Prologue: Bad Moon Rising

[VennDygrem]

(Group A)

Hieronymus frowns. "Tsk-tsk, what brings so much hostility to our conversation? Ms. Crane is a valuable asset to me, and I will not abide you turning her into a floor-stain. Now, shall we conclude our business like civilized people?"

(Group B)
Benedict observes Boris's mannerisms, what makes him tick. Does he have a tick? Is he sweating? Well, Boris does seem a bit pushy on the price, but the mention of illegality creates a momentary pause. Boris tries to play it off.
"Illegal? Illegal! Hah! You are funny, my friend. I buy these from legitimate source. You are maybe too suspicious of old Boris, no?"

Ironfist's observation of the alternators confirms Benedict's story about these matching the sort that come in many Federation ships. There is no marking to say so specifically, but they do fit the bill given your familiarity with them. They are in excellent condition, but you also know that there's nothing illegal about selling or buying these parts, so long as they weren't ripped right out of a Fed ship, and these look too new for that.

"We get to coils later. Right now, you need alternator, yes? These are finest Boris has, and he gives them away! Fifteen is reasonable price for such rare majesty! Surely you can appreciate quality hardware... you do not want to use inferior part, have whole engine comparment blow."

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Benedict gets a token. You each have one now.

[Childe]

Noa's grin soured in an instant. "Don't chide me, Heironymous. She would do better than to insinuate your contracts are prostitutes - or did you ignore that? And electrocuting your business partners deserves wrath. I am not wrong in thinking that." She stepped inside and shut the door. "I wonder if her discipline is lacking, or if Heironymous deliberately antagonizes his contracts. However, my wondering aside, River is right: I think we can finish our business."

[VennDygrem]

(Group A)
Hieronymus's face mirrored Noa's sentiments. "Now, now dear Captain. Do not play innocent with me-- No one is innocent, least of all you. Ms. Crane ought to have held herself to more professional standards than she did, and she will be dealt with in due time, but I am finding myself less and less amused by your thuggish behavior. You will find that I am not intimidated by such garish displays as that which I observed on my monitor while you were in my waiting room. I, for one, prefer to play my cards close to my vest. For instance, the electrical shock; I have my office outfitted with certain security measures due to the... sensitive nature of my business. Do not push my buttons, for they lead to far worse than a mild electrical current."

The gnome kept his gaze planted firmly on Noa's. "Now, if you please, I would have the signed cargo manifest so that I can pay you, and you can kindly leave my space station."

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You have the documents that he's asking for. It's standard procedure for a delivery job like this, to ensure that cargo arrives intact and secure. It may not be the most glamorous work, but it pays well.

It also seems Hieronymus is far more important now than when you took the job. Whatever happened, he seems to be running the space station as he mentioned. It explains the change in office, at least.

[Bozwevial]

Benedict's smile widens, and he spreads his arms in a friendly gesture. "Ironfist is sadly a little too familiar with a burned-out engine. That's why we're here--nothing worse than drifting cold for a day or two hoping for a garbage scow to pass by, and Ironfist tells me there's no better place to get parts than here. Barring the occasional M-38, of course." He grins affably.

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Diplomacy (1d20+8=21)

So, a little bit of flattery mingled with a little bit of guilt.

[Childe]

Noa met his stare and held it.

"I claim no innocence, Hieronymous. But if someone bites me, I bite back. I do not aim to intimidate, but I ask respect for all of my crew, and expect nothing less. We can play this game all day, but River has the manifest, and I'm sure she'd just as soon be off."

Noa was seething behind a stoic face. What she said was honest: if someone couldn't give another person basic respect, chances were, when you got right down to it, they weren't fit to live. You found patterns in the people you killed when it was your job.

"Then you can threaten and intimidate whomever you wish, but I will not let it be me and my crew," she said, and her voice slowed with her conviction, "so you can turn your security to other measures. We will be expecting the agreed price, our mutual offenses equivalent."

[skydragonknight]

River pulls out the manifest and hands it over to Hieronymus. "Well done on the promotion, Station Commander. I trust it was well earned. Perhaps we could work some mutually beneficial deals out in the future. May you rise above the competition!" she says, saying a traditional gnomish phrase of goodwill. Though since 'all is fair in business', rising above the competion usually meant truly cuttthroat methods, up to and including cutting actual throats.

[Nanshork]

"Come now Boris, fifteen?  Especially when I have made it clear that I have come to you first for my business and that I intend to purchase other parts?  What happened to the bond of friendship?"

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Diplomacy 1d20 : 14, total 14

[VennDygrem]

(Group A)
Hieronymus gives the documents a brief glance and then files them away. Turning back to River and Noa, he says, "Yes, well, things certainly seem to be in order. Your credits will be deposited into your account. I do so much hope to do business again with you soon. May you find fortune among the stars, my friends."

The gnome smiles, almost appearing genial, as though the recent heated exchange never took place.

(Group B)
Boris nods, saying, "Yes, yes, is no good to drift out in cold space with broken engine... but that is why you need best of best! This alternator will keep ship running even in most desperate of times! Do you really want to take chance with cheaper, less stable parts? I do not want to hear of my friends, old and new, starving and freezing out in space because they were too cheap to buy decent alternator!"

To Ironfist, Boris responds, "We are friends, yes, but I have business to run. Do you really want friend's family to go hungry? Shop to close? Marketplace taxes recently go up due to administration on station, is hard to afford rent!"

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Boz gets a token (now at 2), Nanshork does not (still at 1).

"Listen, other shops in market do not have such a good parts as I have here. In fact, I hear just last week, someone buys plasmic discharge converter from shop on opposite end of market, and their entire ship blows up in massive explosion.  Instantly vaporized. Kaboom! Coincidence? I think not. Buy from your friend Boris, and I think you are quite safe and sound!"

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Whenever you feel ready, you can start spending those tokens on demands. Since you're both sort of taking on Boris as one side against the other, I'll let you pool your tokens for bidding. Otherwise, feel free to keep trying to rack up the tokens. However, don't take too long, since Boris can also make demands of you.

[Bozwevial]

Benedict shakes his head regretfully. "Boris, do you want us to have to sell the ship for scrap? The alternator won't do us any good if we can't afford fuel, or food." He chews his lip thoughtfully before heaving a heavy sigh. "An even twelve thousand for the alternator and a nice compression coil. We'll be taking a loss on this job, though."

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I'll go ahead and bid the two tokens I have on this request. I have no idea what the scale is for money, but a twenty percent discount seems reasonable.

[Nanshork]

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I'll bid all of my tokens too!

I'm helping. 

[VennDygrem]

(Group B)

Boris looks long and hard at Benedict, scratching his beard as he contemplates. Finally, he speaks up. "I think... we have deal! Twelve thousand and coil on top... everybody wins! Hah hah!" Boris walks over to Benedict and slaps his hand on the pilot's back before slinging his meaty arm around him. "Come, then! We set up arrangement in front of shop for to have parts delivered to ship. Unless there is any other parts you are needing, hmm?"

[Childe]

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Noa's Perception to See if Boris is Being Honest About the Payment 1d20+11 : 19 + 11, total 30

Or her Bluff defense is 20. I'm not sure exactly which gets used here based on reading the Perception social use.
I'll post more once the roll result comes through.

[Childe]

OOC: No idea why I got his name mixed up. *Hieronymus, not Boris.

[VennDygrem]

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Nothing seems dirty or underhanded about his words. He's on the up-and-up. You get the idea that when it comes to business dealings, Hieronymus likes to keep things nice and clean. Everything else just might be dirty.

Here's the deal: I will always tell you guys, or at least indicate through dialogue, if someone's skill usage fails against your social defenses, especially if it's obvious or the results would be obvious. If they're telling a bald-faced lie, it's pretty obvious. If they're using perception, it's a lot less obvious. I won't tell you if they succeed, but then again their usages will more likely come up in social encounters. Usually the DM doesn't make a lot of public diplomacy or bluff rolls against the players, in my experience, and tends to keep those secret. But you will have some indication to tip you off as normal, which is usually when you'd use perception as a sort of proxy for sense motive.

[Bozwevial]

Benedict wobbles dangerously but manages to stay upright, grinning at Boris. "Ironfist, is there anything else we should get? New coat of paint, perhaps?"

[Nanshork]

Ironfist shakes his head.  "That was all we need.  A pleasure doing business with you Boris as always."

[VennDygrem]

(Group B)

"What, we do business and you do not even stay for drink? Is this 'Wham-Bam-Thank-You-Boris?' Come now, we must have drink, for sake of old times! Is on house, so to speak!"

[Childe]

Noa could tell Hieronymus was being honest. She really couldn't afford to throw their paycheck out the airlock. If he had lied, it would've been quite the escape. She hadn't shared her plan with River, but she might have a laugh and a story about it back on the Eclipse with the rest of the crew. You had to laugh to stay sane. She found that out quickly. The void of space was so quiet you'd go mad without chatter. She'd never imagined it like this back in Tilmfork, looking up at the stars, the reeds rustling.

"Cool days and a good tune," she said to the gnome. The other half went, "A good tune with a good partner," but she was learning that the universe was big, and she couldn't expect Hieronymus to know it. In fact, if he did, she and River might end up telling a different story back ---- home.

"Let's go, River."

[skydragonknight]

"Right." she says simply. Then, to Hieronymus, "Have a good day, sir."

She folllows Noa out of the room, waiting until they're out of earshot. "See? A little respect goes a long way. Make them feel good about themselves and you can more easily get what you want."

River had a kind heart, but she had inherited some of her father's business sense, which was anything but kind-hearted. "Anything else we should stock up on?"

[Nanshork]

Ironfist chuckles and claps Boris on the back.  "Of course we can have a drink while you make arrangements to get these parts to my ship, eh Boris?"  He winks and grins.