Notes from Security

[Pher 0]

Joe?

 

This thing is really funky. Shane’s device is a pretty fancy murder machine. Very small and hard to detect. Able to move through the body. Kills by poison. Delayed action is programmable. Controllable remotely. Really exotic.

 

It’s purpose is to kill, but I don’t know what the delay timer is set for. If we send the specs, they might be able to get it out. It would be easier to send the control codes to turn off the timer. It is programmed to go to a specific point in the body. Assuming it is there, and they know what they are looking for, it should be removable.

 

Troy, myself and perhaps Soora could learn more, but I would prefer to transmit the crucial information back to Savoy ASAP. She will likely have access to better people than we do. If they have difficulties, Pharmall has people that might help.

 

Pher

[Pher 0]

Joe?

 

There’s quite a stink in the cargo bay. I encouraged Byblos to bring his hover bike aboard, but he didn’t mention that it has been sprayed by a stink vermin. Would you mind giving him a priority to end the biological warfare? I don’t like the competition.

 

Pher

[Pher 0]

Joe

 

Sal has been working the subspace relays, doing personal stuff. Are we in paranoid mode? I figure that the relay operators might be able to figure roughly where we are should we transmit. I’ve heard that if they have a very good reason and lots of spare computer time, they can break commercial encryption. I’m not too worried. I just figure if there is some Fed prowler out there somewhere looking for a ship to board, I don’t want him to know where we are.

 

Should I worry about it?

 

Pher

[Pher 0]

All

 

I’ve already talked to a few of you. For old timers, this won’t be a lot of news. Still, I figure I’ve got to talk about weapons policy.

 

The Feds in some ways resemble chicken droppings. They don’t want ship crew to have real guns. However, they are really annoying chicken droppings. They can make more trouble that real guns can solve.

 

Thus, I’d like to review what weapons everyone has, and beyond that how you are inclined to use them. How much conflict have you seen? What style of fighting are you best at? If you had a chance to plan a fight, what sort of fight would you like to start? Basically, if I end up planning or leading a fight, I’d like to know how to use you best.

 

I’ll start with myself. I don’t really expect y’all to get as elaborate.

 

I carry a pain stick with a stun setting. In my foolish youth I got involved in some messy stuff, so I’m pretty good with it. I’ve got a very small gun usually set to wide beam stun. It’s a stun them all let the First Energy Being sort them out kind of thing. For real trouble I’ve got a stun rifle with a grenade launcher attachment. I’ve got a decent supply of non-lethal grenades : flash-bang, smoke, sleepy gas and the like. I’m better in close with the stick than I am at range, so I tend to use range weapons that don’t require a lot of finesse. If they create problems enough to give me time to close, that’s all I ask.

 

The other question is when to use that stuff. I’d rather seduce the opponent than stun him. If I have to fight, I prefer a nice ambush. If the battle is over before the other guy has figured out it has started, that’s good. Of course, you can’t get too much of a rep for doing that sort of thing. It’s hard to seduce somebody if he’s looking over his shoulder for the ambush.

 

It’s also harder to seduce a guy if your shipmates have been trying to kill him. I hate that. We’ll get into a lot of trouble, anyway. Still, before you open up, could you try to consider your ship mate’s love life?

 

Anyway, if y’all could send a quick note to give your own approach to things, I’d appreciate it.

 

Thanks

Pher