On May 3, 2004, at 9:52 PM, Eris Reddoch wrote:

> Jac is putting the comm down when Ricado sees him calling out to him,
> "Ricardo!"
>
> "Captain! If you have a few minutes, I need to talk to you." he says
> when Ricardo stops at the door, "I contacted some friends of mine and
> asked some discreet questions. I didn't get anything directly on 
> target,
> but I did learn that Lord Geoffrey Hayes is hosting the Prada Charity
> Ball this evening at his country estate."
>
> "I think it might be a good idea for us to make an appearance there, if
> for no other reason than to let us, you, size up Hayes." he says, "I've
> asked Mira is she would attend with me and she accepted. She suggested
> that you, and perhaps one or more of the cousins also attend. What do
> you think?"
>
> After this topic is discussed...
>
> "You wanted to talk to me about the systems out toward Montrose didn't 
> you?"
>
> OOC: I'd like to hold off on that for just a moment, because....
>
> At just this moment, Woof returns and tells Ricardo what he has found 
> out.
>
> "Kurzu, Leuet and Serbia." Jac says after Woof tells them the three 
> most
> likely destinations, "Narrows things down, but doesn't help a lot. If 
> we
> could get the specific ship that would do it....do you think those
> recordings could *really* pinpoint which ship the Hootish people 
> boarded?"

Ricardo nods, "yeah, if Cory or Arvitis could get ahold of those tapes 
they may well be able to ID the specific ship."

Ricardo rubs his chin. "What we need is a convincing con....Jac you 
surely have a DEA-like agency here right? Deals with smuggling, 
contraband, etc. Wonder if we could get someone to look like an 
undercover agent enough to get a quick 'oh I can't wait for a warrant' 
look at those tapes. "

He shakes his head. "Nah, that gets close to impersonating a police 
officer, they get pissed at that. An officious but academic 
bureaucrat.... "

He looks at Jac with a sly grin on his face.

He assumes a nasal, professorial tone of voice "You know, from the 
Trade Ministry Economic Research Office or something. "We need a 
selection of port surveillance tapes for a 'Landing and lading 
regulations realignment' study, could we have a copy of representative 
daily tapes from six months ago, three months ago and...No, I'll wait. 
Oh, it will take *that* long to get out of the archives? Dear me, the 
Duke wants this information as soon as possible! I'll have to go 
upstairs to get...oh you will, thank you! When you get them please send 
them to my office...'"

He pantomimes handing the person a card. "'Can I have at least 
yesterday's to start? Surely you haven't archived those yet? Those 
would keep me busy for a couple of days, give you more time to get the 
others out of storage.'"

"Sound like a plan?"

"Now it has to be someone they don't know...my mug's been on the 
trivid, Woof they know. Hmmm..."


--
Bruce Johnson
University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group

Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs