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Message no. 1
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2000 23:48:35 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Easy
>>>>>[Boss,

You know I wouldn't normally trouble you with trivia, but there's a
significant opportunity just come up, and I think we can move on it
before anyone else spots it.

A manufacturing plant, about five miles north of us. Does short-run
components, manpower-intensive stuff. Usual Barrens shithole.

But, they've had union troubles for a while. The guy who broke the union
just got himself smeared, not a year after the owners had the last
security boss whacked. They're said to be marginally profitable,
squeezed hard, a hellish place to work...


Thing is, I had a business plan. I think, I could screw with their
transports and give their security nightmares and make the place
unprofitable. Then someone with cash could make the owners an offer they
can't refuse.

Then we could have some factory jobs for some of the kids we can't find
work for around here. Could be useful.

+++++include file: [business analysis]

Your call, boss.]<<<<<
-- Vincenzo <23:45:56/07-03-61>

*****PRIVATE: Vincenzo
>>>>>[My, Vinny, you're an ambitious fellow.


If your figures are accurate, then go for it. I might even help you make
it happen.

I like retirement, and I like raising horses in the mountains and
running guns north, but... I don't want to lose the edge too much.]<<<<<
-- Easy <23:48:42/07-03-61>
Message no. 2
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 19:07:28 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Vincenzo
>>>>>[Okay, I came, I saw, and I think we can do this.

Chardy's ripe for us to grab. Its owners are only keeping it limping
along because they can't find a buyer. We can go in, take over, and
clean up.

We'll need to hit the site hard and fast and loud. Make the change of
culture very obvious to everyone. Still, it's extraterritorial...

Let's do it, Vinny. Make it happen.]<<<<<
-- Easy <19:07:43/07-06-61>
Message no. 3
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2000 02:39:12 +0100
>>>>>[New IPO, high-growth biotech company specialising in military and
corporate-grade enhancements. Investors sought to support innovative
company at the leading edge of technology.]<<<<<
-- Sargasso <02:38:42/09-09-61>
Message no. 4
From: Zebulin Magby zebulingod@*****.com
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2000 16:04:10 -0700
PRIVATE: Sargasso
>>>>>[Where do I sign up? No, seriously, I'd like to see some more
information about the company, but it seems like the type of thing I could
invest some money in right now.]<<<<<
-- Dawn Treader <16:02:02/09-10-61>










.


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Message no. 5
From: Ratinac, Rand (NSW) RRatinac@*****.redcross.org.au
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 10:19:13 +1000
PRIVATE: Sargasso
>>>>[ That...sounds interesting. I'd like to hear more before I throw open
the doors of my bank accounts, however. ]<<<<<
-- Seraph <??:??:??/**-**-**>
Message no. 6
From: kawaii trunks@********.org
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 14:31:17 -0400
PRIVATE: Sargasso
>>>>>[Despite the fact that I think you are posting in the wrong board for
this type of announcement, send me more information. I have a few friends
who are big into investing.]<<<<<
-- Tron <14:30:01/09-11-61>
Message no. 7
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 22:33:51 +0100
>>>>>[Additional information, for interested parties.

SUDEN SEEN GEWERBESUCH GmBH
Expanding mercantile concern specialising in high-intensity
import/export seeks capital for short-term business growth.

One-year bonds available at 25% yield, payable in certified credit 11
September 2062.

Nonvoting =Y0 stock with 150% dividend yield, offered at face value
for sealed bids (current market price of voting stock at last update
=Y2.54, but only 10,000 shares available and highest bids honoured
first)

This company has four years' solid trading history and has never
defaulted on a bond or dividend.


All bid monies placed in escrow with Lansing, Chase and Wills PLC of
London. Highest bids secure, losing bids refunded in full.]<<<<<
-- Sargasso <22:33:45/09-11-61>
Message no. 8
From: Ratinac, Rand (NSW) RRatinac@*****.redcross.org.au
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 10:13:04 +1000
***** PRIVATE: The Mighty Quinn
>>>>>[ Quinn, why didn't you tell me you needed money? You didn't have to
go
trolling Shadowland for investors.

How much are you after?

Oh, and forgive my curiousity, but would you mind terribly telling me just
what it is I'll be funding? I'll understand if you don't want to, of course,
but...well, just get back to me. ]<<<<<
-- Seraph <??:??:??/**-**-**>
Message no. 9
From: Zebulin Magby zebulingod@*****.com
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 18:46:57 -0700
***** PRIVATE: Sargasso

>>>>>[Have your people contact my people to set up the transfer.

