Mäarten Reesbäker

[graymask1120]

To: His Highness, Norris, Archduke of Deneb
Fr: Imperial Naval Intelligence, Mora Intercept Office
Dt: 279-1120
Sb: Mäarten Reesbäker

Your Highness:

Enclosed is a copy of a file intercepted from a Zhodani agent on Efate; intercept date 350-1119.

Your Servant,

LtCmdr E. Shughillyi, IN

*****************************

To: Regional Coordinator
Fr: ADXXV583
Sb: Mäarten Reesbäker
Fl: http://www.trisen.com/sol/wanted.asp?iWanted=REESBÄKER

Honorable Coordinator,

The following intercept was passed to us by Agent IM-337592A, recieved two local days ago. It is strange, in that it does not appear to be an official communication - it was sent via X-Boat.

The sender, on Trin/Trin's Veil, has been identified as an Imperial Navy Administration officer; the recipient, on Vincennes/Deneb, has been identified as an Imperial Navy Intelligence officer.

I can only presume that "N" refers to Archduke Norris, and "D" refers to Duchess Delphine of Mora.

The SUBJECT may be a problem for us; note the reference to the theft of the INSS Gallipoli, a 'Quala-Batoo'-class Imperial Marine Company Assualt Transport.

This is the first I have heard of this situation. I am attempting to learn more.

In Service To The Consulate,

ADXXV583

=================MESSAGE BEGINS===================

"Suudy,

"I had to pull a few favors to get this for you; I hope it helps.

"Good job on quashing the story about the theft of the 'Gallipoli'; that's a nightmare waiting to happen...Actually this is the worst case of piracy I've ever seen: at a stroke, this guy managed to steal a fully loaded Marine assault transport.

"There were only an ENS and a couple of ratings, and a Corporal and two Pvts aboard - everyone else was ashore; Reesbäker's team boarded via an access hatch behind the bridge(remember that he lived on one of those things for almost ten years?), using a 'Mercy'-class rescue boat to board her. Incredible: 230 suits of Assualt B-Dress, 6 Sunbeam sleds and 2 Intrepids, complete with full kits of spares and reloads, planetary bombardment missiles, the lot -- gone in under five minutes.

"But here's the interesting part: he didn't kill the skeleton crew -- he marooned them on a rock in Trin's outer system...complete with cargo conatiners carrying the crew's personal effects, and an emergency locator beacon. Apparently, once he outran Trin's picket boats and Jumped, he micro'd into the Oort cloud, refuelled and headed out...There's been no sign of him since. Weird.

"We dumbed-down his bio file as far as we can, in case something gets out; the 'monkey' file is here: http://www.trisen.com/sol/wanted.asp?iWanted=REESBÄKER

"I'm including a summation of his real file below. I understand that "D" is frothing at the mouth over this - you know he killed one of her "pet nobles", right? Shot the broad in the face, in public, with no challenge; very nasty dude. I don't know "N"s mind on him...it's kind of creepy: he just takes the report, says "Thank you" and bang, you're dismissed.

"Something in this sounds like he might still be working for "N", but I'm just not sure.

"One more point: Reesbäker may have become involved in one of those "Droyne" cults that have been gaining strength of late out here. I personally think it's unlikely, but there are certain aspects that would appeal to him, per his psych profile.

"Sorry I can't be of more help.

"Your Chum,

"Marko"

*******FILE: REESBÄKER, Mäarten*******

Known Aliases:
Lev Dahlgren, James Martin, Angus McTiernan,
"Far-Reaching Thunderer"


DESCRIPTION

Date of Birth: 148-1180
Place of Birth: Vincennes/Deneb
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 100 Kg
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Occupation: Mercenary
Scars and Marks: Surgical and shrapnel scars on
Right Arm and Right Side of Torso

Remarks: Former Master Sergeant, Imperial Marines; five (5) campaign ribbons, Combat Action Ribbon, five (5) Medal's for Conspicuous Gallantry, six (6) Wound Stripes; starship pilot/navigation ratings from unk. extra-Imperial source; last seen departing Trin/Trin's Veil/SM; considered armed and extremely dangerous.


CAUTION: ARMED AND DANGEROUS

Full crime list:

Murder of an Imperial Noble, Theft of an Imperial Warship, Unlawful Marooning, Piracy, Repeated violations of Imperial interdiction protocols, smuggling of dangerous cargos to developing/emerging cultures, murder, assault, arson, espionage, kidnapping, unlawful detention, theft, embezzelment, extortion, robbery, breaking & entering; suspicion of commission of terrorist actions.

================MESSAGE ENDS==================

Roll 1d6:

1. Reesbäker is a former Imperial Naval Intelligence agent gone rogue; he hi-jacked the 'Gallipoli' to sell it outside the Imperium, most likely to a foreign government.

2. Reesbäker is a former Imperial Naval Intelligence agent gone rogue; he hi-jacked the 'Gallipoli' to sell it outside the Imperium, most likely to pirates.

3. Reesbäker is still working for Imperial Naval Intelligence; the details are known only at the highest levels of Sector Intelligence.

4. Reesbäker is working directly for Archduke Norris; only Norris and certain members of his personal staff know the details of Reesbäker's mission(s).

5. Reesbäker was working directly for Archduke Norris, but appears to have gone rouge; only Norris and certain members of his personal staff know the details of Reesbäker's mission(s).

