The scrap dealer wants to know what you would expect to be paid for your skills and labor.
He also asks if you're certain you want to sell those tools as scrap. There are probably a lot of people who still use the unpowered tools, as they're a lot more reliable in situations where you have to work--like if you're trying to restore the power systems on a ship or something. You can probably get more for them as tools than as scrap. But it's up to you.
--M. J. Young
"What do I expect to be paid? Well, I'm not from around here. How about you make me an offer? I would like to have the privilege of collecting scrap metals as a job perk. As I said, I am skilled in metal working by hand, and I would enjoy building things. Also, on some planets that I've been to, gold and silver are quite valuable, although not so much here."
You never told me. Is he an artist at all? I imagine a true artist (pronounced are-TEEst) he might be interested in learning blacksmithing techniques. That could prove valuable to me.
"Who do you know that might want to buy these tools?"
Also, have I had any evidence of the other verser?
In order for me to tell you that you feel the other verser, you must tell me that you are relaxing. You've been mostly busy to this point, constantly trying to do the next thing on your list. That's why you had the dream--in fact, another verser was trying to get to you, but the luxury housing security complicated things.
However, you aren't going to relax while you're talking to this scrap dealer, either, so you still don't know that.
There are a couple of small wire sculptures on the man's desk, but nothing of any great significance. He probably dabbles in such things occasionally, but not with any real dedication.
"I'm not at all sure what your skills are worth, or how much use they would be here. I can hire you to help with the store--I presume that you can identify at least most of the metals and such that come through here. 12 Credits and hour is what I pay store help, but I'll give you 20, and we'll look for ways to use your skills so you can earn that. Does that sound good?
"I'm also not sure what you mean by collecting scrap metals as a job perk. Gold and silver are worth a fair amount of money, properly processed and such--a big deal in the electronics and cybernetics industries. If you mean you want to track down scrap metal and keep it for yourself, that's something you would have to do on your own time. People bring metal here for sale, I buy it, and you're not competing with me."
"Personally? I know a lot of people who might be interested, but no one that I can say is looking for stuff like that right now, and I don't know who is here and who is out in space somewhere. Your best bets are to take them to an antiques dealer or to list them through the marketplace in the computer system."
--M. J. Young
"What I mean by collecting scrap metals is that I'm sure some gold, silver, platinum and other metals occasionally come through here. I would like to buy that from you at your cost, or perhaps I could work a day or two for free in exchange for some scrap metals. I have no problem with that at all. I would be more interested in gold and platinum. It's part of the blacksmithing work. I wouldn't dream of trying to compete with an expert in his field. I just wanted to get some "job perks" as it were."
"That pay rate sounds really good. When can I start?"
"As far as the tools, I know I could probably do better somewhere else, but you know what they say about a bird in the hand. (or does he?) Would you trade my 15 pounds (about 6.8 Kg) of scrap stainless steel for some gold or platinum? I'll accept whatever offer you make."
I assume that, during the course of the day, I would take a break here or there. Go to the bathroom at the very least. Do I feel the other verser then? And describe the job to me. What do I do there?
MJ, I resent the Audacity program to you. I guess it didn't upload last time. It took quite a while to send with my cable modem, so you might want to try to download it when you're not exceptionally busy, as I know you use dial up. Let me know if you get it.
"If you want an employee discount on buying metal from me, we can do that; but gold and platinum are valuable scrap metals, and I'm in business to make money--and when you say you want to buy them at 'cost', you're overlooking what 'cost' actually includes.
"Say some guy comes in with five pounds of gold, and I give him twenty-five credits for it. O.K., so the cost is twenty-five credits, right? Wrong. In the ten minutes I spent negotiating with this customer, I was not able to do any other work around here, so that's my salary for ten minutes added to the cost; plus, there's rent on this place, which is also added to the cost. Plus, there's the time I was paying everyone to stand around here not dealing with customers so we would be here when the customer arrived. That five pounds of gold cost me more than just the money I gave the guy. I would be hard pressed to come up with 'cost' on anything in this shop. I'll sell it to you for less than I sell it to customers off the walkway, but I still have expenses to cover--including your salary."
Have I already cited prices for any metals? I don't have a record of these if I have, and I want to be consistent.
He will not trade metal for metal; the management of TerraNova looks very poorly on transactions that do not go through the computer. One reason for that is that it creates a serious opportunity for fraud--he could give you gold and take your tools, and tomorrow security could be in his store with your claim that he stole the tools, and he could not prove otherwise. If it's done through the computer, there's a record that says you agreed to sell your tools for a specific number of credits, and that you agreed to buy so much gold for a specific number of credits, and no one can claim that anything was stolen.
You can start tomorrow.
As you leave the shop, where are you going next?
No, I have not ignored your questions; they will be addressed as opportunity arises.
If it took a while for the program to upload through your cable modem, it's probably too big for my mail server to accept. It has not arrived. Best bet is to find a link online where I can download it, and send me that--unless you have a web site somewhere and can FTP it there for me to access. Thanks.
--M. J. Young
"Well, while I'm here, how about we do some business? I'd still like to buy some gold and platinum. I have about 8,0000 credits at the moment. How much would you charge me for some platinum? That's what I'm more interested in at the moment. I would be looking to get a few Kg of it. Also, do you just deal in scrap metal? I've heard tell of asteroid mining being done here. Is there any other kinds of scrap that go through your shop? (uncut precious stones would be what I would be looking for)"
"Oh yeah, and you misunderstood me when I said I wanted to trade my tools for other metals. I wasn't trying to imply that we do anything even remotely illegal. We could do the transaction through the computer. You give me so many credits for my tools, I pay so many credits for whatever I buy. All through the computer, of course."
I believe you said he paid 300 per Kg on silver and 400 per Kg on gold.
"Starting tomorrow sounds perfect. What time should I be here?"
Shake the guy's hand, then depart.
Go buy a wristwatch, or some other timepiece. I need to know what time to come back. I would probably buy something inexpensive. This world's version of a Timex. Describe the timepiece.
After that go find someplace to sit down and eat and RELAX (see????) I would probably find the equivalent of fast food. Do I feel the other verser? I've got familiarity with The Architect, so if it happens to be him, I would recognize it.
(Also, I really hope you're keeping track of my finances. I can't make heads or tails of this.)