How does <extremely large amount> sound?]<<<<<
-- Dawn Treader <18:45:25/09-12-61>


***** PRIVATE: Hal

>>>>>[I may have a way for us to turn a tidy profit from some of the money
you've been....acquiring. Can I interest you in a share? Say, <significant
sum>?]<<<<<
-- Dawn Treader <18:45:27/09-12-61>




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Message no. 10
From: Zebulin Magby zebulingod@*****.com
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 18:50:48 -0700
***** PRIVATE: Dawn Treader

>>>>>[If I've told you once, I've told you....

Oh, nevermind. Yeah, that sounds interesting. I'll set up a transfer of
funds but 2100 tonight. Regular account, et al.

By the by, have you heard of someone going by the name of Void? An
acquaintance of mine mentioned him in conjunction with a friend. I'd like to
know if you could get ahold of him for me.]<<<<<
-- Hal<**:**:**/**-**-**>




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Message no. 11
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 22:39:01 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Seraph
>>>>>[Seraph, sweetie darling, if I *needed* money I could get it, but
this is neat and deniable and not strictly illegal, with a bonus of
being hard to trace. With the profit margin I get here, I can afford to
pay a premium on my junk bonds... and it's worth it for all concerned
since it keeps the profits clean and legitimate.


How much am I after? Pretty much, the more the merrier. There's a nice
little Third World war brewing, two tin-pot despots in the Sulu Sea
deciding they like the look of each others' territory, and they're
tooling up on big boy's toys to fight their war with. I take the orders,
raise a pile of deniable cash, buy a shipload of armaments from Maxim,
deliver it.

The customers are happy (they get lots of shiny stuff-that-goes-bang),
Maxim are happy (no blood on *their* hands, they aren't responsible for
where their products get resold), I'm happy (because the margins are
great, after all I'm the one taking all the risks here) and the only
people who aren't ecstatic are the locals who get conscripted to fight,
but that's their problem not mine.


Of course, they've really got no clue. Lots of tanks, no transporters.
Lots of artillery and missile vehicles, no fuel tankers or ammo trucks.
Shop-front army stuff - all sizzle and no steak.

Which means, there's a good chance they'll both have to hire outside
help, which hopefully means instead of a messy long-drawn-out "people's
war" with slaughter on both sides, they'll have a short sharp clash
between competing mercenary units. Odds are good that the Rebels will be
in there on one side or the other... time will tell.

Not *my* problem - I'm just selling arms for oil, lanthanide ores and
assorted trading rights at an outrageously profitable margin. If the
Rebels get hired then I'll charge them a peppercorn for all the intel
data I've picked up. It's not a nice business, but it surely makes
money...



In short - you asked what I wanted the money for, now you know, and you
can still invest and make a profit... or you can decide you'd rather not
finance a nasty little foreign war. I *do* completely understand the
second viewpoint, I just don't let it stop me.]<<<<<
-- Quinn <22:38:45/09-13-61>
Message no. 12
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 22:30:36 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Dawn Treader
>>>>>[Excellent. Lansing, Chase & Wills PLC are handling the bond issue
and will issue the appropriate certificates by secure courier as soon as
they have an address to despatch the paperwork to: payment is on
standard thirty-day terms after receipt of your bonds.

A pleasure to do business with you.]<<<<<
-- Sargasso <22:30:52/09-13-61>
Message no. 13
From: Ratinac, Rand (NSW) RRatinac@*****.redcross.org.au
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 09:44:20 +1000
***** PRIVATE: Quinn
>>>>>[ Quinn, sweetie darling, sometimes you amaze me.

No, scratch that...you ALWAYS amaze me. Sometimes you ASTOUND me.

As for whether I'm interested...I'm a fixer, babe. I leave my delicate
sensibilities at the door. Part of the job description.

So tell me - can your people handle <eye-boggling sum>? I've been doing well
of late. You'd be surprised how much money you can make on the stock
exchange when you know a corp is going to take a hit to their profit margin.
And it isn't even insider trading. Exactly. <weg>

Still, I'd like to clean some of these funds up. Off-shore accounts and
shell corporations are well and good, but the more links I can throw into
the chain, the better. And if I can make a tidy profit off it, well, even
better. ]<<<<<
-- Seraph <??:??:??/**-**-**>
Message no. 14
From: kawaii trunks@********.org
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 11:31:49 -0400
***** PRIVATE: Sargasso
>>>>>[Give me the necessary contact information and I will pass it on to
the
necessary people. We are ready to offer <significant amount> for a third of
the shares currently available, as stated in your post.]<<<<<
-- Tron <11:17:00/09-14-00>
Message no. 15
From: Zebulin Magby zebulingod@*****.com
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 18:52:17 -0700
***** PRIVATE: Hal

>>>>>[Void? Sounds familiar, I think he's a hitman for hire....strange
thing
is, he doesn't do wetwork. I'll see if I can get a line on him. What's up?
Who's this friend of yours that you're so concerned with?]<<<<<
-- Dawn Treader <18:52:22/09-12-61>


