Royal Liner Joy Division

[escopton]

Laetitia smiled as she noticed the concern Kim expressed. Since the CEO asked right away as soon as they were sitting in the VIP room, she did not delay the answer.

Well Miss Allen, we are still running on the original supplies we loaded in Curacao prior the trip up to here, so if you are thinking on a logistic agenda that includes the liner, I am all into it.

She then took a deep breath before talking about the security matter. Looking at his diseased fiancee's friend, Hans, she started.

Security in this system is pretty good my friends. The zoners here are well respected in almost all of Sirius' corners, so they don't have invasions or such. With another pause her eyes switched to meet those of Kim. Nevertheless, there is the Gallic matter. She seemed to stress the word 'gallic' with certain grudge.

I feared it would be a problem to our stay here, but then forgot it as it seems the frontline of the Gaul's war is in Bretonia. It wasn't until today that a Gallic royalist entered Baffin. We recieved a communication from Shasta informing that a lone snubcraft was spotted for a brief time in the system.

She awaited to see their responses before talking to them about the jumphole she spotted while surveying the system.

---

[Zynth]

Ernst, hearing his name being called, looked up for a while after pulling the handle of the slot machine for the 17th time in a row. By now, he has drained his Martini glass and most of the contents of his wallet.

"Ah, Ms Colombus, Ms Allen. Nice casino you have here."
He pulls the lever on the slot machine once again.

"Yes, I'll join you in second."
Once again, another pull of the slot machine and another loss.

"Or two."
And again he pulled the slot machine, and again he lost cash.

By now, he had ran out of small change, he had no coins to spare for the slot machines.
"Oh fine, this machine probably hates me. I could use a break anyway." he says with a sigh.

He then gets up from the seat somewhat reluctantly and joins the rest in the VIP room.

Listening to the conversation between Kim and Laetitia, he spoke up.

"The Zoners may have respected neutrality in Sirius but Gallia knows little about Sirian customs." he pauses for a second. "The Zoners have access to powerful ships, the Gallics may view them as a threat and may launch a pre-emptive strike on Baffin. Our presence here may lead the Gallics to assume that Bretonia has ties with the Zoners."

---

[Skullz]

Kim's eyes search the words that are being spoken, as she continues to drink. Her face opens finally after both finish speaking setting her glass down on to the serene table.

She clear's her throat before opening, "Then we must ensure some security is left here, with the local Zoner force knowing its single purpose, as a defence force against Gallia. Miss Columbus, that shall be up to you to talk with the local Zoners so they know what our security forces presence here will be. Especially since you seem to have built a relationship with them so quickly."
Kim looks around, thinking of something. Once her though clears she begins a new, "Is there any other security issues with in the Baffin system?"

She then lifts up her glass to be drunk again, and her other hand raises elegantly for a steward to come and bring more drinks to the table.

---

[escopton]

Laetitia straightens up and thinks for a while. Then, in a very quiet and low voice, she adds...

I have been flying around in a shuttle and noticed, right before the restricted area of Pueblo Bonito, a jumphole that is not charted in the interstellar maps of Greyhound or OS&C.

She looks at their reactions again.

My friends, I am pretty sure that Baffin's zoners already know about it, and since no weapon platforms were placed, I guess that hole does not represent a threat to them. Nevertheless, I suggest a three man undercover scouting operation. Just to be sure.

She sighs.

After all it may be a new route for slavers, Kim, I have taken the freedom to scan their passage through here now and then, haven't seen many.

As for the presence of battle crafts here, I disagree. We should not have more than two supressive snubcraft. No matter the threat, they will buy me the time I may need to escape to Coronado.

---

[Skullz]

A steward walks over, lowing 3 glass's of champagne on to the table just as Kim finish's her glass. She thanks the steward and takes a quick look at the casino floor.

"I agree a couple fighter craft will be enough. And I believe that the Zoners would be happy for the ship to dock at shasta if it came under attack from Gallic's. For they would be breaking the local laws."
Kim takes a sharp look at Laetitia, "A Jump hole you say. How interesting." She leans forward, elbows hovering a few centimeters from the table top. "I think myself and you should be the ones to check it out. I doubt that much force may be needed, if it is needed at all. Then I will be reporting our findings to my boss, Andrew Bellingham. I am sure he will like to take a look at them."

The Casino seems to be picking up with passengers entering the Casino floor, pulling the slots, or taking there chance at the more advanced games on board.

---

[escopton]

As you wish Miss Allen. She said this with certain pleasure.

---

[Zynth]

A shrill ringing sound could be heard. The sound, apparently, was emanating from Ernst's coat pocket.

"Pardon me a sec."
Ernst then proceeds to pull out his phone out of his coat pocket.

"Ernst Geisshardt, Orbital Spa & Cruise."
Some intelligible chatter could be heard from the other side of the line.
"Confirmed? Oh good."
With that, he closes his phone and places it back in his coat pocket.

"I apologize for the disturbance. I just had wonderful news, my product order for an Ae-01 "Typhoon" HCn Hovercycle has been confirmed. Can't wait to see it..."

"Um. Back on topic. I assume that if the Zoners find no threat from the hole, it should be fine. A scouting party would be a waste of resources and time."

---

[escopton]

Laetitia takes some seconds to look at Ernst, to study him, and try to see what was behind that innocent look. Matters like these sometimes didn't interest busy excecutives like him, but he was clearly not trained in the lore of war.

Excuse me Mr. Geisshardt, but I believe that ignoring this hole can be detrimental to Orbital Spa & Cruise. We, after all, are close to a warzone, and do not know what dangers lurk turning the nearest corner.

---

[Zynth]

Ernst stares at Laetitia for a moment.
"The Zoners don't find any interest. Why should we?"
He simply shrugs off the problem before him.

"I trust that if there was any threat, the Zoners should take it into consideration. The fact they did not naturally means there isn't any threat."
Clearly, he wasn't very interested in the Jump Hole at all.

---

[escopton]

I will fly up to there with Miss Allen anyways, just in case.

---