Are there any martial arts schools anywhere close to the scrap dealer? That would be my next stop after lunch, assuming the other verser doesn't impede that.
NOTES
Don't forget to find less expensive housing accommodations. That room is for a celebration, not for staying. Also, after lunch, check out the martial arts schools.
Finances: 7,666 credits (from this post), plus whatever you get from selling your tools, minus whatever you spend on scrap, food, and a timepiece.
Perhaps including your current credit count in your notes at the end of each post (or at least each post where you spend or gain a specific amount of money) would make it easier to keep track. That way you'd only need to scroll up to the last time you spent money and add or subtract the most recent numbers.
"Well, while I'm here, how about we do some business? I'd still like to buy some gold and platinum. I have about 8,000[] credits at the moment. How much would you charge me for some platinum? That's what I'm more interested in at the moment. I would be looking to get a few Kg of it....
"Platinum's hard to come by. I pay six hundred per kilogram for it and sell it for nine. You want to buy it now, that's the price. You want to buy it after you work for me tomorrow, I'll cut you a fifteen percent break."
"...Also, do you just deal in scrap metal? I've heard tell of asteroid mining being done here. Is there any other kinds of scrap that go through your shop? (uncut precious stones would be what I would be looking for)"
"Asteroid miners take their goods to processors, not to scrap shops; I have no idea what they actually find. Me? I deal in anything that is scrap--plastics, glass, stone, wood, rubber, synthetics, cloth, metal, polymers, everything. Sometimes I get some jewelry, but most people sell their jewelry to jewelers, either because they will get a better price or they think they will."
You give me so many credits for my tools, I pay so many credits for whatever I buy. All through the computer, of course.
"Steel? There's a lot of iron on those asteroids, of course, so the market for iron products is low; and steel is such an unpredictable alloy--that is, there are probably three or four hundred variations on the formula. But assuming it's decent quality, I can go 80 per kilogram for good steel."
And yes, your tools are decent quality. Are you selling at that price?
"Be here sixteen hours from now."
As you leave the shop and look around for a place to get a timepiece and a martial arts shop, you see someone coming toward you--rather directly. He's a boy, maybe twelve years old, wearing jeans and a T-shirt with something like a backpack on his back.
--M. J. Young
"Platinum's hard to come by. I pay six hundred per kilogram for it and sell it for nine. You want to buy it now, that's the price. You want to buy it after you work for me tomorrow, I'll cut you a fifteen percent break."
"I'll take 2 Kg (4.4 pounds) now, and perhaps buy some more after work tomorrow. Yeah, I know I can get the discount if I wait, but as you well know, a lot can happen in 16 hours. Better to have it now."
What is the condition of the platinum? I'd prefer smaller pieces if possible, easier to spend. (I don't know what I'm gonna do with that 10 pound gold brick)
Still talking to the scrap dealer
"What about lead? I'd like to get a Kg of lead too, if possible."
"Steel? There's a lot of iron on those asteroids, of course, so the market for iron products is low; and steel is such an unpredictable alloy--that is, there are probably three or four hundred variations on the formula. But assuming it's decent quality, I can go 80 per kilogram for good steel."
"Nah, actually I changed my mind. I think I'll keep the tools as they are. I keep thinking that I'm going to go to a world where stainless steel is the most valuable commodity around. I've seen gold and silver growing on trees, so you never know what can happen."
I probably wouldn't pay much attention to the boy (although I know I should) I would just keep going that direction in search of what I'm looking for. If he stops me, then all the better.
NOTES
5,866 credits.
What other precious metals are there? Lead and gold are one hydrogen atom apart, and I could easily imagine them being interchangeable.
He shrugs, and trots off with a bucket.
He comes back with an odd assortment of objects--a couple of what look to be nozzles for a fine spraying system, bent or broken in some way; a few smashed or defaced pieces of jewelry; some damaged fine wire mesh that might have been a filtering screen. He starts weighing bits of this.
He will measure exactly two kilograms, to the nearest milligram, of platinum.
Assuming you want this, he will charge you 1800 credits for it.
*****
The boy falls in step alongside you and walks with you for maybe twenty yards or so before he says anything.
"English?" he says.
--M. J. Young
"Yeah, I'll take the platinum. Thanks." (And I already marked it down)
----
To the boy "Oui, Je parle Anglais." (French, Yes, I speak English.)
Unless the boy-child or something else stops me, I'm going to stop at the first martial arts school or the first eating establishment offering inexpensive food, whichever comes first.
If it's a martial arts school, go in and ask to talk to the owner. Bow politely. Ask if they would be interested in hiring a boxing instructor.
If it's food, stop and eat. Perhaps ask the boy-child if he's hungry.
NOTES:
This is Kyler isn't it? That would be cool. Too bad I don't know that much about Kyler. It would be interesting to see if MJ could pull it off.
Don't forget, after work tomorrow, ask the scrap dealer if he minds if you use scrap iron and steel in blacksmithing projects. Manacles and other such sold to the pornography store would be a viable source of income. Perhaps (much later) open a blacksmithing shop. I'm sure there's a market for old-school blacksmithed goods
Maybe go into business with the scrap dealer. Rent out a part of his shop, (It was said to be huge, I'd only need as much space as Mr. Smith needed) Get the materials from him, and give him a cut of the profits. If it caught on, you could charge as much as you wanted, since there's going to be no one competing against you.
Does direct deposit still work here? Bartering doesn't seem to. When you ask about the boxing instructor, you want to be paid in martial arts lessons. Direct deposit style. Your pay goes straight back to them, to pay for the martial arts lessons. Something like that.
Fast-defensive, Weapon-utilizing martial arts, specializing in blunt instruments. (Staff, baton, baseball bat, etc.) I don't want to kill anyone, I just want to be able to stop them from killing me.
"Good gag," he says, walking along with you. "I'm Derek; I just arrived. What do I need to know about this world?"
There are a lot of places to eat, enough that you can pretty much define the nationality of your fast food--that is, you can go somewhere like Taco Bell, or the equivalent in Chinese, Japanese, Indian, French, Italian, and just about any other style of cooking. Derek accepts your offer of a meal, and watches everything you do in connection with the computer systems very closely, from reading the menu to paying for the meal.
"How did you get recognized by the system? Were you just lucky enough to match someone here, or did you hack it?"
