<snip>

Reilly looked at Mado and asked “So how many of these have you found so far? And how many are you tracking? And have you found any that have been put up for sale anywhere?” It was the last question he was most interested in an answer to.

Reilly, XO

“The problem with the questions your asking, Commander, is that artifacts are constantly are found all the time by field agents. As to the exact number, I am not sure. For my personal time doing this particular job, I lost count at 1000. As for tracking – I don’t know, that information is only at the Central HQ of the agency, and not many field agents get the chance to visit the Central HQ or have a need to. Most of our assignments are handed remotely and securely. As for artifacts being put up and sold, the problem is that we have to investigate all auctions that sell anything old – since the metaphysical properties do not always manifest themselves, and sometimes those metaphysical property signatures don’t get detected unless the metaphysical property is active. Agents tend to use intuition to find artifacts… ‘trust your gut’ as it is said,” said Mado, “Ultimately, that presents us with a unique problem – any auction selling anything old and rare could be an artifact that is lying dormant or somehow the metaphysical properties are being suppressed, making it difficult to detect. That does not include the black market auctions that we have to try to discover. Risa is one such world where, despite being a pleasure planet, makes an incredible cover to sell rare goods to wealthy people. As a result, artifacts do flow through Risa – mostly accidentally.”

GM

“So the pin that our Doctor got down in Sickbay?” Commander Erin asked, “Do you think that could be one of the artifacts?” The Ops Manager tried to think back on where Lily put the pin after she opened the box, but he was too caught up in conversation that it completely skipped his mind.

Erin

Alita idly thought of all the odd bits and pieces stored away in the California house. Just random things lovingly collected, or made, by her family. Certainly nothing that would interest this man but, strange none the less.

• Alita, MO/COS

“Pin? What pin, Commander?” asked Mado.

GM

Remy sat up straighter when Bryson mentioned the object the CMO had received.

“Some gold pin that was delivered to our Chief Medical Officer a few hours back,” Bryson replied shrugging his shoulders. “Lily didn’t know who it was from, only that it came from Risa.”

Erin
Ops

“I would have to examine it further for more detail, Commander,” said Mado.

GM

“Did you get a chance to ‘andle this pin, Bryson? Did you notice Lily acting strangely as she ‘andled it?” Remy asked. If this was another artifact, this was no longer a coincidence he decided. Someone was targeting the Wolverine. They needed to get a handle on this situation, and fast.

“‘Lita, take a security guard (Cel?) wit’ you sickbay an’ get did pin. Take de purple gloves. Dey will allow you to pick it up wit’out feeline any ill effects. Get it to Mado, so ‘e can investigate it. Tell ‘er de trut’ if you ‘ave to, but we need to check it out”

Alita stood and glanced at Remy before she left. He wasn’t getting away from that conversation, just delaying a little bit.

“Lt. Mado, you said you can modify de sensors to detect an artifact. Get on dat.”

“I assume over Mr. Petrov’s objections?” asked Mado.

=/\= Lt. Mado to Lt. Petrov. =/\=

“Bryson, Jason, we will be traveline to Starbase 274 to pick up containers to ‘old de artifacts. In de meantime, work wit’ Lt. Rhodes and’. . . . Lt. Petrov, travel to Risa and see if you can find out where de car, de coin, an’ de pin came from. Break up into teams to save some time. Take whoever you need (such as everybody else on the roster to get them involved in the main sim and any NE’s you want to run on your team). You’ call, Reilly, on who goes wit’ whom. . . “

“‘Ow long will it take to modify de sensors. Mado?”

“An hour or two, at most, sir,” replied Mado.

Looking back to Reilly and Erin, dat is de ‘mount of time you ‘ave before we head to de Starbase.”

Boudreaux (CO)

=^=Ensign Thienna. Meet me in sick bay immediately.=^= she said taking the purple gloves as she left.

• Alita, MO/COS

GM

OOC: I don’t think Petrov is in the room…

GM