8/4/99
013-1122
While looking for a good place to stash the gear. It's decided that Tessa will stash the majority of her combat gear. Ethan will stay behind and watch the stuff. Tessa will approach one or two of the local farms and kind of get the local impression of the Matador. Possibly arrange to rent storage space for the extra gear.
Tessa manages not to get bitten by the farmers dog. Tessa learns that it is possible to catch the train out of town. The farmer also informs Tessa that there hasn't been much trouble locally. The farmer seems hesitant to let us stay for the night but is willing to rent us some storage space for our gear. Ethan comes in with the gear. Ethan is a little taken aback when the farmer recognizes that he is a Theresan. Apparently a Theresan came through her a while back ago with one of those extreme sporting clubs. Ethan and Tessa are shown where to wash up for dinner. After getting cleaned up a bit Ethan manages to get the farmer talking about the Matador. Seems that the locals don't think the Matador is really up to the rep he's been given. Ethan asks if the town has a place called the Metropole or something like that. The farmer tells us that this is the big hotel in town... Where everyone gathers etc... Tonight's venue is from the "Musical Society". The farmer points out that our attire is probably not going to blend very well with the local color. Ethan has blue jeans and a shirt he can wear but Tessa only has her fatigues. EThan reminds the farmer that we still owe him for a nights room and board. Ethan passes the farmer 500cr in small bills. Ethan asks "Is this going to cover it?" as the money quickly disappears. Tessa is decked out in the farmer's wife's best blue sunday dress and bonnet. Apparently one of the daughters wants to go into town with us. The mom doesn't think this is a good idea as this isn't "the movies". The daughter asks Tessa if she could teach her to fight. Tessa explains that she could if she had 8 years (My God!... That's Forever!!.) Ethan interrupts the discussion when he knock on the door to the room and asks if Tessa is ready. The Farmer takes us into town in the family buggy. We are dropped off at the train station which is across the square from the Hotel Metropole.
As we get settled into the ballroom we notice that the horseman we followed in her is sitting at a table by himself. We also notice that there is a very striking young woman accompanying an older man who is dressed fairly well... Not off the rack for this guy. There is also a couple of men who have brand new shiny local clothing. At 7pm the couple at the one table get up and go over to the horseman. The woman seems to be nervous about something. A short time later the young woman heads for the ladies room. Tessa misses this and Ethan nudges Tessa and gets her headed off to the ladies room as well. Inside the ladies room Tessa notices that the woman has a small revolver and is checking it. Meanwhile the two men are in deep discussion. After the woman returns there is a final glass of drinks and then the well dressed man leaves. Shortly thereafter the music starts playing. At this point the woman heads up the stairs. One of the locals with new clothes moves to take a position away from his partner. The woman returns shortly after wearing riding clothes and suitcases. Outside everyone takes a left. Following the couple to a less well lit part of town the couple heads down an alleyway. The two men dressed as locals move to attack the couple. Ethan hits one of the attackers with his claws and putting him down... Good thing too as the attacker had a vibra blade. Tessa shoots the pistol from the other attackers grip. He doesn't drop though. Ethan closes with the gunman while Tessa takes another shot at the attacker. Ethan gets an attack in and the attacker is now a falsetto. Ethan get another attack and finally puts the attacker down. The horseman has his pistol out and is aiming it steadily at Ethan. Ethan asks if he is going to shoot or put it away. The horseman wants to know if this is a well intended meeting or not. Ethan manages to find the ID for the two attackers A Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith. Between them they have a couple thousand credits. One has a paper with the numbers 644/4 2200 written on it. The Nun in the alcove does not seem amused by the activities in the alley. It seems that Tobias Bartholomew Culpepper has been bringing many of the young women to the convent to protect them from harm. Mr. Culpepper explains to us a little about the history behind his involvement in this operation and his connection to Col Dominguez, who he finds less than reputable. Ethan wonders if Dominguez is still in town. Tessa suggests a private rail car might be a most likely place to start. Ethan, Tessa and Culpepper locate an appropriate looking rail car. Unfortunately it has a guard posted outside. A clever plan to get past the guard is come up with... basically making Tessa appear to be the Colonels bed partner for the night. We get past the guard outside. However Dominguez was expecting Suzanne. A slight motion and Dominguez signals two rather large goons, who draw machete's and a third person from outside closes the door from outside. As soon as the machete's are out Ethan has his gauss pistol out and aimed at Dominguez. Several boasts are made about who will survive the fight should one ensues. Everyone pretty much agrees that Dominguez will not survive. One of the guards rushes Tessa. who shots him. The other guard rushes Culpepper. Ethan closes on Dominguez. Tessa shoots her guard in the arm. Culpepper shoots his guard in the head. and Ethan shoots Dominguez in the calf. The guard from outside decides to try and get in and take part... he does but at the end of Tessa's 9mm. Tessa questions the guard to see if there is any one else that might want to join our little party. Dominguez pulls the "You have no idea what's at stake here" routine to which Ethan replies "Oh you mean I don't know that Ling Standard is behind the operation to put the mills below production levels so that they would have a reason to come in and strip mine the planet in this one particular area?" Dominguez is taken a little by surprise by this revelation. Or more to the fact that someone actually knew the plan. AT this