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Post by erisred on May 7, 2017 14:41:28 GMT -5
Gilroy jests, "Ah, market ouvret. I've heard it referred to as it's not illegal if you don't get caught in some circles. However, I'm sure that Ms. Cho's use of the term is not meant to convey that meaning." [OOG: Gilroy notes to himself that he might not be the only one engaging in "side business" and decides that he really needs to keep an eye on Ms. Cho.] "No, we stay on the right side of local law. It is just that many systems already have the concept of the Open Market where goods can be bought and sold without regard to provenance. Delgado Trading will take advantage of such laws where they exist, but will encourage systems to operate with appropriate regulations to protect everyone and to discourage outright piracy." Cho says, "Piracy is bad. It discourages trade and trade is Delgado's business. Closed systems with very strict regulations on imports and exports also discourage trade. So, in general, we like market ouvret...or open markets...within limits, of course." Blackjack interjects, "Right, none of us like pirates!"Blackjack and Cho both nod at this. Cho laughs, "No, that is a good summary. Delgado doesn't conduct piracy. We have contracted with systems in the past to perform privateering operations, and I'm sure we will at some point in the future. As I said we won't be breaking local laws. However, it is in our interest to be able to import goods without undue regulation, taxes, fees or attention from officials. Often systems allow this at specified open markets, we call this marche orvert, market ouvrert, open markets or sometimes duty free areas."
"You can see this where the Star port, itself, is outside of many local regulations. Items bought and sold there are often subject to fewer, or different, regulations. When the goods are transported out of the port, however, there local laws take over. Yes?"Blackjack says, "I think what Madame Cho is saying is that her company doesn't want to smuggle goods into or out of a system and doesn't want to have to pay trade killing fees or bribes to move their goods. I think she's saying they prefer working within open markets, generally on Star port property, and that Delgado works with local governments encouraging them to create such open markets with policies that are favorable to trade."
Cho nods and smiles at Jack, "Yes, that is correct."
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Post by erisred on May 7, 2017 14:57:17 GMT -5
Blackjack looks around, "Alright then. If there are no more questions, let's adjourn the business meeting. Enjoy the rest of the evening and report to Clear Sails tomorrow at 0800. Pad 7A. Your badges will grant you entry through the gates and aboard the ship. Factor Cho and her people will be supervising the loading of their cargo. The crew will be checking out the ship and preparing it for lift. "
"I want us lifting from here tomorrow evening." he concludes.
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Post by Mighty Darci on May 7, 2017 15:24:48 GMT -5
Raven catches Thazar's eye and says, "'I'll be at the ship at 0700 and we will get that list of minor repairs taken care of and give the ship a last look over, I want to make sure that nothing delays our departure." Then are her gaze pans around the room and then centers on Cho, "I'll see the rest of you tomorrow." And with that she departs to take care of some last minute preparations.
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Post by raikenclw on May 7, 2017 15:52:41 GMT -5
" I'll see the rest of you tomorrow." And with that she departs to take care of some last minute preparations. Peng sighs as he watches Raven (or at least a specific part of her . . .) leave, then rises, tosses his empty beer bottle in the general direction of the recycling unit, gives a general farewell wave and mutely slouches out. Behind his bored facade, Peng is thinking furiously: Gotta see a man about certain Very Small Package. If it's something really hot, I'll have to decline. This Cho and her crew strike me as the sort of Patron that runs a very thorough shakedown just before lift.
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Post by Chuck on May 7, 2017 20:42:54 GMT -5
Gilroy saunters out with the same jovial expression, "See you all on the morrow!".
[OOG: In the meantime, Gilroy will cast about his local contacts for information on Mantan, Factor Cho, and any easily concealed, conducted "side deals" that he can pursue.]
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Post by raikenclw on May 7, 2017 20:57:13 GMT -5
[OOG: In the meantime, Gilroy will cast about his local contacts for information on Mantan, Factor Cho, and any easily concealed, conducted "side deals" that he can pursue.] [OOG: FYI, Peng had been working on arranging carriage of a Very Small Package to the next system down the main, but now he has decided to wait and see what sort of inspection procedures the new Patron might impose. At least for now, he intends to be a good little boy.]
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Post by carlos on May 8, 2017 15:20:11 GMT -5
Doc Vargas greets everybody goodbye and goes to the ship to check the new autodocs. Thoroughly. Then check them again. Then go to the gym.
