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[Chevaleresse]

"Can't say I mind letting someone else waltz into the trap first, though we're gonna want to find a decent following distance. Not too close, not too far, so we can avoid getting caught in the aftermath and still pick up our paycheck.

Either way, though, how much longer are we keeping this guy on the line?"

[IronyOwl]

"If we let someone else do it, we might lose valuable intel," Khate chimed in. "Even if it is a trap, it's half the information we have on the mission."

[lawastooshort]

”That is true. And perhaps our trap bait will be competent enough to fight their way out with the target and we’ll have wasted our time. Hmm. If the target is there, of course.

I would like to head to the target planet via the space station Deliria, to see if there is any intel to be gathered. I believe we’ll have time before the possible exchange. And then perhaps we can formulate a plan on how to survive this trap? There are many variables to consider…”

Action: search the deep for information on the target planet/Hub Station Flounder and even if possible the more exact area where this possible exchange is to take place. And then plot a course to Deliria and then onto the target, to give an idea of timescales.

To the Cane on the main channel:

”Please advise: do you require the target criminal alive or dead, Vizier? Regardless, contract accepted, I believe…”

On the private channel:

”I presume there are no objections…”

edit:
After a moment's thought.

”Say… Is there any non-ethical reason why we couldn't let the exchange and any associated ambush take place, and then let the perpetrator leave, and then steal the target item back? Or rather, to follow my thinking, if another group steps in and retrieves the item despite the ambush, we could steal it from them? Just thinking aloud, I suppose. I mean, do we want the item, or the criminal, or both? Once everything's apparently calmed down would be a good time to strike. And even if we don't turn on fellow bounty hunters, I think it's important that we consider others might turn on us, for such a large reward. I suppose the legal aspect is a non-ethical reason to consider. Unless we can prove the corruption of the retrieving team and thus justify their elimination. Hmm.”

[Tiruin]

((In which I forget there's an IC because the OOC doesn't have the IC link in the OP. Hah, all the acronyms \o/))

Kesari was busy with calibrations, checking up the sensors and staying afloat of the briefing through one of the said sensors. Appearing in the theater with some snacks for herself and others, she dropped one of her snacks next to Khate--the snack having a strange logo of a green spheroid 'vegetable' in a pyramid of itself--sitting beside her after a short greeting.

"If there's anything about the intel and location--if it's a trap, it must be done in a way that its creator will know of it. I've made calibrations to the sensor array to also scan the nearby surroundings; it's sensitive to outgoing transmissions so we'll also have a good chance of tracking both origin and reception and narrow down the trail from there--supposedly without being noticed ourselves (other than the trap). I am also glad I researched on marketing trends and 'things humans like to eat'; I recall a deep love of green, leafy flora--something I'd bet our mark would be vulnerable to crave for his strength and vitality. That, and we'd also be aware of others homing in in the area if food samples are the range of scanning. Coincidentally, since our sensors run on advertisements, I haven't known 'goat' is a popularly edible species either.

"That being said, our item is merely an item, correct? No "able to be tampered with" or "blow up if the holder dies" kind of deal? That would help a lot with your concern Aubrey."

Retroactively DO those calibrations to our sensors, get to work with the computer/AI in being agreeable to these depth-scans.

[Draignean]

Retroactively DO those calibrations to our sensors, get to work with the computer/AI in being agreeable to these depth-scans.

Getting anything out of the computer can be a challenge, but, when it comes to making the advertising more sensitive, it's completely gung-ho about it. It's going to slow scan time down, and you might have a little bit of difficulty going back down to general sweeps, but this should pick up the signal from an ant's fillings. Of course, it might be difficult to get the computer to not immediately throw advertisements at anything it detects.

"That being said, our item is merely an item, correct? No "able to be tampered with" or "blow up if the holder dies" kind of deal? That would help a lot with your concern Aubrey."[/color]

The already agitated Cane growls at the phrase 'merely an item'. "To your mind...  yes. The Star is inert. Unless Varkonius has rigged it otherwise, there is very little chance of damaging the artifact unintentionally."

”Please advise: do you require the target criminal alive or dead, Vizier? Regardless, contract accepted, I believe…”

The Cane gives a curt nod. "The death of Varkonius and the delivery of his body will result in a bonus." The vizier pauses for a moment, a vicious grin forming. "In point of fact, should you not be the group to deliver the Star, you'll still be paid respectably for the delivery of the Thief's body."

"The contract legalities will be transferred immediately."  The Cane grimaces, as though tasting something bitter. "I am, by our law, required to post the current mission mortality rate. We have contacted 15 groups such as yours. We've lost contact with nine, and six of those have been confirmed killed. Good hunting."
 