--M. J. Young
"Good gag," he says, walking along with you. "I'm Derek; I just arrived. What do I need to know about this world?"
"Well, first off, who are you, and what persuaded you to join me? If you're hungry, we can stop. I'm not particularly picky about where we eat. As long as it's cheap, your call."
"How did you get recognized by the system? Were you just lucky enough to match someone here, or did you hack it?"
(Look at him with a puzzled expression) "What exactly are you talking about?"
My attitude towards him would be rather cold and aloof for the moment. Not unfriendly, but not welcoming him with open arms either. I mean a 12 year old kid starts talking to you out of the blue, you're not going to be overly eager to be friends. I mean for all my character knows, he's a TerraNovan pickpocket.
What constitutes a weapon? Maybe my 9mm might be under some kind of grandfather clause, because it's so primitive by their standards.
Can you stay with the scrap dealer? Maybe show him blacksmithing, see what he thinks of it.
He stops dead, almost in front of you, interrupting your stride.
"Relax," he says. "Seriously, relax. I'm a verser. Derek Jacob Brown. I know I look like a twelve year old kid, but I've been doing this for about fifty years now, I've got the equivalent of several doctorates in computers and electronics, I'm combat trained in martial arts and a variety of weapons, and having just arrived here I tracked down the verser I could sense to find out what to do to fit into this world."
Assuming you relax, you will realize that you have that scriff sense pointing directly at him.
--M. J. Young
"Cool!!!!!" (Completely heartfelt, and meant completely.)
"Where do you want to eat? I'm buying."
After we sit down:
"Do you know The Architect?" (I would pronounce the capital T in The)
"You need me to show you around? We can do that. I think we might be able to keep you out of the computer system for the moment."
"What do you have which is of monetary value?" (precious metals, gems, etc.) (Tell him about the fight over the $80,000 and that in my last world, gold, silver and gems grew on trees.) "I feel so stupid about that. I hope I get to see Scott again to apologize" (If that counts as a prayer, take it) "Here, gold, silver and platinum are fairly cheap. I'm stocking up on them."
"What martial arts are you familiar with? I'm interested in (Then describe Fast-defensive, weapon utilizing martial arts, specializing in blunt instruments, because I'm sure I would not know those terms) Do you know boxing? (I hope not) Let's see if we can train together."
"I think it would be good for at least one of us to stay out of the system if possible. I'm already in, so I guess you're elected. You're a kid, you probably draw less attention anyway (if he comments, apologize, and explain my intent, which I'm sure you can extrapolate from this) I just think this would be good for both of us."
(I think my character knows enough about biases by now to extrapolate this, if you feel the need to roll for it, you know the rules best) "I can't be quite certain, but I think versers are the only people who can do psionics in this world. I used to practice my TK by lifting skirts. I kept trying it in my last two worlds. Nothing ever happened. I tried it again here, and I got a headache not unlike a psychotic episode. (describe brain burn to him, and tell him that I used to be psychotic) Something must be possible here. However, there is no sign of mental ability anywhere."
"I prayed for someone that could show me around this place. It looks like we are both in the same boat. (If he makes any comments about magic, tell him that I do not now, nor will I ever, believe that praying is magic. However, if he chooses to call it that, that's fine with me)
(Something to the effect off) "Don't piss me off, I'm a crack-shot with my 9mm. Nothing personal, it's just that I'm not going to automatically trust you, just because we are both versers." (Said a bit more politely, and the last thing I say to him)
Said in no particular order.
(OOC) MJ, just out of curiosity, is this the same Derek from your next novel? How would I know? Well, considering that my character never read Verse Three Chapter One, there's no way he could. Since it doesn't really matter, I don't see why you couldn't tell me.
NOTES:
Try to trade skills with Derek. Teach him blacksmithing. Have a knitting buddy. "Well, what if you land in an arctic world, and have to knit a sweater on the spot?"
Five pounds of the following
Gold (achieved)
Silver (achieved)
Bronze
Nickel (have to check on both)
Platinum (almost)
Stainless steel (Achieved, plus the tools have a practical use)
Lead (I could easily see that being a precious metal in some worlds)Don't forget to build your Verser's Survival Pack, dummy!!!!!!!
Think about it John!!! You've got an unlimited supply of metals, plus blacksmithing skills. Lead bullets, silver bullets, gold bullets, platinum bullets. I bet there are monsters everywhere that require these kinds of bullets. Plus, you can make knives out of the metals too.
Would Derek be interested in becoming a housewife, of sorts? He sticks around the place of residence all day, whilst I go earn a living. Try to keep him out of sight and undercover. Just in case.
"Where do you want to eat? I'm buying."
"Well, I just came from a place where reconstituted five hundred year old rations were a delicacy, so I'm pretty easy to please. Whatever's good is fine with me."
He does not know The Architect. If by "show him around" you mean help him get settled in a survivable arrangement here, that would be good. He still doesn't know where he is, or more about this place than that he got here last night, there are a lot of computers, and you're here.
His most valuable possession is probably his laser rifle; he won't part with it, but he will use it if there's call for that. Oh, he'll want to plug in his charger. He can figure out the power conversions if you can show him an outlet.
"Lauren really taught me to use the things at hand--that is, my knife, my laser rifle, her bow and arrow. The martial arts stuff is pretty much about using the knife effectively. No, no boxing. Isn't that fake, like wrestling?"
"I think it would be good for at least one of us to stay out of the system if possible.
"I'm cool with that. Is there a reason we don't trust the government here, or are we just being cautious in case we find a reason later? I mean, I could probably get a decent job here working with the computers and such, with a bit of orientation to how they do things, but I can work from outside the system if that's better."
"Lauren did a lot of psionic stuff, but for some reason in that world you couldn't learn--even she couldn't learn new stuff, and she couldn't teach me what she knew in that field. A lot of the indigs had powers, but they seemed to be born with them, and just had them. She could get better at the things she practiced, but they just had what they had."
"Lauren did a lot of praying, too. She says it worked really well when she was fighting vampires, but not so good where we were."
"I'm sure it would be interesting to see whether you're better with a nine millimeter than I am with a laser rifle. I'll wager your gun is faster, but mine is more accurate at range. Of course, you'd have to pull the trigger before I sliced open your arm and detached the muscle with my knife. Threats don't cut it with me. I've been threatened by some pretty tough creatures, and any for whom there is an afterlife regretted it."
