For those who aren't so familiar with the background of the "official" Traveller universe, a couple of notes about the Traveller's News Service entries.

The dates given are in day/year format. The official Imperial Calender has 365 days, but no real months as-such. So the date 46-1111 for example would be the 46th day of the 1111th year of the Third Imperium. Official Imperial dates are used for most purposes, but can vary quite a bit from "local" time-keeping. As a rule, generally, in-game the dates and such will be official Imperial reckoning.

Since there is no faster-than-light communication aside from what is carried on ships, it takes a long time for news to spread across the entire 11,000 worlds. This is why you'll note that some entries (the one from the Solomani Rim, for example) may be many weeks or months behind the "current" date. The absolute fastest news can travel is six parsecs per week (via a ship with a Jump-6 drive; your ship has a Jump-2 drive for comparison, or two parsecs per week). The Scout Service maintains a network of Jump-6 ships called X-Boats - basically jump drives with huge computer storage capability and one very lonely scout strapped in for a week of self-reflection. They move along set routes, dispensing and collecting news as they go, which is then spread off of the main routes by other ships. Think of them as the "pony express" of the Imperium. If you look at the maps you'll see lines between some worlds - these are officially charted jump routes, used by most ships for most purposes, including the X-Boats. Of course, fast couriers can be used when an X-Boat isn't available, or if something needs to go to a world off the main route quickly.

As such, safe but not-very-profitable cargo can almost always be had in the form of data and/or physical/bulk mail. Someone has to move the letters and bills, and off the routes there is not "postal service" per se.

As the astute among you will have already determined that means that you can also, if planned carefully and with a fast enough ship, out-run news of anything that you might have done. Just saying.

As a heads-up, Wk, based on UPP, Cap'n Buzz is interested in what sorts of illicit goods can be transported to Adabicci. Worlds with high law levels also tend to be the most corrupt, if MWM's description of the Bribery skill holds true, so that is someplace we're probably going to do a little smuggling at some point.

So, Cap'n Buzz is going to look up whatever information he can find on Adabicci.

He's also going to be looking for a starport with a reputation for doing 'after-market mods' to starships, to quietly get some smuggling compartments built into the Moonlight. I think Aron may be asked to make some inquiries on that score in startown.

Finally, Buzz wants to know about the situation on Shirene. Amber Zone, zero law level - can we purchase weapons and explosives there? What is the nature of the Amber Zone?

In typically Vilani fashion, Cap'n Buzz is going to get group consensus on our route, but right now I'm looking at Lunion to Carse to Capon to Carse to Shirene and back to Lunion for starters.

Adabicci - (Lunion 1824) - A57189B-B

Government is via Impersonal Bureaucracy (agencies insulated from the governed, they control the means of production, the producers, and the products).

Law Level B Extreme law (rigid control of civilian movement, regulations for almost every area of civilian and corporate life)  

What they want (illicitly of course) - consumable liquids of any type (liquors and fruit juices especially, but even bottled water would be premium), fresh foods (even some preserved types, variety is lacking), luxury items (small and inexpensive are best), clothing (the more exotic the better), drugs (all types, especially recreational), entertainment/personal electronics (certain types of films/music/etc. are deemed "counter productive" and frowned upon).

What they produce - lanthanides and other industrial minerals, industrial chemicals (not in large quantities, somewhat specialized and therefore profitable).

Problem - the bureaucracy. They require layers of permits to deliver "approved" cargos, and even more to ship off-world. As such, very few independent traders make port there. Corporations and their lawyers make their living just satisfying the miserly bureaucrats.


Shirene - (Lunion 2125) - B984510-B

A corporate "bread basket" agricultural planet, the Amber Zone is a holdover from the recent Fifth Frontier War and associated problems with the nearby Sword Worlds. Declared Amber due to enhanced security in the system, mostly as a warning that there would be increased military presence and scrutiny of any inbound ships. Will probably be down-graded once someone gets around to thinking about it.

That's the official story, at least.

Ack, another question! Which trade system are we using? Book 2? Book 7? Something else?

I imagine getting some 'tax free' liqour is stupidly easy. Its keeping it 'tax free' on the other end that is the problem.  I can probably hunt down some recreationals on top of that, low bulk per dose means a lot of doses per 'ton' of cargo.

As for Smuggling: I know that the MT agent book talks about compartments hidden in the fuel cells. I image Aron would know a little about that, its simple, practical and hard to beat if you aren't greedy (even if the customs guy thinks to check fuel cells, that is a long of hard to get to territory to check... usually with liquid hydrogen in it already!).


I'm typing this from work, so I won't have dice, or even dice simulators for about twelve hours (then Ima crash, didn't sleep last night, too busy...), so if I need a streetwise roll for some pharma, I don't mind someone else rolling to keep things moving, unless you screw up

So, I need a book on proper Vilani ship-butlering, a formal white uniform jumpsuit, a crate of the local rum (preferrably bootlegged) to keep the engineer juiced for the trip...

Oh... and a personal loan from the captain for 1.3k* so I can buy a full set of shares.  

No sweat.  :cool:






*estimating the above shopping list at under or around 200 credits. Also, just wanted to say when I used "tenk" in the IC thread, that was a slang portmanteau of Ten-Credits.  

I may need to keep a list of slang words.  Beats my last attempt at PbP gaming, where I downloaded an eighty page lexicon of russian vulgarities....

Trade Book - use whatever you're comfortable with. To be honest, I haven't read the trade rules in so long I don't even really remember them.

Anything you want to add to the "lexicon" or whatever, feel free to post in the resources thread Spike (or anyone else for that matter).

Is making prison hooch covered under streetwise?

I believe it would be, yes.

Well, I guess I know what I'll be doing in some dark corner of the cargo bay...

So, are we done with dinner? What was the tab?

Total tab for your table is around CR100 per person - somewhat pricey, but it's actually all pretty good stuff.

I'm going to be in all-day meetings tomorrow and Thursday, then on the road on Friday, so I'll try to get an update in later today if possible. Silly employer, expecting me to work during the day or something.

Aron's going to check around the underbelly of the port, see if any of the starports his... ah... previous crews might have used are still operating in the region.  If he can put in word that the Sirius Moonlight is available to move cargo from such stations to more legitimate ports for ships that can't... for personal reasons... all the better, but that's not really his first priority right now, just finding 'friendly' ports that do maintenance and modifications, no questions asked.

Updated my cred total to reflect dinner

Haven't fallen off the face of the Earth (yet) - just got home finally and I'll be busy today but will try to post an update either tonight or tomorrow. thanks for the patience.