Harry-Y quickly gets the limo together, has you all pile in (with Vicsis' groupies trailing behind), and orders the autocar to take you to SPD Sector R&D Review.

Tension Level 9
Here, R&D Service firms make presentations when they need to convince various PLC firms and administrators to put their latest creations into widespread use.
Your PDC's indicate that you have an hour and 20 minutes left in your mission.

The PDC's of Ginger, CL, Dexter, and Vixcis beep with a new message.



You pull up to the reception area.  It's nothing fancy.  The waiting chairs look pretty nice, though.  Big doors labeled "Conference Room" are directly opposite from where you entered.  Even bigger doors labeled "Main Display" ared to your right.  A RED Clearance staffer sits behind a desk, playing with some sort of twisty metal puzzle-toy.

A BLUE citizen in PLC garb bursts out of the Conference Room.  "None of this stuff is sounding like what I want.  Forget the slideshow, Nancy.  Show me the hardware."  Coming out right behind her are two individuals in R&D labcoats--one GREEN, one BLUE--and then, finally, the familiar face of Marco-G-BUD-4.  He seems a little surprised to see you.

And it's not exactly subtle that you have a film crew behind you.


PERVERSITY POINTS UPDATED BELOW:

Dexter is tempted to call out to Marco, but all the high clearance citizens make him nervous and he just stands quietly instead.

Ginger says, a sarcastic twist in her words, "Good to see you again, Marco!  My best friend was killed in a vat.  I think her ghost is right behind you."  She points, shrieks, and puts a horrified hand to her mouth.

Marco sees Ginger.  "Ah, yes...good to, uh, see you again too."  He looks somewhat surprised and uncomfortable to see you again.

The BLUE Citizen says, a little confused, "What's going on?"  She says, "My name is Andrea-B-OCK-5."  She doesn't appear pleased, but you don't think it's because of you.

The guy who appears to be the R&D director also notices you.  He appears to be a little nervous about the displeasure of Andrea-B.  He is a GREEN Citizen and introduces himself as Bill-G.  "Hey," he says, "are you guys buddies with Marco-G?"

Next to him is another BLUE Citizen who appears to be with Bill-G.  She holds a briefcase with a label on it that says "Senior Manager Nancy-B-AZZ-r from the R&D service firm Bigger Guns.  You gather that she and Bill are trying to sell something to Andrea, Marco's boss.

OOC: I'm a little concerned that the posting rate has dropped, and we may have lost some players.  I don't want this to die out...at least not until your clones are used up!  Any suggestions?

CL just talks to himself in a gruff voice about Saving Citizen Ry-A-NNN from cerain doom.

Ginger looks at her companions for a moment and says to Bill, "Uh, yes, we are Marco's friends."  She smiles and sighs.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:33, Wed 28 May 2008.

"Yeah, we saved him from an errant scrubot."  Dexter leaves out the part about betrayal, for now.

Marco turns to explain who you are in a halting voice that indicates he is trying to think up something good.

Meanwhile, Bill steps in close to you and says in a conspiratorial voice, "So can you help shape his opinions?  We're trying to sell him some equipment.  If we succeed, there's a few thousand creds in for you.  What do you say?"

Since no one else is saying anything, Ginger says, "Sure, for a few thousand credits, we can help you."

Dexter cocks an eyebrow, but keeps his thoughts to himself.  What was it his mother used to say about saying something nice?

Bill says, "Great!"  He whispers to his boss, who nods enthusiastically.  In a few moments, you are led to a table with six items on it.  You have no idea what any of them are.

Andrea-B (Marco's boss) and Marco-G follow you over.  "I'm not real sure about these," Andrea says.

Bill nudges you to try to sell something for him.

Andrea pokes at the devices.  She picks up the first item and moves it around in her hands.

Nancy says, "Fire and Forgetpicks. Box of 50."

Andrea says, "Can I get a demonstration?"

Nancy turns to you.  "Troubleshooters?"  Remember that it is a 400 credit fine to obey the order of a BLUE citizen.

The other items on the table seem to be:  boots of some kind, manacles, a beanie, a pennywhistle with digital readout lights instead of fingerholes, a half meter tall bot, and a cloak.

Bill explains that Nancy and Bill need at least one of them accepted for mass distribution by PLC or a larger service firm will take over their lab and chop it up for its asset value.  There are 2000 credits on the table if you can help them get one of them sold.

The Fire and Forgetpicks appears to be some sort of dental-cleaning tools.

CL doesn't move. Obeying a blue citizen is a serious crime that I can't commit he says to himself.

Ginger says to Andrea, "THe Fire and Forgetpicks would be a great addition to your arsenal.  Imagine being able to interrogate witnesses and not have them remember the interrogation.  What I wouldn't give to have a set of those around!"

She looks to see if her made up explanation helps to sell anything.

Andrea says, "Reminds me too much of dental work."  She shakes her head.

OOC: Feel free to jump in and try to convince Andrea.  I can make a roll against your appropriate skills.  You may have to just make up what the items do since you have little information.

Dexter looks without touching to see if there are any labels or instructions.

Dexter appears curious about the items.

This spurs Andrea to say, "Do you mind if the Troubleshooters give us a demonstration."

"Absolutely," Nancy says with excitement.  She leans over and hands the Fire and Forgetpicks to Dexter.  "Go ahead, Troubleshooter."

The fire and forgetpicks appears to be a self0guided hands-free dental cleaning tool.  It appears you squeeze an end and it flies up using a gravitational repulsion effect, locates the nearest teeth, and begins cleaning them.  Simple enough!

CL stays away from it and in his gruff voice he says, "Last time I cleaned my teeth I almost got blown up by a beta. I'm not brushing until all of them are gone. G-O-N-E gone."