--M. J. Young
"I'm sure it would be interesting to see whether you're better with a nine millimeter than I am with a laser rifle. I'll wager your gun is faster, but mine is more accurate at range. Of course, you'd have to pull the trigger before I sliced open your arm and detached the muscle with my knife. Threats don't cut it with me. I've been threatened by some pretty tough creatures, and any for whom there is an afterlife regretted it."
"Fair enough. Like I said, nothing personal, I just don't automatically trust anyone. Looks like we both need each other, so let's try to be friends. Is that cool?"
"Well, I just came from a place where reconstituted five hundred year old rations were a delicacy, so I'm pretty easy to please. Whatever's good is fine with me."
"The pizza's really good. They have almost 500 toppings. Is that cool with you? One thing I'll never get tired of is pizza."
I'm assuming he would agree, so get a large pizza and a couple of sodas. How many credits?
"Lauren really taught me to use the things at hand--that is, my knife, my laser rifle, her bow and arrow. The martial arts stuff is pretty much about using the knife effectively. No, no boxing. Isn't that fake, like wrestling?"
"I met a professional wrestler once. When I asked him 'Isn't it fake?' he said 'Get in the ring with me sometime, I'll show you.' I declined his offer. I learned how to box at Pearl Harbor. I'd like to get my hands on the idiot that sent me there, but that's a story for another time. I'm more into defensive tactics than offensive tactics. I don't want to hurt anyone, I just want to be able to stop them from hurting me. I'm not terribly interested in learning to knife fight. Besides, blunt instruments are more easy to come by."
"I'm cool with that. Is there a reason we don't trust the government here, or are we just being cautious in case we find a reason later? I mean, I could probably get a decent job here working with the computers and such, with a bit of orientation to how they do things, but I can work from outside the system if that's better."
"Well, ultimately it's your call what you do. As far as how I got into the system, I just went in and applied. They put me through a battery of tests and I came out a card-carrying member of society. If you want to get into the system, that's fine. I just think it would be better for one of us not to. As far as I know, there's no reason not to trust the government, but then again, "trust" and "government" are not words that should ever be used in the same sentence. Ultimately though, that's your call."
After we eat, get the timepiece, and check out the martial arts schools. Fast-defensive, weapon-utilizing martial arts, specializing in blunt instruments is what I'm looking for. Ask if they would be interested in hiring a boxing instructor. Also, does the martial arts school sell weapons at all? I'd be interested in getting a collapsible baton. I want to work every other day. One day working with the scrap dealer, one day working as a boxing instructor/learning martial arts. Is that cool with the martial arts school?
Weapon-utilizing. That means that you can either use a weapon or not, right? That's what I want.
You didn't answer me. Is this the same Derek from your next novel? I know there's no way I could possibly know that, but since those novels don't exist in the game world, there's no reason not to tell me. This must be awesome for you as an author. You never run out of inspiration. That would be cool if, say, in novel 5, Derek verses in and meets Eddie "CrazyMan" Johnson who shows him around "The Mall" hehehe.
Assuming you're satisfied with two toppings, 15c for the pizza plus 2c for a couple of soft drinks (an extra if you want beer or wine) will bring you down to (5866-17=)5849 (or 5848 if you want the beer or wine).
Derek is cool with pizza, which he hasn't had pretty much since he entered the verse. "I've been in a lot of places that weren't very like home, and those which were I didn't stay in long."
"Well, I guess for the moment I'll stay out of the system as much as I can."
"I spent a lot of time in a world where defensive tactics often meant kill him before he can do whatever he's about to do next. But I do see the difference. I've got my porcuperson darts; they paralyze temporarily. They're a good weapon, but they don't always work and I don't have a lot of them."
After you've walked through the mall a bit looking for a martial arts school, Derek asks you what you're doing. You tell him, and he says, "Why don't you use the directory screens?"
He immediately walks over to one, and in seconds has a list of all the martial arts schools in the mall, with their locations, programs, services, prices, and supplies.
"So, how do you want to narrow this down?"
--M. J. Young
I think it annoying that you are asking, but yes, this is that Derek Jacob Brown, and in fact this is the gather at the end of that book, in which you are taking the role of Joe Kondor, who won't be there because you are instead.
Satisfied?
--M. J. Young
Why do you find that annoying? I don't have the book, as far as I know it's not even in print yet. When I first heard of the 12 year old kid, I assumed it was Kyler's character, but no such character existed in the rulebook.
"Ya know Derek, I've been here for 2 days, and I don't think I ever tried to use one of these. I feel like such a Newlin. (that was just an insult we used at school, don't know where it came from) Let's see here..... I would want something that is fast and defensive based, which has the option to use blunt instruments as weapons. I don't want to make them bleed, I just want to put them in enough pain that they will think harder next time."
And do I get the timepiece?
5849 credits
You had to use it to order the pizzas--but you used the ones in your room and the restaurant, not the one in the mall concourse. They are also very similar to the ones that manage purchase and sale transactions.
He hits the screen very quickly, hesitating only once, and in a moment says, "I can find four places that sound like they offer something like that. This looks like the biggest; they teach several styles, including two that might be what you want." He pushes the screen, opening a side window and half reading while he talks.
"One, Tsing-Tsing, looks like a sort of wrestling style but also uses the bo stick, which is like a quarter staff. The other, Gulk, teaches the use of the three-piece rod, which if I remember my kung fu movies is actually a rather large weapon. It also teaches the sai. The style itself appears to be oriented toward nerve combat, poking the opponent where it will cause pain or do damage. Looking at these others," he closes that window and opens another one, "Gazuntite looks like another wrestling style, and it also teaches the bo stick but also the spear." He replaces that window, and continues, "Okydoky Smoky--goofy name, but you wouldn't have to call it that when you left this world--is another that's about hitting the sensitive spots, and it teaches something that looks like a studded baseball bat and something else that looks like a bent tapered piece of pipe. Finally, this Slammed Unk style," he changes to the last school on his list, "uses something called the gunsen, but I don't know what that is. It seems to be based on throws.
"So, where do you want to go next?"
Ah, the timepiece.
You stop in a shop that appears to specialize in time pieces. They ask what grade of implant you would like, and whether you have any existing hardware.