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Post by erisred on May 8, 2017 15:36:52 GMT -5
Gilroy saunters out with the same jovial expression, "See you all on the morrow!". [OOG: In the meantime, Gilroy will cast about his local contacts for information on Mantan, Factor Cho, and any easily concealed, conducted "side deals" that he can pursue.] Little is known about Mantan. Gilroy learns that it is considered to "be beyond the frontier", a dangerous area, and that several trading companies are looking to move into it. Gilroy gets asked "why do you want to know" from several of his contacts. Factor Cho has a good reputation, as best you can tell. She's a distant relative of Navidad Delgado the now dead founder of Delgado Trading, but from what you hear she earned her position as a Chief Factor by working hard and being good at her work. Delgado, itself, doesn't have the cleanest reputation, though. They are known to cut corners, now and then, and to fiddle around in local system politics when doing so can improve their bottom lines. No one has pinned anything blatantly illegal on them, though. Once Gilroy mentions where the ship he is on is going, one of his contacts in the "small package trade" asks if he would be interested in delivering something very, very, quietly to a contact in the Shiralea system. The "package" is a dozen small flash drives. The contact is Signet White, Coverdale, Church of Morgan. The payment is cash upon delivery of 12,000 Cr.
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Post by erisred on May 8, 2017 15:47:01 GMT -5
[OOG: In the meantime, Gilroy will cast about his local contacts for information on Mantan, Factor Cho, and any easily concealed, conducted "side deals" that he can pursue.] [OOG: FYI, Peng had been working on arranging carriage of a Very Small Package to the next system down the main, but now he has decided to wait and see what sort of inspection procedures the new Patron might impose. At least for now, he intends to be a good little boy.]So, Peng is NOT going to carry that small package consisting of a 1 kg box of brown powder that consistency of flour to Elati? His contact assures him that it's not really illegal, just against the rules of the University of Romania and it's certainly not dangerous, not really...if it's used properly. How about if you get 4,000 Cr now, plus the 8,000 Cr you're to get when you deliver it to Preston Jackson, Dome 41, room 1B?
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Post by Chuck on May 8, 2017 17:10:28 GMT -5
Gilroy decides that a small side delivery shouldn't endanger the main mission, but attempts to negotiate for 15,000CR because "it helps to grease the wheels to keep'em silent." If the negotiation is successful, he will ask for any information necessary to make the delivery to the appropriate person. Once back aboard ship, he will attempt to stow the package in a "secure" place.
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Post by erisred on May 8, 2017 17:36:51 GMT -5
Gilroy decides that a small side delivery shouldn't endanger the main mission, but attempts to negotiate for 15,000CR because "it helps to grease the wheels to keep'em silent." If the negotiation is successful, he will ask for any information necessary to make the delivery to the appropriate person. Once back aboard ship, he will attempt to stow the package in a "secure" place. After some negotiation, Gilroy's contact agrees to pay him 2,000 Cr up front, with 12,000 Cr on delivery. He says it's the best he can do and Gilroy believes him. Gilroy is told that all the contact knows is Signet White, Coverdale, Church of Morgan, but that should be enough. Coverdale is the only real city on ShiraLea, it's where the star port is located. Signet translates to Bishop and there is probably only one Signet (Bishop) White in the Church of Morgan in Coverdale. Gilroy figures he can hide the package behind the targeting computer in the turret. If the wiring harness is turned sideways it makes a little space that is completely hidden even if someone looks back there, and that would involve removing the cover, then the housing that shields the computer and then leaning over and down and looking into the crevice back there. It'll take a flashlight, a mirror, and a pair of long-nosed pliers to get the package in and it will take the same to get it out...or even see it back there, and then only if you knew what you were seeing didn't belong back there.
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Post by Mighty Darci on May 8, 2017 19:08:47 GMT -5
OOC: Hmm, just a minor point really since I have not played much pbp before so this is not to be critical of the way it is being reffed, but some of these posts that are relative to "small packages" should those not be handled by pm between the ref and those players, rather than all of us who may be tasked with catching them in the act already knowing about it. I don't feel that it would be right to do a surprise search at some point if we already know where it is at, unless of course all of these posts are red herrings. I suppose what I am really asking is how I am expected to play this, pretend I don't know the information or do I have the freedom to attempt to use it at the "right time".
OOC: Also I know that I have not put my personal gear together yet and I don't think I have seen much posted for anyone else, although I may have missed that.