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Message no. 16
From: Zebulin Magby zebulingod@*****.com
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 18:54:18 -0700
***** PRIVATE: Dawn Treader

>>>>>[You may remember her, actually. Name's Aurora, and she's a looker.
I'd
appreciate you finding out anything you can about this Void character, seems
Aurora was last seen with him, and now she's gone missing...]<<<<<
-- Hal<**:**:**/**-**-**>



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Message no. 17
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 23:42:35 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Dona Minnie Descabiere
>>>>>[First, the good news. General Ernang's acting in isolation. I
confirmed it with the Air Force and some politically-connected
acquaintances, Jason with some Army and Marine buddies and a couple of
SEALs - all the elite troops you'd need, if you were planning a
lightning war against the Sioux, which is our best guess as to what he's
planning.

Nobody's ready to take the offensive, in fact pretty much nobody _wants_
to. Even the 'we want our land back' crowd know how much blood we'd pay
per square mile. It makes little sense right now. But, if you were going
to hit anywhere, the only sensible starting place is the Sioux Nation.

Ernang's also not much liked. He got away with using the 160th once, for
a cross-border raid I believe you met, but they've been asking hard
questions and Ernang and McNally didn't like having to give answers, and
the 160th are a notably independent-minded bunch who dislike being lied
to and misled by political generals.



The bad news is, your suggested location for the skull is smack in the
middle of a major training area, a lot of which Ernang has appropriated
for his own use. That is _not_ going to be pleasant to operate in, once
we're compromised: there could be as many as two hundred of his FRAGgers
running around in there, with a free-fire zone, right now.

Ernang's force is 'dispersed' ready for 'terrorist threats', which is
bad news because now nobody can get a clean handle on his numbers or
locations. That's _really_ bad if he's dirty, since he's outside most
oversight and nobody seems quite sure what his numbers are, or what his
budget is, or what he's actually doing.

We've quietly tried to make that more widely known, and in time it'll
undermine him: Congresscritters and even the Pentagon don't much like
unaccountable private armies whose misbehaviour *they* might be held
responsible for. But, it takes time for that disquiet to have any
tangible effect... I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for the plug to
be pulled on Ernang's venture.

One piece of advice I'll give you now - be ready to hit the road at
thirty seconds' notice. You may find _you_ are a 'terrorist threat' and
have the FRAG come down on you. And that would _not_ be pleasant, they
were designed and trained to be able to destroy outfits like yours
without even chewing first.



In the meantime... Jason and I will see if we can get that skull for
you.

We'll be in touch.]<<<<<
-- Lilith <23:42:43/09-15-61>
Message no. 18
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 12:45:11 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Seraph
>>>>>[My, my, we *are* doing well for ourselves, aren't we? :)

I think, with sums like this to invest, I'm going to be tempted to go
out on a limb. Never mind just letting my two princes go to war and
selling them weapons and ammo while they batter each other, with the
amount I've raised here we could pick a side and make sure they win.

Riskier, but higher margin. Any thoughts?]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <12:45:43/09-17-61>
Message no. 19
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 12:41:13 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Tron
>>>>>[Excellent.

Lansing, Chase & Wills PLC of London are handling the issue and should
be your point of contact. I foresee little difficulty in the transaction
you describe.]<<<<<
-- Sargasso <12:41:35/09-17-61>
Message no. 20
From: Ratinac, Rand (NSW) RRatinac@*****.redcross.org.au
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 10:47:34 +1000
***** PRIVATE: Quinn
>>>>>[ Life is profitable, if not good. If you're ever down New Orleans way
and you need anything, just ask. <smirk>

Any thoughts? Well, I can afford to take risks. Hell, it's not like I NEED
that much money. I can't afford ethics, but I can afford morals. So why
don't we pick someone we'd PREFER to win? You know, the least bastard-like
of the two. The lesser of two evils.

<grin>

I've always wanted to say that.

You're the one who knows the region, Quinn. Who's going to be our champion?
]<<<<<
-- Seraph <??:??:??/**-**-**>
Message no. 21
From: James Dening james.dening@****.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 13:43:45 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Lilith
>>>>>[OK, so the creep's acting on his own. That's good news.

But, why isn't anyone higher up than him *stopping* him? Don't
you have Military Police or something? Christ....

Anyway, good luck getting the skull. I have a feeling you'll need
it.]<<<<<
-- Dona Minnie Descabiere <14:22:01/09-18-61>
Message no. 22
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 20:45:25 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Dona Minnie Descabiere
>>>>>[Oh, Minnie... if only life was so easy.

There used to be an outfit that went after rogue UCAS spooks, delusional
generals, and other such scumbags, in between cleaning up corporate crap
and generally saving the world.

It was called the Strategic Intelligence Gathering Agency, and it was
disbanded.