--M. J. Young
"OK Derek, get back to that computer screen. Let's do this the practical way. I need three things at the moment. 1) Shelter, 2) employment, and 3) martial arts lessons, in that order. The employment I have, so let's work around that. Find the closest martial arts schools and the closest shelters in relation to the scrap dealer's shop. Up to a half mile away (about 1 kilometer) I don't care about what the style is, and I don't care about what kind of shelter it is. Anything is better than nothing (most of the time) and considering where I was staying in my last world, even a slum would be better accommodations than that. Also, check on there and see if any kind of transportation around the mall is offered. Are there any kinds of high speed transport, get you from one place to the other in a jiffy? Also Derek, check for the location of weapon stores. Whatever passes for a firearm in this world. Same search parameters. Within a half mile of the scrap dealer." (half mile in a straight line. Elevation is not important. That's what God invented elevators for. If it's 40 floors down, but only 1/4 mile walking, I'll take it.)
I know I said I didn't care what style, but I would be looking for a kick based defensive martial art first. I have 1@10 boxing, so I must be decent at throwing punches. Let's work on the legs. Blunt instrument weapon utilizing, if possible, but not required. Sword and knife type weapons are completely out of the picture. If its design is to draw blood, I'll pass. I don't want to kill or permanently injure anyone, if it can be avoided. Collapsible baton is perfect. Something I can always carry. What was that metal chain thing? Kau sin Kee or something? That or a staff would be also be ideal.
You stop in a shop that appears to specialize in time pieces. They ask what grade of implant you would like, and whether you have any existing hardware.
"I want the removable kind that goes around your wrist. Ever heard of a wristwatch? That's what I want. If all you have is implants, I'll pass."
Does Derek have a watch? Better yet, does he have several watches, one of which he would be willing to part with? Perhaps we could work out a trade of some kind.
Wait a minute. I want to be clear on something. Are the food establishments manned? Do I go up and place an order then get it from a human being, or do I put the order into a computer, and then it spits out a pizza? You said that several of the shops were manned, so I assumed everything was. Describe this setting in more detail.
Also, I assume I know the name and phone number of the hotel I'm staying at? I would have taken a business card if they were offered. Call back to the hotel, and tell them that I need a wakeup call for 13 hours from now. (I figure it's probably been about an hour, so that would give me 2 hours to get ready and get to work)
NOTES
Don't forget to check at the weapons store. Do they have anything resembling a Hi-Point 9mm carbine? It's a 10 or 15 shot rifle (depending on the magazine) that shoots a standard 9mm pistol bullet. Plastic stock, 18 inch barrel (I believe) (And the closest thing to an assault rifle that I feel comfortable owning in real life)
"I thought you had shelter? Of course, no one stopped me from sleeping in mall last night--if you can call it night--but then, they probably took me for someone's tired kid told to stay where he is, and I picked a spot off the beaten track. But they wouldn't let me near your room, particularly since I didn't know who you were and couldn't say I was meeting someone I knew. Probably could have looked you up--found the guy whose history didn't make sense--but then, if that were easy the indigs would have realized it by now. In any case, where you're staying has good security, and what is more important, human security--I could get around this electronic stuff pretty easily, but getting past a person without hurting him or causing a scene? That's pretty tough.
"But if you want to move, it looked to me like there were a lot of places up there and I'm sure we could find something better. What do we want?"
"Transportation? I guess you didn't realize--what you call elevators are transporters; they go sideways, too, and will take you pretty much anywhere you want. There are some restricted areas, of course, but there are ways around that, too."
"All right, styles that use the feet and also include weapons. I see--two places that teach anything like that, and they're about the same distance from the shop, a couple miles. This one," he opens a window, "Foo Tsor, looks to be hard-hitting, fast, and it teaches the bo stick, which is really just a staff with a foreign name, although you hold it different, plus something called the lajatang, but I don't know what that is. This other," he changes views, "Sah Skwatch, very defensive, also teaches the lajatang and the kau sin ke--oh, I know what that is, Lauren uses it. It's a sort of chain of connected metal bars. Hard to find, but if they teach how to use it, they must have them. I might join you there. It would be cool to be able to use Lauren's favorite weapon--although I doubt anyone would ever be able to use it the way she does, unless it's Raiden, her teacher. I don't see collapsible baton as something taught anywhere, although maybe they would have collapsible bo sticks in this world. That would be kind of neat."
At the clock shop:
"You mean, embed a viewscreen in your wrist? How primitive. No? You want a removable timepiece?" He seems to find the idea ridiculous, but gives a suggestion. "Try Finnegan's, three levels down. He might have something like that."
Derek does not have a watch. He carries several small portable computers, one of which gives him the time through an earpiece if he speaks to it.
Nearly all of the restaurants have waiters and cooks, although a lot of their work is animated. The menus are usually fully electronic--the only paper you see is the napkins, although some of the low-end places also have picture menus on the walls. The waitress is there to help make sure your order is correctly understood, but she enters it through the electronic menu if you don't. A person delivers the food to your table. They do have places that are like the Automat, in which the food is behind doors, and you are charged for which doors you open to remove food.
You call the hotel.
The word "weapon" pulls up over a thousand entries, including most of the martial arts schools and stores, some military training schools, survivalist stores, security services, and several other categories of businesses.
"How do you want to narrow this down?" Derek asks.
--M. J. Young
"The elevators go sideways huh? Hadn't thought of that. In that case, pull up a list of all defensive martial art schools that this place has to offer. I still haven't found that for which I am looking."
"Ya know what? Make that all martial arts schools PERIOD. I would like a listing of all martial art school available in "The Mall" regardless of style or weapon usage. If possible, organized from defensive, weapon utilizing first, defensive weapon (where you can't use a weapon at all) second, and aggressive weapon dependent last."
MJ, I know I'm asking a lot here, but I'm certain that you can pull it off. Aggressive styles are lower. Weapon dependent styles (aggressive or defensive) are lowest on the list. Perhaps I can take more than one at the same time? My preference would be defensive weapon utilizing. Completely exclude any martial arts style which employs bladed weapons of any kind. I don't want to cut or injure anyone. Knocking them out is good enough for me. The organization would be
1)
Weapon utilizing
No weapons at all
Weapon dependant.
2)
Fast
Slow
3)
Defensive
Aggressive
I know it's a lot to ask, but you told me once that the referee takes the form of whatever he is becoming. (Something like that, anyway) Right now, you're becoming a computer terminal.
