as explain why all of us are pretty much unstoppable bad asses. Also, due to our clients desire for secrecy we keep it as our deep DEEP cover, behind the whole "oh yeah, we are just ferrying rich kids playing games" as well as the "oh yeah, we are actually recording them to sell". We can say "yep, you caught us, their parents actually hired us to guard the little brigands and make sure they land in the right ports. But shhh, don't tell the kids, they'll get unhappy, try to run away, really a pain in the ass to track them down by RFID in Caracas. Do YOU want to tell their mom you lost them in Caracas? I didn't think so, now get the hell off my boat."

[Karoline]

...could work as well as explain why all of us are pretty much unstoppable bad asses.

Except you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

And me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

And maybe our hacker (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleepy.gif)

We do have some unstoppable bad asses don't we? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[CollateralDynamo]

[ Spoiler ]

On Knife and Pistol checks Zalermo gets 15 dice= 7 (agility) + 4 (skill) +2 (specialization) +2 (smart-link/rating)
Base Damage on the Knife is 3P AP -1 (weapon counts as magic), on the Pistol is 6s(e) (yay stick and shock!)

I don't think I'm half bad for a guy who will ideally charm you out of attacking and instead make you a BFF. "Unstoppable Badass" is clearly a subjective term. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Karoline]

Hehe, well, way better DP than I have, but I have the advantage of being able to get up to... what, 32ish attacks per round? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[CollateralDynamo]

So see! You ARE an unstoppable badass, don't sell yourself short! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

[Karoline]

It's only 32 attacks a combat round. I'm sure everyone can manage at least that? What? No? Just me? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[budoka05]

It's only 32 attacks a combat round. I'm sure everyone can manage at least that? What? No? Just me? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Yeah, I suck. I merely have Chuck Norris moves with lightning... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Whizbang]

[ Spoiler ]

4 init passes, 14 dice an attack

Melisandre is badass in the Matrix, does that count? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Penta]

You're Proto-Badasses, each of you. You have the potential to be badass, but you aren't yet.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

With that said, can we get back to the cover(s) discussion?

[budoka05]

I've already put up a couple of suggestions. What's the feedback?

[Marwynn]

I vote Trid Show. You know, we could actually make that work. Just edit ourselves out. Part of being a pirate is self-promotion after all. I think it makes for a great secondary cover story in case we happen along with a kid who's too smart or nosy for his own good.

We'll need a better cover story against corps and the navy. We can work that into our Fake SINs, we're "really" a Horizon (subsidiary) team meant to safeguard the rich and pompous and capitalize on it on the matrix. But sometimes we're asked to transport celebs too. Or engage in secret insertions and deliveries. Multi-purpose, saves the corp some money.


Iago will look around Cape May for a tri-horn hat or something piratey, just to have around. He's up for drinks by the way, all the better to gloat about his greatness.

[Knight Saber]

CD's third-level cover of "Yes, we're really corporate security watching over the little darlings" works well on top of the first two, but we could take budoka's "pirate hunter" idea as a fourth level... not pirate hunters (they would have an armed ship) so much as pirate bait, a Q ship sort of thing.

"Yes, we cruise around with corp execs with a modicum of secrecy... hoping to draw out pirates for a kidnapping attempt, then we drop the hammer on them. You can see why we want to keep this operation a closely-guarded secret."

[Marwynn]

Note: Jonas (Iago) is deliberately trying to take the kudos for the ideas. It's unlikely he'd forget who would suggest that.

If there are any mistakes please let me know, just wanted to post something.

[Karoline]

"Our cover story is like an onion."
"Smelly and makes people cry?"
"No, it has many layers... and makes some people cry.. yes."

[CollateralDynamo]

Cool sounds like we'll be getting deets on our mission soon and be out actually committing crimes! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

In other news, what should we do with our shore leave? What is Cape May like in SR? According to my internets its good for bird watching today...I imagine its location in Jersey however makes it a toxic "ick zone" in 2072. Any thoughts? Perhaps we could find a pier and play ski-ball during our 24 hours off? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Penta]

Being from Jersey, I was incredibly insulted by NAGNA turning it into a toxic zone back in SR1, so deem that to be Neo-A lies.

No, seriously. The people who write about Jersey have been usually frickin' clueless about Jersey. North Jersey might have pollution issues, but not central or south Jersey. I'm from around Sandy Hook, but I can describe Cape May and the general area:

This is where everybody from Philly comes to play. The farther you go up north, the more it becomes people from New York. Atlantic City is the great mixer. Prior to Indian Casinos, it was the only place you could go in virtually the entire Northeast to gamble legally. I sense that after the Indian relocations prior to the NAN, it would have resumed said status.

I see pollution as being an intermittent problem, but no more than it is today - a very, very intermittent issue. Once every couple of years, something happens in Philly or New York and New Jersey gets Weird Stuff washing up on our beaches. It's quickly cleaned up and all returns to normal.

The key theme of Cape May: Frozen in time. It's a corporate-sponsored attempt at freezing time around the 1950s-1980s. Attempt is the key word: It's still as modern as anywhere else, but the corps pour a great deal into sponsored amusement parks and similar shore attractions that give off that vibe. Wildwood is nearby, for anybody familiar with the area.

CD, you win cookies for making me giggle with the ski-ball reference, I was about to suggest that.(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Outside of the immediate shore area: Cape May is very, very rural. There *is* the odd cow farm, I kid you not, but a lot of land is given over to crops like cranberries and the like. Bog-type crops.

Oh, yes. Also.

There is a freakin' huge Coast Guard presence. Their main recruit training center is at Cape May, and you can often spot Coasties on liberty along the Shore and in the bars.

[Marwynn]

Hey Penta, is there time for my character to drive up to New York and back? Track down his parents maybe? I know this is team-building RP but I thought it'd be nice to visit.

[Penta]

NYC is...Jeez, 2 hours away one-way, closer to 3 with traffic?

There might be, but I dunno how long he'd really have in NYC.