point the private from outside tries to get in and help Dominguez. Tessa neatly foils the guards attempt and has him sit in a chair under Culpepper's watchful eye. Ethan interrogates Dominguez further and it's discovered that Iverson (Ling Standard) is the Matador and that he is staying in the capitol city. The guard is a bit upset that Dominguez is rolling over so easily and makes a start towards Dominguez. Culpepper reminds him that he is still an unwelcome guest. The guard settles down. Ethan continues his interrogation of Dominguez who seems to be getting some of his fortitude back. Ethan takes a different tack on the interrogation and goes on about how we should leave Dominguez to his fate after telling us all about the Ling Standard plan. The guard speaks up again and mentions the safe that Dominguez has behind the bar. Tessa moves to watch Dominguez while Ethan goes to take a look. Dominguez quietly offers Tessa 50Kcr to switch sides. Tessa informs Ethan of the offer made to her. Ethan tells Tessa to shoot him in the other leg. Ethan find the safe behind a couple of bottles of liquor. Ethan doesn't know the combination so Tessa asks Dominguez for the combination. Dominguez refuses to provide it so Tessa starts counting. Dominguez doesn't respond by the count of 3 so Tessa kneecaps him. Dominguez offers up the combination to the safe. 1R 2L 3R. Ethan comments on how pathetic that is, but opens the safe anyway. Inside are found a couple of manilla envelopes and a security envelope. The manilla envelopes contain little of value except a mercenary guild membership card. This seems to upset the private even more and he starts calling Dominguez a traitor etc... Dominguez is asked to open the security envelope and he quickly hands over the key (Not wanting to be shot in any other extremities) Inside the security envelope is a Banque De Geneve account book with an account number but no balance recorded. upon this discovery the private tries to get to Dominguez again. Apparently Dominguez was not sharing all this with his men. Dominguez is restrained and somewhat bandaged. Ethan then asks the private why he knows so much about what is going on. The private tells Ethan that he was part of the regular army before the reformers came through and factionalized the army... He ended up in this faction. The private also brings up the name of Mumford who is working with Dominguez. Mumford is the CFO for the Reform party. Culpepper seems to think that Mumford is a cheat and murderer.
So much for the little rescue mission. Ethan decides to find and use the keylock card on the radio that Iverson provided Dominguez. Ethan describes how he has informed all the local factions about the plan to strip mine the planet by Ling Standard. Iverson is a bit reluctant to believe this but eventually wants to know how much Stern is paying us. Ethan explains that his employer is not Stern and that they want to remain anonymous for now. Ethan then takes Culpepper to the local military transmitter and has them set it up so that the military frequency bleeds over onto civilian frequencies. Ethan writes up a real good speech for Culpepper to read over the broadcast. It's well received by the locals. Not so well received by Mr. Iverson. This creates a complete uproar by all the local population. enough of an uproar that it appears that things will go terribly wrong for Iverson. Especially since what was an internal Ling problem is now an external Ling Problem. Fortunately... it's a small backwater planet.
014-1122
Ethan and Tessa commandeer the private train and use it to pick up the rest of their gear and the doctor and head off to the capital city.
015-1122
Departed for the Capital City
016-1122
Arrival in the capital city. It seems that the Ling Standard offices are surrounded by the local military. Its also reported that two Ling Standard employees are missing as well as an accountant and lawyer are also missing. The locals will be informed later that the accountant and the lawyer were rescued earlier and sent directly to Regina to make reports to their offices. Ling Standard will let some people in to verify that Iverson is really gone. They also will not make any official comment on the events here.
017 thru 019-1122
Many reporters are scurrying about. Many young women are reunited with their families. Culpepper has been given his fair trial and has received many marriage proposals.
Iverson shows up in Tessa's room with a computer core from the Ling Standard offices. Claiming that he can't go back to Ling and that this is real valuable to the people who hired us. He's willing to give us the other computer core only if we get him off planet. Tessa agrees to Iverson's terms. But he'll have to wait for our ship to return.
020 thru 025-1122
Basically being tourists. Finally... Our ship arrives. As well as a Ling Standard ship carrying Ling Standard executives. Adolpho Ling Melon pays a visit to Ethan's hotel room. Adolpho Wants Iverson and his computer cores. Ethan explains that he can help. Since Tessa has so conveniently arranged for Iverson and his computer cores to join our ship back to Regina. Ethan asks Adolpho to return to our ship and come back down with our shuttle. Adolpho agrees. Iverson joins our loading party. When we reach the shuttle Iverson is given something light to carry on board. Ethan and Tessa both follow him on board. Iverson quickly considers running once he hears Adolpho compliment our shuttle pilots skills. Tessa grabs Iverson by the hand and literally breaks his hand attempting to stop him from fleeing. Iverson suddenly goes into cardiac arrest. Fortunately we have a doctor with us. Iverson will live. Adolpho is brought up to speed on the happening on the planet.
032-1122
Arrive back on Regina.
040-1122
Ethan receives a nice thank you note from the reunited government on the planet. Also Ethan receives a letter from the Theresan government asking him to return to the diplomatic corps. Ethan politely declines their offer on the grounds that state functions are just no longer any fun since they banned balls of yarn. And it wasn't the Ambassadors wife... it was his daughter. Tessa receives a finders fee for the recovery of the computer cores that went missing. She has the money set up to aid the families of the police officers that were killed.