"That hotel is a luxury suite. It was just for a celebration. I seriously doubt that even if we both work, we could earn enough credits to stay there very long. And don't even start about that you could hack the computer system and solve all of our financial problems. My soul is not worth a free hotel room. Find the least expensive hotel room this place has to offer. I only need a roof, a bed, a TV and a bathroom with a shower, and I'm all set."
"Is there any listing in the weapons directory for 20th century earth firearms? I need some more 9mm ammo"
Unless I am actually gagging on it, (and sometimes even then) I'll eat just about anything. I've (in real life) been trying to teach myself to cook. The pizza was celebratory. After that, I want to try some other cuisine. Alien races if there are any.
I'm curious, is there any sign of mind-altering substances anywhere? As Tommy Chong said about the future "I bet they'll have lots of really cool drugs, Maaaan." I would probably be looking for legal hallucinogens.
Go check out the other timepiece shop.
MJ, you're pretty good with the English language. I'm always looking to improve my language skills. How do you do quotation marks in multiple paragraphs, such as what I have above? Is what I did acceptable, or is there a better way?
Derek punches up a list of all the martial arts schools and what they teach. Some teach several styles.
John, you may go to The Martial Arts Style Collection and peruse the styles that are there.
I have already determined by die roll these details:
- There is a school that teaches Tsing-Tsing and Gulk
- There is a school that teaches Gazuntite
- There is a school that teaches Okydoky Smoky
- There is a school that teaches Slammed Unk
- There is a school that teaches Foo Tsor
- There is a school that teaches Sah Skwatch
- No school teaches Mitzu Assault or the other Mitzu styles
- No school teaches Miyagido
Beyond that, I am not going to create a definitive list of all the schools and what they teach, because I don't run this world that way. You're going to imagine that you're looking over a list, and you're going to ask me whether particular styles on the other site are included. Otherwise I would be writing another web site to cover what is in this mall, as you're asking me to do something on the order of listing all the self-defense classes available in New York City, and I can't do that.
Be warned that the summary chart has some errors in it; go by the individual style descriptions pages.
Derek finds a place for seventy credits a night, double occupancy (two beds). It looks like they also do monthly rentals--thirty days for eighteen hundred credits, which he says is about fifteen percent savings. Single occupancy would be fifty a night, thirteen hundred for the month, but you only get one bed and they'll probably know if you've got a second person in the room, even if it's only a kid like him.
"Oh, and put me down as twelve--that's how old I was when I versed out."
************
Concerning quotation marks, it is normal to alternately nest double quotations (") with single quotations ('). American style always has the double quotation on the outside, "And Isaiah said, 'Thus saith the Lord, "I am calling to you, Israel," He who sits upon the throne of heaven,' and the king shuddered." British use is reversed; I am not completely certain, but I think that the British use is such that the innermost quote uses the double quotes, and thus the example I gave would be the same. However, with only two nestings it would read "Thus saith the Lord, 'I am calling to you', He who sits upon the throne" for the Americans and 'Thus saith the Lord, "I am calling to you", He who sits upon the throne' for the British.
The British usage always confuses my eyes, and I'm not certain I have their rule right.
--M. J. Young
Martial Arts Style: Hee Cupp
Martial Arts Style: Judo/Doju
Martial Arts Style: Kung Fu/Ku Fung
Martial Arts Style: Okydoky Smoky
Martial Arts Style: Won Ton
These would be my choices.
"Well, first let's check out the watch store, then the martial arts schools, and then we can check on that hotel. Let's stay in the one I have at the moment tonight though. Might as well enjoy it whilst we can."
"Is there any listing in the weapons directory for 20th century earth firearms? I need some more 9mm ammo"
Unless I am actually gagging on it, (and sometimes even then) I'll eat just about anything. I've (in real life) been trying to teach myself to cook. The pizza was celebratory. After that, I want to try some other cuisine. Alien races if there are any.
I'm curious, is there any sign of mind-altering substances anywhere? As Tommy Chong said about the future "I bet they'll have lots of really cool drugs, Maaaan." I would probably be looking for legal hallucinogens.
There is a school that teaches Doju and Won Ton, and of course you already know that there is a school that teaches Okydoky Smoky.
20th century does not seem to be an accepted search term. Derek suggests "slug projectors", and this narrows the list significantly. He then says that he can probably exclude "rail guns" and get a smaller list, but he can't guarantee that the places that deal in rail guns don't also deal in explosion-drives. It might be better to pick a place that deals with slug throwers and ask whether they have or can get such ammo, or who they would recommend for it.
You find your way to the recommended store. Their idea of a watch appears to be a computer with a terrabyte of memory and a terraherz processor that fits on your wrist, displays through a flat screen similar to those on the walls, and can interface with most known systems via internal wireless modem. Someone calls it a "wristop". Derek says he's going to have to get some new hardware while he's here, because they do have some things he's never seen before. The internal solar battery will maintain full function for two thousand hours in total darkness, after which it will shut to power saving mode to preserve minimal functions for another eight thousand hours.
These are apparently rather old fashioned devices.
There is no evidence that alien races exist.
I'm not certain what evidence of what mind-altering substances you have in mind. Indeed, the fact that you were offerred beer and wine with your pizza indicates that there is at least one mind-altering substance available. There are also significant medical facilities, so they probably have other mind-altering substances of some sort. On the other hand, you don't see people sitting in the hall looking like drug addicts. Not sure how you would expect to find such a thing.
--M. J. Young
There is a school that teaches Doju and Won Ton, and of course you already know that there is a school that teaches Okydoky Smoky.
Those weren't in any kind of order of preference. Doesn't matter. I'll check those out in the order they are away from the hotel we are about to check into. Hopefully, they are all on the same level and in the same direction.
He then says that he can probably exclude "rail guns" and get a smaller list, but he can't guarantee that the places that deal in rail guns don't also deal in explosion-drives.
They have magnetic rail guns here?????? Screw the 9mm, let's check that out.
You find your way to the recommended store. Their idea of a watch appears to be a computer with a terrabyte of memory and a terraherz processor that fits on your wrist, displays through a flat screen similar to those on the walls, and can interface with most known systems via internal wireless modem. Someone calls it a "wristop". Derek says he's going to have to get some new hardware while he's here, because they do have some things he's never seen before. The internal solar battery will maintain full function for two thousand hours in total darkness, after which it will shut to power saving mode to preserve minimal functions for another eight thousand hours.