With that, the hologram winks out, probably leaving a number of unanswered questions in its wake.

[IronyOwl]

"Yay! We have a mission!"

[Chevaleresse]

"Sixty percent mortality rate, and whole crews at that. Super." It didn't exactly take an expert to pick up on her actual feelings on the matter as she stood up, drawing heavily off of her cigarette before sighing once again. "Sadish, put the box down for a bit, we're gonna want to triple check the medical supplies. Someone else wanna run a closer search on this guy, see if we can't pick up how he's been killing the people after him so far?" She starts keying up one of these searches herself as she makes her way out of the briefing room, heading toward the ballroom to make sure everything was in order and prepare a few extra first aid kits, just in case.

[lawastooshort]

"Sixteenth. Shall I plot a course? Six still to beat to it."

Aubrey wasn't a killer, but sixteenth? Pff. She started heading to the flight deck to mope at the computer in the hope of inspiration. They'd need a pretty good plan this time.

She turned back to the others.

"Kesari. Your plan is to... seduce him with salad? Have I misunderstood?"

After clarification, Aubrey made her way to the flight deck. She wondered about the possibility of Varkonius stopping mid-fight to examine some vegetables, and Kesari putting a bullet through his head from a mile away.

edit: corrected name from nickname

[Tiruin]

Kesari eep'd as she didn't notice her words causing offense--it was contextual, after all, but what was important was the impression, and she missed out on that with the Cane.

"I didn't mean it as an insult--I was thinking more as if it would be used as a 'tool' by the usurper and thief, worded as if in their eyes- oh great he left. No, its not seducing with salad...it's the unfortunate mishap that while our sensors may be quality-notch, it has been, well, tampered for marketing uses so to speak. Hence my calibrations--and possibly future calibrations. If we can heal the central AI given its eccentric nature, maybe that will fix or even improve our systems. But as of the moment, we will have to rely on viral marketing and consumerist-based advertising as our range of sensor identification."

[Draignean]

With the original automatic lighting damaged and still rather far down on the list or repairs for the Reunion, the theater was substantially darker with the Cane's hologram gone. It was a good time for thinking and planning. Making the raw jump calculations to any relevant point within AL-Loy space would take a few days, though perhaps as little as twenty hours using flicker jumps.

That left substantial time to get ready, analyze what data there was to analyze, and contemplate how the other crews were killed by one man.

Still, the most important thing the crew needed to decide was where exactly they were going. Flounder station was there closest lead with posted coordinates which could be used as a jump destination, but it was also new territory for the crew. It was the best chance to make up some of the lead the other crews had on them, but it also left them without active contacts.

Space station Deliria, while farther away from target, was still in AL-Loy space, and was a friendly port with an open tab on the crew's account and solid contacts in the info business. There was enough time to detour to delirium before Varkonius picked up his 'goats', the points were close enough that moving between the two would only another six hours, dramatically less if they could buy a jump solultion from Deliria to the Flounder, but it would still put them farther behind the other teams.

Important Question: Where are you going now?

Queued Action for Travel:
Aubrey: Research the deaths of the other mercies and try to find exactly where Varkonius is buying his goat.
Kesari: Poke the ship's computer to try and make it better.
Scarlet: Prep medical for imminent violence.

[lawastooshort]

"We can go in with more speed, or with a chance for more preparation. I prefer the latter although I am aware of the risk of losing our target. Everyone else?"

[heydude6]

((PTW))

[Digital Hellhound]

'I won't have us rush a job this risky. I say we go to Deliria.'

Watch over Kesari so she doesn't totally wreck my beautiful piece of junk. In fact, watch over the ship's systems in general, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

[IronyOwl]

See if I can look up any intel on our target's abilities and killing methods. The Deeps might contain all sorts of morbid curiosity on the topic.

[Tiruin]

Kesari: Poke the ship's computer to try and make it better.

Kes wondered about priorities. Sure the computer was not feeling well, which explained its outbursts and otherwise coping habits, but that was for later on. Her priority now was to align and 'persuade' the sensors along the general range of her target--the thief and any possible others in the system, alongside tracking for surface craft or any trails of that matter.

If she did actually have time after that, she would try to diagnose what the general problems about the computer were. Deduction was the key; she would get to the root someday as this would expectedly take long.

She gave the 'King' a nod as she saw his partial, opague reflection in one of the screens. She was glad sturdier versions of old-world glass was improved in the long history since starships have been made for this, or so she recalls her latent suppressed past.