Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Advertising Supplement/Gentlemen's Clubs/Slatterns


Type:
Exclusive gentlemen's club

Location: Mort Central

Description: Located in the heart of Mort Central, Slatterns is one of, if not the most exclusive gentleman’s clubs on Mort. One does not simply walk into Slatterns. Once must be invited. Invitees are carefully screened before a formal invitation is made. Only those with a surplus of money, power or fame are called on for membership. Invitations are always elaborate and intended as a major spectacle. Traditionally, invitations are delivered by an impossibly beautiful woman flanked by two impossibly huge men. They will arrive in an impossibly huge Augustus limousine. The invitee will be brought into the limo where they will be wined and dined on the finest food and drink before the offer is made. No expense is spared on the presentation. The terms of the membership are financially dear and utterly non-negotiable. The initial membership fee is 5,000c payable immediately, with monthly dues of 1,500c. These fees cover all food and drink at club. Only gratuity and “other expenses” need to be covered.

Despite its name, Slatterns is an extremely opulent and upscale establishment. Members are expected to dress appropriately. While coat and tie or formal gown is not strictly required, showing up in tatty dungarees could eventually get your membership revoked. The building and décor are classic Head Office. Glass, steel, marble and leather are the mainstays. Subtle colored neon tubing trims the interior, suffusing the club with a warm, exotic glow. Seating can be found at the bars, tables, semi-private booths, or one of the many raised platforms on which the famed women of Slatterns perform.

The women of Slatterns are legendary throughout the World of Progress. While the regular bartenders and waitresses are all stunningly attractive, the dancers’ grace and beauty almost defies description. Twenty-four hours a day the finest women in the Known Universe are on display. Though the club invites members of all races (though admittedly few Shaktars and Wraiths accept), Slatterns only employs female humans as wait-staff and female humans and ebons as dancers.

The dancers are all available for personal and private performances as well as a cornucopia of carnal delights. A patron need only ask a waitress for “The Menu.” Requesting “a menu” will produce an actual listing of the drinks and foods available. Requesting “The Menu” will produce a leather-bound, gold-leafed folio with bios and photos of all available dancers on that shift. Along with the photos and bios is a detailed listing of all the “activities” available. These range from as traditional as a lap dance to as exotic as a full-blown (pardon the pun) orgy. The dancers are highly skilled in almost any carnal activity one could dream of. No prices are listed on The Menu; if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it, and those who can’t afford it would never have been invited in the first place. Accounts are simply discreetly billed for any “activities.”

Whereas most Operatives and Contract Killers would scoff at the idea of paying for sex, there is no such stigma attached to paying for pleasure at Slatterns. Members feel they are paying for quality and public image. They feel paying for the delights of a Slatterns dancer is no different than spending 50,000 on a top of the line Highjoule Masari instead of taking the bus. Both get you where you need to go, but one looks and feels so much nicer and nobody ever looked with envious eyes at some schmuck riding the bus.

Many of the members of Slatterns are there only for social and business reasons. Anyone who is anyone is a member of Slatterns. Being seen going in or out of the club is an automatic boost to the reputation. Business deals are often made inside. Business executives, financiers, and agents do everything in their power to obtain a membership to Slatterns. The large cost of membership often pays for itself after a couple of well planned deals. In an average night, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of credits could change hands under the neon glow.

Slatterns also has the distinction of being one of the few places Intruder frequents of his own volition. He always comes alone and has a private room in the back. Nobody, including management, knows what goes on in there; the less they know the better. Two Dark Finders guard the door to prevent snoopers. Intruder is quite sociable on his way to or from his room, stopping to talk with just about anyone who asks. He is very polite and seems genuinely regretful when he says he must be going.

While Slatterns is not a gambling establishment, accommodations can be made for guests, with the house taking 10% of every pot. Generally a room can be set aside and a dancer provided to run the game. Possibly as a bad intended pun, the only game permitted in Slatterns is poker.