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Post by erisred on May 8, 2017 23:57:30 GMT -5
OOC: Hmm, just a minor point really since I have not played much pbp before so this is not to be critical of the way it is being reffed, but some of these posts that are relative to "small packages" should those not be handled by pm between the ref and those players, rather than all of us who may be tasked with catching them in the act already knowing about it. I don't feel that it would be right to do a surprise search at some point if we already know where it is at, unless of course all of these posts are red herrings. I suppose what I am really asking is how I am expected to play this, pretend I don't know the information or do I have the freedom to attempt to use it at the "right time".
OOC: Also I know that I have not put my personal gear together yet and I don't think I have seen much posted for anyone else, although I may have missed that. OOC: I rely on players only acting on knowledge their PC's have. Raven doesn't know about the "small packages", so she can't act on them.
It's really just like if the PC's get separated during the game. Say, Raven is in a bar talking to an old Scout who is telling her a rumor about the ruins of an ancient city he discovered on XYZ, while Dr. Vargas is on the ship finding an antidote for a local virus that is ravaging the planet, while Gilroy is chatting up a broker who has a consignment of poni skins she wants to sell. Each of the PC's are posting about things the others don't know about and none of the players can have their PC's post about or act on things they haven't learned about yet. They will need to comm each other or get together and have a talk before they all learn what the others have found out.
In the case of any "small packages" that Gilroy and Peng...or other crew membes might take on...remember that each crew member gets some space for items they want to personally carry with them. This includes packages or messages to be delivered to someone down the space lanes. If the items they pick up aren't actually illegal there is nothing stopping them from just storing them in their duffel bags until it's time to deliver them.
However, the amount of money changing hands, here, indicates something somebody thinks is very valuable is changing hands. There is every likelihood that the items might be something the authorities in one or more of the local systems would want to confiscate, but at this point not even Peng or Gilroy know what the flash drives contain or what the brown powder is. It could be that the flash drives contain sermons given by a priest of a banned religion being smuggled out to like minded folks on another planet. It could be that the brown powder is a memory enhancing drug used by students trying to memorize material for tests and the drug is against the University's Honor Code.
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Post by erisred on May 9, 2017 0:10:53 GMT -5
OOC: As for personal gear... Here is a link to a Consolidated List of Equipment for Traveller. Not everything there is available, but it's a good list to look at to get ideas for what you want. Tell me what you want and if you can afford it and it's available you've got it.
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Post by Chuck on May 9, 2017 12:51:37 GMT -5
Having agreed to transporting the "small package," Gilroy decides he should likely know a bit more about the Morgan Church so that he can more easily conclude the deal in a "quiet" manner.
When his "contacts" asked why he wanted to know about Mantan, he smilingly brushes it off with "where trading companies want to go there are always 'opportunities' waiting to be exploited, and a little 'side business' is good for the bank."
[OOC: I'm assuming that our equipment purchases come from our starting cash. Are there any items that will be provided by the Clear Sails?]
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Post by ffilz on May 9, 2017 15:07:51 GMT -5
Baltus will settle his baggage into his stateroom. He will scope out the common areas of the ship. Do we (Cho, Cathy, and Baltus) have access to the crew-only parts of the ship?
[OOC: could you add Cathy to the cast of characters?]
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Post by erisred on May 9, 2017 16:08:50 GMT -5
Having agreed to transporting the "small package," Gilroy decides he should likely know a bit more about the Morgan Church so that he can more easily conclude the deal in a "quiet" manner. When his "contacts" asked why he wanted to know about Mantan, he smilingly brushes it off with "where trading companies want to go there are always 'opportunities' waiting to be exploited, and a little 'side business' is good for the bank." [OOC: I'm assuming that our equipment purchases come from our starting cash. Are there any items that will be provided by the Clear Sails?] OOC: Consumables are rolled into the Life Support Costs. All you're going to have to worry about are the durable items in the Ship's Locker. I'd say, there will be a few generic vacc suits, filter and combo masks with air tanks aboard the ship. You'll have clothing, a dress uniform for formal occasions and a couple of sets of working clothing, plus coveralls for the really dirty jobs. There will be some weapons in the ship's locker, but you might want your own (for shipboard use I recommend Cutlasses, Axes, snub auto pistols and sawed off shotguns). Comms for use aboard ship and on planet back to the ship will be provided. Toolkits for maintenance and repair of various systems will be available.