"I'll take it. Derek, get whatever the hell you want, up to 1,000 credits. I'm buying."
I'm not certain what evidence of what mind-altering substances you have in mind. Indeed, the fact that you were offered beer and wine with your pizza indicates that there is at least one mind-altering substance available. There are also significant medical facilities, so they probably have other mind-altering substances of some sort. On the other hand, you don't see people sitting in the hall looking like drug addicts. Not sure how you would expect to find such a thing.
"Derek, do a computer search for 'Head Shop' That's how I could find out."
Do they have any kind of direct deposits? I want to keep the credit balance as close to zero as possible. At least if the currency is paper, you have fire kindling in the next world. That gives it SOME value. These credits are absolutely worthless in the next world.
This is the second time you've asked about "direct deposit". My understanding of that term is that it means your paycheck or other income such as social security goes directly into your bank account. Since this world does not use either checks or currency, all transactions are direct deposit--the money moves electronically from one account to another. I must therefore assume you mean something else by the term.
The martial arts school are all scattered throughout the mall. Undoubtedly part of the logic of that is that they will attract customers based on location. Since you've picked two schools pretty much randomly from the list, they're not near each other. The one that teaches both styles is on a higher level but farther across the floor, while the other is nearer your hotel in terms of lateral distance but quite a few levels down.
The watch costs 100 credits. Assuming you had beer with your pizza, that leaves you with 5748 credits.
Derek asks if he can take a raincheck on buying something. He needs to get a better idea of the systems here before he can determine what he needs.
Your search for "head shop" pulls up quite a few categories:
- Robotics control systems
- Mind/Machine Interface systems
- Beauticians
- Plastic surgery
- Engine repair
- Personnel services
- Psychiatric services
--M. J. Young
This is the second time you've asked about "direct deposit". My understanding of that term is that it means your paycheck or other income such as social security goes directly into your bank account. Since this world does not use either checks or currency, all transactions are direct deposit--the money moves electronically from one account to another. I must therefore assume you mean something else by the term.
I'm not sure what I meant. Doesn't matter.
The martial arts school are all scattered throughout the mall. Undoubtedly part of the logic of that is that they will attract customers based on location. Since you've picked two schools pretty much randomly from the list, they're not near each other. The one that teaches both styles is on a higher level but farther across the floor, while the other is nearer your hotel in terms of lateral distance but quite a few levels down.
I also want to check out the store that sells the rail guns. Plot a course which would take us to the rail gun store first. Does the rail gun store deal in archery at all? Gun stores almost always also sell archery and fishing equipment, to the point that I would be surprised if they didn't.
The watch costs 100 credits. Assuming you had beer with your pizza, that leaves you with 5748 credits.
I would have just had a soda. 5749 credits. Describe the watch.
Derek asks if he can take a raincheck on buying something. He needs to get a better idea of the systems here before he can determine what he needs.
"Yeah, just don't take too long to cash it in."
Derek picks one of the several stores that sell rail guns. The store sells defensive weapons for use in space ship and off-world situations, but it is directly across from another store that handles sporting goods, including primitive weapons such as bows and arrows.
The watch was previously described as
a computer with a terrabyte of memory and a terraherz processor that fits on your wrist, displays through a flat screen similar to those on the walls, and can interface with most known systems via internal wireless modem. Someone calls it a "wristop".What else do you wish to know about it?
--M. J. Young
Derek picks one of the several stores that sell rail guns. The store sells defensive weapons for use in space ship and off-world situations, but it is directly across from another store that handles sporting goods, including primitive weapons such as bows and arrows.
"Let's check out the rail guns. What other kinds of guns do they have?"
The watch was previously described as
a computer with a terrabyte of memory and a terraherz processor that fits on your wrist, displays through a flat screen similar to those on the walls, and can interface with most known systems via internal wireless modem. Someone calls it a "wristop".
What else do you wish to know about it?
What does it do?
Rail guns come in a variety of sizes, from pistol-like to very long. They use something similar to a battery pack, although Derek says it's probably a capacitive array power unit, which makes it rechargeable.
They also have laser and kinetic force weapons, also in various sizes, plus sonics of various sorts. They offer a variety of grenades as well, and various grenade launchers.
The watch does pretty much anything that a computer will do. Size is a limitation; the onboard speakers and amplification system doesn't have very good bass, and although the screen has automatic zoom capability and doubles as the keyboard, images are limited to about 1"x0.75". The sensing system on the screen causes it to zoom as your finger approaches, so if you have it in keyboard mode you can see the entire keyboard when you look at the screen but as your finger approaches it zooms to where you are nearing until there is one key centered on the screen.
--M. J. Young
Rail guns come in a variety of sizes, from pistol-like to very long. They use something similar to a battery pack, although Derek says it's probably a capacitive array power unit, which makes it rechargeable.
Just to be clear, a rail gun fires an aluminum slug by magnetic pulse at nearly the speed of light, right? So it's an ammunition based weapon using electricity. I don't want anything fully automatic. It's just a waste of ammo. Tell me more about the rail guns.
They also have laser and kinetic force weapons, also in various sizes, plus sonics of various sorts.
What the hell is a kinetic force weapon?
They offer a variety of grenades as well, and various grenade launchers.
Like what kinds of grenades? Do they have hand grenades? Are they lethal or non-lethal? Do they have EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) Doesn't do any physical damage, just wipes out electrical systems?
What are the prices of the merchandise?
Do they have any ammo for my 9mm and MAK 90?
"Derek, again, anything you want, up to 1,000 credits, but it comes out of the 1,000 credits I offered you on the computer stuff. Also, you might want to check into more primitive weapons too. I found out the REALLY hard way what can happen if the biases aren't high enough to support what you need to do. I want to make sure I have ranged weapons for every tech bias."
NOTES
Ask at the archery store if they might be interested in trading my oak and steel crossbow for something lighter.