BPN Resolution: THIRD EYE NEWS: RED



Issuing Department:
Third Eye News
Color Code:RED.
BPN #: TEt4892544/CS
Surveillance: Third Eye News
Squad/Operative Undertaking: Team Spartan
Date Issued/Date Completed: 3/10/903, 3/10/903

Summary:
  • Squad dispatched to Cannibal Sector 5 to diffuse a hostage situation.

  • Dante Veteran K'thrr shot down Third Eye News helicopter and captured reporter Rita Hurley, a camera operator, control operator, pilot and co-pilot.
  • K'thrr demanded return to her squad on Dante in trade for lives of hostages.
  • Operatives airlifted to area of situation along with Third Eye Reporter Jackie Turnbull.
  • Operative K'dgh attempted to engage K'thrr in negotiations while Operatives Obsession and Tawna flanked the structure. Operative Fiddich was directed to hold his position until situation became hostile.
  • During negotiations, Co-pilot was executed by K'thrr to prove resolve.
  • Reaching a position where she could see the situation clearly, Operative Obsession Reality Folded in behind K'thrr and executed the assailant with a single 12.7mm HEAP pistol round to the back of the head.
  • Remaining hostages rescued with no further casualties.
  • Squad and hostages safely airlifted back to CS5 Wall.
Collateral Damage to SLA Property:MINIMAL. Hostage killed during the rescue operation. Mitigated by employee expendability and safe return of popular media personality

Squad Fatalities:None.

Conclusion: BPN satisfactorily completed. Squad payout+recovery bonus: 3000c/Operative. SCL +0.3/Operative.

BPN Resolution: DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH: JADE

Issuing Department: Research
Color Code:JADE
BPN #: CD/41163288/DL
Surveillance: Station Analysis
Squad/Operative Undertaking: Team Spartan
Date Issued/Date Completed:3/9/903, 3/10/903
Summary:
  • Squad dispatched to Cannibal Sector 1 to investigate an Ebb-sensitive artifact of indeterminate origin. If possible, Squad was to retrieve item; video footage acceptable if artifact unable to be transported back to Sector Wall.

  • Squad rendezvoused with Sector Ranger base on the river and assisted in repelling a Cannibal assault.

  • Squad continued on past river to approximate location of Ebb source.
  • Squad located source of Ebb inside cave.

  • [D-NOTICE]
  • [D-NOTICE]

Collateral Damage to SLA Property:NONE. Operation took place in Cannibal Sector 1.

Squad Fatalities:None.

Conclusion:BPN satisfactorily completed. Squad payout+Retrieval Bonuses: 7000c. SCL +0.5/Operative.


Monday, April 12, 2010

Advertising Supplement/Convenience Stores/Honest Akhbar's

Honest Akhbar's

Type:
Convenience Store

Locations: Suburbia, Upper Downtown, Lower Downtown

Description: Honest Akhbar's is a chain of dubious convenience stores located predominantly in Suburbia and Upper Downtown. The occasional franchise can be found on the first few levels of Lower Downtown. Honest Akhbar's does not maintain franchises in Uptown or Mort Central.

Honest Akhbar's stocks most mundane and sundry items and has a limited grocery section. Alcohol, tobacco, low end civilian drugs and a rather shockingly large selection of pornographic magazines are available, but kept behind a barrier of bullet proof glass along with the clerk. Akhbar's also features a menu of surprisingly good hot and cold foods for a quick meal. The average meal of a sandwich, chips and drink run about 2-3u.

Some may question how theft is controlled if the clerks are sealed up. The answer is quite simple. Honest Akhbar's has a posted policy that Operatives, Shivers and Monarchs never pay for a meal. While this does not extend to the rest of the store's inventory, the lure of free meals is enough to ensure that at almost any time of day or night, there will be some form of armed SLA employee or law enforcement agent on the premises at any given store. Wise people also know that Akhbar's clerks are a great source of information on what's going down in the streets; it pays to stay on the good side of the clerks. As a last stand against thieves, Honest Akhbar franchises are universally equipped with a unique security system. At the push of a button, metal grates drop from the ceiling to cover every door and window in the store. Once activated, these grates can not be raised by anything short of industrial equipment unless the clerk deactivates the system. With the thieves caged in, the clerk need only wait in his bullet proof kiosk until help arrives.