6. Reesbäker is a former Imperial Naval Intelligence agent gone rogue; he hi-jacked the 'Gallipoli' with the intention of setting himself up as a 'king' on a low-tech planet beyond the Imperial frontier.

Subsequent events are should be determined by the referee.

 

[Plankowner]

Flynn would probably have LOVED to put this in one of his Stellar Reaches!

Nice writeup. I like the intercepted message format.

Good Work!

 

[graymask1120]

Thanks much! I've seen Stellar Reaches once or twice....If he wants, to put him in there, he's welcome - all I ask for is a credit.

Reesbäker was actually one of my first characters in Trav......

 

[graymask1120]

ADDENDUM to "Mäarten Reesbäker":

Roll 1d6...on a roll of 1 - 5:

1. Reesbäker is a former Imperial Naval Intelligence agent gone rogue; he hi-jacked the 'Gallipoli' to sell it outside the Imperium, most likely to a foreign government.

2. Reesbäker is a former Imperial Naval Intelligence agent gone rogue; he hi-jacked the 'Gallipoli' to sell it outside the Imperium, most likely to pirates.

3. Reesbäker is still working for Imperial Naval Intelligence; the details are known only at the highest levels of Sector Intelligence.

4. Reesbäker is working directly for Archduke Norris; only Norris and certain members of his personal staff know the details of Reesbäker's mission(s).

5. Reesbäker was working directly for Archduke Norris, but appears to have gone rouge; only Norris and certain members of his personal staff know the details of Reesbäker's mission(s).


If the roll is a 6, re-roll; if the second roll is 1 - 5, see above. If, however, the second roll is also a 6:


6. Reesbäker is an Imperial Naval Intelligence agent, working directly for Archduke Norris; while under deep cover, investigating a report of Duchess Delphine of Mora collaborating with Zhodani agents, Reesbäker infiltrated a Human "Droyne cult" - a group of Humans who have voluntarily abandoned Human-normal social structures to emulate those of the Droyne race - to follow a lead concerning a secret Zhodani forward base operating under Duchess Delphine's protection. The cult's "Sages" (their equivalent to the Droyne "drone" caste) unexpectedly proclaimed Reesbäker the oytrip's prophecied "Messiah" (an ancient Terran term meaning "Savior" or "Annointed One").


Roll 1d6:

1 - 2. Reesbäker has discovered that the Consulate has built a forward operating base within striking distance of Mora, with the active aid of Duchess Delphine. He "stole" the 'Gallipoli' to use it for his attack, as making an official request would alert Delphine and the Zhodani. He has a strike force of former Imperial Marines awaiting his arrival with the 'Gallipoli' and its equipment and stores to destroy the base. (For further information, see below.)

3 - 4. The "lead" on the Zhodani-Delphine conspiracy turned out to be a phantom. However, Reesbäker has grown sick and tired of the continual bickering and infighting among the many petty Imperial Nobles, and has decided to strike out on his own. He does not believe a word that the "Sages" spout - especially concerning himself - but has no issue with using this "Human oytrip" to further his own ends. He lied to Norris about the need for stealing the 'Gallipoli', figuring - correctly - that his failure to return will sow suspicion and dissent within the Spinward Marches leadership long enough for him to be forgotten. He is taking the 'Gallipoli' to a rendesvous with the rest of the oytrip - most currently in low-berths aboard 3 'East Indiaman'-class J3 merchantmen (the Type M Subsidized Liner converted for general cargo, 350dton capacity; use MT: 'MS Vigilante' for deckplans) and an LSP "Pod Carrier" (5K dtons, J3, 1G; cap.: 80 30dton modules/cutters), and intends to put as much distance between him and the Third Imperium as possible...and the Astron or Theta Borealis sectors should be about far enough.

5 - 6. As per 3 - 4, but Reesbäker's motives are completely different: he truly believes the words of the Sages, that he really is the oytrip's "Messiah", and that he is destined to lead "his people" to their "promised land".


Subsequent events are should be determined by the referee.

******************************

A NOTE TO REFEREES:

Mäarten Reesbäker was a character that I developed in 1985 for a Traveller game I was then in. As originally rolled, his unmodified stats were: 88CCA9

In the scenario presented here, his stats are: 779FDA (He is 52 Standard years old)

Mäarten Reesbäker is one of those rare-appearing "super-geniuses" that occassionally crops up in any race. His listed INT of F is not his actual INT; the actual score is somewhere around M - Q -- he is literally too intelligent to take clinically-measured intelligence-assessment tests. Reesbäker has never displayed psionic tendencies, but it certainly cannot be discounted.

Reesbäker should be utilized only with extreme care. He is completely and utterly ruthless, verging on amoral, when he has set himself to a course of action. In combat, Reesbäker is a deadly foe, having high scores in both Revolver and Auto Pistol, Combat Rifleman (he is a qualified sniper), Knife, Blade, Cutlass, Rapier, PGMP, HTH, Battledress, Zero-G Combat, Tactics, Strategy and Starship Weaponry. He is also skilled in Leadership, Intelligence (Collection, Analysis, Propaganda, Interrogation and Steganography), Demolitions, Recruiting and Medicine.

Reesbäker can either be a party's best friend - or the worst nightmare they can imagine.