Bruce Johnson 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...

OOC: Don't skip this part.  What does Ricardo think about attending 
the Prada Charity Ball?

> > "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?"

"Sounds like a plan, to me." Jac smiles, "Especially, if we can get a 
valid Trade Ministry ID...which we can."

"Or the start of one anyway. I know for a fact, that Security isn't 
supposed to let those tapes out of their offices without a warrant. 
However, authorized people can view them *there*."

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

"I think it's a two man job." Jac says thinking a minute, "Someone to 
get us in the door with the ID of a high ranking Trade Ministry Officer 
and who will keep the Duty Officer busy, while an assistant 'runs the 
tape from yesterday' to confirm the number of boardings against the 
paper list."

"Yes, that's something my *former* bosses would do." Jac nods, "Audit 
their paper trail by counting heads on tape. And while supposedly 
auditing the list, it should be simple enough to make a copy of the 
tape, especially if a Ministry Lord was occupying the Security Officer."

"It might be suspicious if I was involved. Unfortunately, my name and 
face are better known here than I'd like. So, you need someone to play a 
Minister and someone to play an assistant." Jac says, "So, who do you 
think?"

Eris
AKU GM