Advertising Supplement/Fine Apparel/Feingold's

Feingold's Fine Tailoring

Type:
Fine custom apparel

Locations: Mort Central

Description: Tucked away among the myriad shops of Mort Central is a small, unobtrusive storefront. There is no gaudy marquee announcing the shop. Simple gold scripts on the window advertises “Feingold's Fine Tailoring.” This unassuming shop produces some of the finest clothing on the planet. Apprentices at Feingold's have gone on to work for Arducci and some of the most prestigious designers on New Paris.

Anyone working at Feingold's is trained under the careful and exacting eye of Martin Feingold. He required all his apprentices to work with him one on one for no less than six months before he will even consider letting them work unsupervised. Even once they are past the apprentice stage, employees will never directly make a garment; employees are only permitted to do measurements and simple alterations. Feingold creates all the garments himself. All employees know the old man's strange job terms. When an apprentice feels they can make a garment to Feingold's standards, they are free to do so at their own expense. Feingold will then inspect the garment carefully. If it meets his strict requirements for quality and aesthetics, the apprentice is fired on the spot. This may seem strange, but it is the highest compliment Feingold can give. He has nothing more to teach at that point. Many fashion designers would kill to be able to say they were fired by Feingold on their resumes.

So how can a shop that only has one master tailor stay in business in Mort Central? Uncompromising quality. Customers know that when they walk into Feingold's, they will not be purchasing anything off the rack. The entire outfit will be custom made from the finest materials the World of Progress has to offer. Even accessories like ties and socks will be made to order. Feingold even keeps a jeweler on retainer to one-off cufflinks, tie pins and other accessories as needed. A shoemaker is also available if needed.

Feingold's operates on an appointment only basis. On entering the shop, the door will be locked and the curtains drawn. The customer will be offered a selection of imported coffees and teas to enjoy while they are measured. The customer then explains what it is they are looking for. Feingold then provides a quick sketch to verify the vision. Materials are discussed, but generally people let Feingold decide the details. Price is never discussed. If you have to inquire about price, you certainly can not afford to wear a Feingold garment. Depending on the garment and the customer, the order can take anywhere from a day to a month. On the average, a man's suit will take about a week. Elaborate ball dresses can take much longer. For those who really need to know prices, a man's ensemble (suit, shirt, tie, pocket square, socks) will cost in the area of 3500-5000 credits. An elaborate formal dress can run easily over 10,000c depending on the materials.

While the idea of a suit of clothing that costs more than a suit of Dogeybone is a little off-putting, one needs to keep certain things in mind. First, the item will be one of a kind and made by hand from the finest materials the World of Progress has to offer. Second, Feingold clothing is guaranteed forever. Once purchased, the customer may return for unlimited alterations. In the impossible event that an item is defective or wears out, Feingold will provide a replacement free of charge. Third, he's been doing this for 213 years. Being Mr. Slayer's personal tailor has its advantages.

Intelligence Report/Soft Company/Randolph Logistics

Name: Randolph Logistics

Type: Independent Soft Company

Products/Services: Smuggling/Illegal Shipping

Company Line: We get it there, no questions asked.

Public Information: Randolph Logistics started innocently enough in 901SD as a small freight handling company run by a pair of brothers, Jim and Ray Randolph. They established themselves as a quick, clean and reliable shipping and moving company. Their big break occurred when transporting some crates to the new home of a rich corporate. While loading the crates on their truck, one fell off and broke open. Inside was a cache of DarkNight weapons. The corporate, who was observing the procedure, offered the brothers a staggering 20,000u if they would just seal up the box and forget they saw anything. The Randolph brothers took the cash. The corporate let them know that if they were willing to continue to ship with no questions asked he could send a lot of work their way. Within six months Randolph Logistics ballooned to 150 employees and were operating an ion-drive cargo ship. Monthly income went from 10-20,000u per month to 125,000u per month; some jobs commanded at least that amount on their own.

