Chapter 5.1: Byzantine bureaucracy

Merceris willing to register as a fixer

"Do you all know where you're going after this? I might want to sell my cargo here, but if you are going somewhere that would get better prices next I will probably stay for that voyage.
Though .. it may make sense to get some agricultural good here, for cheap, and sell them at Zyronis Prime, where they go for a premium "

While taking a closer look at the received laws and specifically searching for laws regarding weapons possession, in Law 32C, paragraph 4, it reads:

Carrying weapons for personal or group security while on Verdura's planet-side is permitted, provided that the following rules are adhered to:

1- All weapons must be openly displayed and not concealed.
2- The weapon should be kept with the safety on and magazine removed.
3- Any weapons brought for personal security cannot be sold.
4- While carrying any weapons, the user may be subject to inspection by official Verdura's security forces.

Hank agrees with Mariella's assessment. We are only going to buy here, if we can find something. Again, this is our best place to get "Agricultural" stuff, and that will help later on down the road. (It could work at Zyronis, too, and we'll try, but I'm gonna assume familiarity breeds disdain, so they aren't going to be terribly interested in anything from Verdura. What they want, they likely already get through recurring means.)

"I agree, Mariella. Let's focus on buying and on finding Emily's brother. If there is freight, great, but that is completely independent of the cargo.

"And, yes, Zyronis Prime is our main target for this trip. That is where our freight is headed, so we have to stop there no matter what. I just thought that if we hit Verdura we might be able to score a quick win going low/high on Agricultural goods."

Let's check on those laws ...
There is also law 56E, paragraph 2 that specifically outlines that projectile weapons are banned and only energy weapons may be used. (Rollin', rollin', rollin' ...) The unstated reason is because the planet is low-tech and energy weapons are extremely expensive. That way the commoner can't easily be armed. It also explains the prohibition on selling personal weaponry.

So, it looks like we have Hank, Emily, Jil, Mariella, Mercer, and Peter going. That's pretty much half the crew. :-) We'll need to get a flight plan to get down to the surface.

As for weapons, the Celestial Voyager has a Ship's Locker, but not an Armory. I assume that means it will have a small collection of a dozen or so laser pistols and a half-dozen or so laser rifles. If it was an Armory, we'd have enough weapons and armor to fully equip the maximum crew. Instead, we have vacc suits for everyone, and pistols and rifles for an security detail. Plus whatever anyone owns. (I figure lasers because it power cells are rechargeable, so it eliminates any ammo costs; and they are interchangeable, so no need to worry about ammo types and such.) So, Hank will suggest everyone who wants to carry grab a pistol and a pair of Type A cells. Remember to keep the cell out of the pistol while it's holstered.

Mercer would like to sell his goods, or get help selling them , and then use the money from that to buy in on the agricultural good purchase.

Well, if you want to do that, we'll have to make some more Admin rolls to figure out the rules around you selling cargo that is yours, but was transported on the Celestial Voyager. Geeze this world is a mess.

(But, again, as long as it doesn't have crime-coded mines, it's still better than Draco I!)

We could still have the Stellaris register as the ship for selling Mercer's goods. If noone wants to get involved in it he will just register as a exporter instead of a fixer(stopping him from helping with the buying).

"ohh yeah, I must have skipped that 56E one, thanks for the help Hank"

Morgan stores his combat rifle on the ship’s locker and prepares his own laser rifle to take into the planet, he makes sure to grab an extra type A cell and take out the one in his rifle. Before we go he will also make sure anyone bringing a weapon has their magazines out and properly stored.

"I don’t think we will need more than one rifle for a short recon assignment so the extra one can stay here aboard"

Mercer's contacts tell him that Mr. Chen's preferred method of trading is through bartering. As long as not a single credit is involved, only goods, there is a giant loophole in Verdura's legislation that allows even unregistered people and finders to buy and sell. It was not the legislator's original intention, but it remained that way and today it is taken advantage of, specially by influential and powerful people like Xiao Chen.