Do we have any evidence against Ernang that would be admissible before a
court of law? Without it... he's set the system up to protect himself.
He's not even accountable to the Intelligence Oversight Committee: after
all, when it turns out that the previous Chairman of that august body
was an Aztlan puppet, national security demands you take no chances.


Basically, we're stuck with the shadows until he puts a foot wrong.
Taking the Skull away should slow him down. Assuming we get it, and get
out alive.]<<<<<
-- Lilith <20:45:43/09-18-61>
Message no. 23
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 23:17:27 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Seraph
>>>>>[New Orleans, now? Hmm? When I say I'd kill for some decent shrimp
gumbo, *you* decide if I'm kidding.

I know New Orleans quite well, actually. There's a lady in the French
Quarter, goes by the name of Mama Zepp, who makes the finest peanut-
butter cookies you ever tasted. Anything else you get from her is at
your own risk, but the cookies are unbeatable.


Anyway, regarding our little warlet-in-the-making... I've got some job
offers out to do a little discreet spooking and scouting. Find out which
side is least unworthy of our aid. Short answer from my preliminary
investigation is "a plague on both their houses (except biological
warfare draws too much heat)" but I'm sure we can either find some moral
superiority of one over the other, or else at least one will have better
ports & airfields than the other and so be easier to supply.


Just so's you know... it's the Busuangan Princely Kingdom against the
Molpok Syndicate. Three falls, two submissions or a knockout. Winner
takes all. ]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <23:01:45/09-18-61>
Message no. 24
From: Ratinac, Rand (NSW) RRatinac@*****.redcross.org.au
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 12:37:58 +1000
***** PRIVATE: Quinn
>>>>>[ Knowing you, Quinn, I'd have to toss a coin to decide whether you
were serious or not - at that particular instant. <grin>

I can't say I know Mama Zepp. If you like, I'll have a friend look her up
and send us each a crate of her cookies. Or do they have to be warm to get
the right effect? I'm afraid I'm not a cookie connoisseur...

So you're Sundial? Or is s/he an intermediary? As for our champion, I have a
mental aversion towards any organisation with "Syndicate" in the title, but
I'll keep an open mind.

Do you still want to use Suden Seen Gewerbeusch GmBH to funnel the money.
Let me know so I can start sending it your way. ]<<<<<
-- Seraph <??:??:??/**-**-**>
Message no. 25
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 01:02:34 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Seraph
>>>>>[Mama Zepp is... interesting. Visit in person, if you dare. She
won't hurt you, she just might tell you... things.

Anyway. Sundial's a cutout for deniability purposes - *you* deal direct
with me, and save a small but still significant middlemen's percentage
in the process. Since it's you, I'll make sure the money's thoroughly
clean before it hits your account.


As for which side... I've got teams going in to check on the ground.
Then, when they add their reports to what we already know, I planned to
invite you along to the military planning meet where we decide which
side is most worthy of our aid. Since you're funding a big chunk of the
operation, you get a say in how it goes down...]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <01:02:46/09-21-61>
Message no. 26
From: Ratinac, Rand (NSW) RRatinac@*****.redcross.org.au
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 12:23:17 +1000
***** PRIVATE: Quinn
>>>>>[ Sounds like a good deal to me, Quinn.

As far as the planning session goes, I'm afraid I won't be much use with
anything but policy decisions. I don't have any military experience, so I
think it'd probably be best for all of us if I don't get in the way of the
planning. I'll be there, though. ]<<<<<
-- Seraph <??:??:??/**-**-**>
Message no. 27
From: Paul J. Adam ShadowTK@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 22:12:24 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Seraph
>>>>>[Amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics.

The planning session's not just about military stuff, though Sasha and
his people will be there to keep us straight there. It's about which
side is least unworthy of our aid, and which offers the best
opportunities if we decide to - for instance - take some of our pay in a
500-year-lease on a patch of land that we can use for whatever we want.

How about building a fusion power station that feeds a synthetic
hydrocarbon plant, for instance? Suddenly we're in the gasoline and
petrochem business.

That's just one idea that springs to mind. If we're going to take sides
and invest in this warlet, we might as well get rich by doing so...
otherwise we could just stay home and buy T-bills.]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <22:12:46/09-21-61>
Message no. 28
From: Ratinac, Rand (NSW) RRatinac@*****.redcross.org.au
Subject: Opportunity
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 13:01:53 +1000
***** PRIVATE: Quinn
>>>>>[ <laugh>

I stand corrected, Quinn. This I can do. I also have contacts in the
business community, as I'm sure you do, if it comes to setting up legitimate
operations in the target area.

Sounds like we're onto a winner here if we play our cards right.

So tell me, Quinn...ever felt like being a queen? ]<<<<<
-- Seraph <12:58:35/09-22-61>

Further Reading

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Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

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