Just to be perfectly clear, a rail gun uses an electromagnetic pulse to hurl a projectile at an extremely high velocity. The speed and size of the projectile are in inverse proportion, with the size and power of the weapon also being a factor. Most such weapons are comparable or slightly better than explosive-driven versions of the same size. They can handle a greater variety of ammunition, however, such as flechettes instead of slugs, and composite missiles, as long as the missile is sufficiently affected by magnetism. Steel works better than aluminum. Some use carriage transports, and so can throw missiles of nearly any material, but the carriages have to be collected or replaced. (These drop similar to ejected brass, but from the barrel end.) You need something on the order of a thin cannon to achieve the velocities you're suggesting, but supersonic is not uncommon with long-barreled rifles.
A kinetic force weapon fires what might best be described as a sphere of inverse gravity--an invisible ball of force moving at high velocity. It tends to be a blunt trauma attack, like firing a club out of a blunderbuss, but more accurate and with greater velocity--and of course it is invisible.
Yes, EMP grenades are available, and other non-lethals including sonic stunners, gas, smoke, glue (burst in strands of rapidly hardening goo primarily within a ten foot radius which is difficult to break or escape), blinders (brilliant burst of visible spectrum light something like the flash of a camera only much more intense), and boomers and squealers (loud sonic attacks intended to deafen temporarily, the boomers are a low frequency abrupt assault which momentarily deadens hearing, while the squealers are a high frequency whistle that runs for several minutes and makes audible communication in the immediate vicinity difficult). They also have frags and energy grenades. There is an ad for tachyon grenades, but none in supply as these are considered extremely dangerous. And yes, all grenades can be thrown with impact detonation, set on timer, or launched from a grenade launching system.
Again, since there are thousands of separate items in the store or its catalogs, it would be prohibitive for me to give you a price list. You'll have to talk in terms of what you want and what you're willing to spend, and I'll let you know what's available in that category at that price.
They do not carry ammo for primitive weapons, but suggest that the sporting goods shop across the way might have something like that.
Derek thanks you for your offer, but says that for his money, the computer parts are probably going to be the most important thing he gets here. It took him a lot of practice to get good with his laser rifle, butcher knife, and darts, and he is watching how much he has to carry. He's seen Lauren's rickshaw, and does not want to wind up with more than he can stuff in his backpack, duffel, and bicycle baskets--and he's pretty close to that already.
--M. J. Young
Describe the rail guns in more detail. Prices, power source, etc. Can they use ANY steel projectile, or does it have to be made custom, or what? I've got 15 pounds of stainless steel and metal working skills. Could I, in a pinch, convert my wrenches into projectiles? What is the shot capacity of the weapons? If they are all single shot, forget it.
What are the prices on the non-lethal timed grenades? The glue grenades are what I'm interested in. What kind of gas grenades? Knock out gas? Also, fragmentation grenades would be quite cool too. Describe the grenades. Are they the standard "Pull the pin, throw it, and 5 seconds later KA-BOOM" type?
NOTES
Don't forget the sporting goods store.
Rail guns:
The more accurate they are, the more specific they are as to what sort of ammo they'll project. Some are large-bore like a blunderbuss, and like a blunderbuss will fire anything to a decent range with decent force but not much accuracy. Some are very fine, and fling specially designed long needles which an expert can put through a one inch diameter circle at fifty yards.
The cheapest run about 450c. The biggest and best run up to nine thousand, but these are probably close to military artilery pieces which might be intended for mounting on a vehicle of some sort. A decent rifle which has a maximum half inch diameter for ammo but is otherwise pretty open as to what can be used runs about two thousand four hundred. A blunderbuss model that will throw anything up to two inches in diameter is about one thousand five hundred. A fairly accurate pistol with a quarter inch bore costs one thousand nine hundred fifty. The aforementioned needle gun is three thousand six hundred, and is something of a long barreled pistol or short rifle.
All of them can accommodate cartriges designed for them, but the cartriges are specific to the weapons and usually are stricter in terms of what kind of ammo they'll accommodate. If you want to fire an open end wrench, you'll have to breech load it on a gun in which it will fit. You might get away with sockets on the blunderbuss, but it would take careful loading of the cartrige. On the other hand, with the exception of those cartriges designed for fletchets or needles, simple bar iron of the appropriate diameter is good enough, usually cut in lengths of one to three inches, the exact length and the degree of precision specific to the gun (larger guns being more forgiving than smaller ones).
Cartriges for the smallest guns are usually five shots, but pistols can manage up to fifteen and larger guns have standards cartriges up to thirty-five and special order versions larger than that. The needler is significant in that it holds fifty of its millimeter diameter seven centimeter long needles in one cartrige.
Grenades start around two hundred credits apiece for frags and gas grenades, three hundred for glue, five hundred for energy and EMP grenades, and one thousand for sonics--but if they are recovered, the sonics can be recharged and reused, and are remarkably resilient. All grenades have a selector between impact and timed detonation, and the timers can be set for anything from one second to sixty minutes, at the moment of use. Whether the timers are mechanical or electronic is dependent on the nature of the device itself--powered grenades have electronic timers as a rule, but non-powered grenades might have mechanical or electrical instead. If set for impact, they will detonate on the first solid jar; they can't be launched from explosive driven launchers, but rail gun launchers (a separate item from the rail guns) have a sufficiently steady acceleration rate that the grenades won't detonate during launch. Impact detonation can be prevented by catching the grenade smoothly enough that it does not stop abruptly, but that's not a skill many people develop.
There are several varieties of gas, including sleep-inducing, irritating, obscurement in various EM spectra (e.g., visible light, IR, UV), laughing gas, and poison.
--M. J. Young
Do they have any kind of volume discount on the grenades? Maybe buy 10, you get a better price?
Forget the rail guns, that's not what I was thinking.
What other projectile weapons do they have?
I don't want any kind of absolutely energy weapon. I know they're rechargeable and everything, but I want something more familiar.
As far as physical projectile weapons, this store has rail guns and electromagnetic grenade launchers, roughly the same thing but designed to hurl a grenade fairly accurately. Most of the grenade launchers are designed to attach to one of the other weapons, although they do have what are effectively grenade rifles (large bore and very large clips for a few shots) and grenade mortars (fire in a more arcing pattern).
--M. J. Young
Do they have any kind of volume discount on the grenades? Maybe buy 10, you get a better price? (I think you're getting senile MJ, I posted this yesterday)
I think I'm gonna check out the sporting goods store. Do they have any regular firearms? What about ammo for the guns that I already have?
Would they be interested in trading my oak and steel crossbow for something lighter? (I know, they don't trade, I mean sell to them and they sell me a crossbow)