What's the secret to Randolph Logistics' success? They truly ask no questions about what they are shipping. They only want to know if any special precautions need to be taken in storing or moving the containers and an honest assessment of the relative risk of the trip. They warn up front that if these critical pieces of information are inaccurate, misrepresented or withheld, the cargo will be unceremoniously dumped, at a Shiver Station if at all possible.


SLA Intelligence: Obviously, Randolph Logistics is a godsend for DarkNight, gangs and any other illegal or subversive group or individual. SLA has been almost helpless in curbing Randolph Logistics' shipping. Cloak Division strongly suspects (correctly) that Randolph Logistics must have SLA Industries employees on their payroll, as shipments are getting through the perimeter walls far more frequently than could be attributed to smuggling via the sewers or other means. On the rare occasion SLA has managed to intercept a Randolph Logistics shipment, the results have been consistent. The Randolph employees simply ditch the vehicle and flee on foot. The escapes are ensured by the fact that employees wear Keshangs, which suggest possible cooperation with Conway Motorsports, Tek Trex and Kustom Killa Chassis. As a rule, no Randolph employee will ever attempt to engage their pursuers in combat. On inspection of abandoned Randolph vehicles, all that will be found are the shipping containers. There will be no bills of lading or paperwork identifying contents, point of origin or destination. The method by which Randolph Logistics keeps track of everything remains a complete mystery.

SLA is stepping up their efforts to curtail Randolph Logistics' shipping. It is estimated that SLA's best efforts are only preventing about 7% of all Randolph traffic from reaching its destination. The threat of a shipping organization that asks no questions is obvious; SLA's promotion of Randolph Logistics to Soft Company status was inevitable.

Employees: Estimated at 150

Facilities: Unknown. The use of an ion-drive ship would necessitate the operation of a shuttle and spaceport of some description. Facilities would also have to be expansive to accommodate the large amount of business Randolph Logistics does. Satellite imaging have yet to locate any Randolph facilities.


Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Dept. of Psychology & Psychoses/Employment Record #3211/2a/Operative Status

Date: 3.9.903
From: Dr. Kirstin Randolph, Department of Psychology and Psychoses
To: Department of Employment
Re: Operative Craig Ferguson, Strike Squad, Team Spartan (Record #3211/2a), SCL: 9B.5

UPDATE OF CONDITION:
Ferguson appears to be making very little progress in returning to normal Operative life (work, improving his personal situation). He does very little other than talk about his plans to move past his crippling self-doubt and start recovery. He is very convincing when making these claims. When Ferguson tells you for the twentieth time how he is going to "get well, get back to work and find a nice place to live," you want so much to believe him even though the previous nineteen times he did nothing more than talk about it. Each time nothing comes to fruition, he returns to the same bitterness and self-pity he had on checking in.
This cyclical self-destructive extreme optimist/pessimist behavior, if unchecked, is likely to lead to further psychological issues. Bipolar disorder, paralyzing vacillation, egrophobia are all possible if a treatment is not found.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Operative Ferguson will remain on "medical leave" until further notice.

TREATMENT:
Operative Ferguson will receive a full spectrum of antidepressants in addition to continued counseling. If course of treatment is not successful, more extreme methods will be suggested for consideration.


Attending Physician,
Dr. Kirstin Randolph, SCL 4B.1


NOTES [NOT FOR REPRINT]
So maybe my initial assessment was off. This guy is fucked up like Hogan's Goat. I haven't seen quite such a spectacular meltdown in a while. This guy is throwing a pity part for the ages and I'm not sure what to do to snap him out of it. I may have to drag out "Old Sparky" for a little EST. Exploratory surgery may not be out of the question.