What I have usually done is give the party a Starting Budget and said when you want something item from the locker it will be there if a) you have enough money left in the budget for it and b) I approve it. We make a running list of what is available as you pull it from the Locker. When you pull into any port you can add credits from the Ship's General Fund to the Locker Budget.
Speaking of which, I need to create the Clear Sails Spreadsheet where everything is listed. I don't think I can link a live spread sheet to a post on this board, but I can put one online (Dropbox or One Drive) and share it to the players. Finding time to do this is the problem.
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Post by raikenclw on May 9, 2017 17:11:54 GMT -5
[Peng]'s contact assures him that [the 1 kilo of brown powder the consistency of floor] is not really illegal, just against the rules of the University of Romania and it's certainly not dangerous, not really...if it's used properly. H[e offers] 4,000 Cr now, plus 8,000 Cr [upon] deliver[y] to Preston Jackson, Dome 41, room 1B. The squat gunner hesitates for a long moment, as he considers the package, about the size of a [Kleenex] box but much denser. Then Peng takes a steadying breath and says in an even tone, "Our problem is that there are now four reps of a new Patron aboard. I am uncertain about the details of the inspection regimen they will impose, but their mere presence increases our risks a LOT. How would you and Mr. Jackson feel about losing the package and probably me as a contact? In considering your answer, keep in mind that due to the increased risk I'll need 15,000 Cr, half up front, half upon delivery. And - of course - if the package is confiscated, the first half is non-refundable and consequence-free."
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Post by Chuck on May 9, 2017 19:08:06 GMT -5
[OOC: Ok, other than his toiletries and a few odd mementos Gilroy travels light. He prefers a pair of snub-nosed auto pistols (with several extra clips stashed about his person, a knife in each boot, a punch-dagger style buckle, and a blade although he's fine using a cutlass and would have one if it's available. His belt is a relatively strong synthetic material that can support his weight if necessary. He also carries a set of lockpicks secreted on his person "just in case." I'm assuming that he'll have some sort of short-to-medium range communicator, possibly similar to commdot (short range) or for all practical purposes a "smart phone" (medium range). He will likely also have a TL 12 language translator as part of his penchant for "side business".
When he's conducting his side business, he usually has a light ballistic cloth vest under his tunic but he prefers to use his wits and try to talk his way out of a fight if possible. If not, well, Katie bar the door, because he will fight if he has to, hence the light burn on his jacket when he first got to the Clear Sails.]
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Post by Mighty Darci on May 9, 2017 21:05:05 GMT -5
Raven is up early and down at the ship, checking things, such as the minor repairs to be made, and making sure they are ready to go at the planned departure time. She is prepared and waiting when the Patron and assistants arrive.
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Post by erisred on May 10, 2017 15:25:55 GMT -5
[Peng]'s contact assures him that [the 1 kilo of brown powder the consistency of floor] is not really illegal, just against the rules of the University of Romania and it's certainly not dangerous, not really...if it's used properly. H[e offers] 4,000 Cr now, plus 8,000 Cr [upon] deliver[y] to Preston Jackson, Dome 41, room 1B. The squat gunner hesitates for a long moment, as he considers the package, about the size of a [Kleenex] box but much denser. Then Peng takes a steadying breath and says in an even tone, "Our problem is that there are now four reps of a new Patron aboard. I am uncertain about the details of the inspection regimen they will impose, but their mere presence increases our risks a LOT. How would you and Mr. Jackson feel about losing the package and probably me as a contact? In considering your answer, keep in mind that due to the increased risk I'll need 15,000 Cr, half up front, half upon delivery. And - of course - if the package is confiscated, the first half is non-refundable and consequence-free."Peng's contact looks at him for a few seconds and then grunts, "Okay, then. We'll just have to look for a different delivery boy. Can't pay you what you're asking and can't take a risk of the shipment not going through." "Maybe we'll be able to do business again at a later date." he says standing. He nods to the two large men who have been standing in the shadows and they step forward, escorting him from the seedy bar. None of them even look back as they go. Peng who continues to sit at the table nursing a beer. Sees a man and a woman get up from a table after a few seconds and follow his contact, Rutledge, out of the bar. He notices that both of them left almost full glasses of beer on behind them.
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Post by raikenclw on May 11, 2017 0:53:26 GMT -5
Peng's contact [- man name of Rutledge -] looks at [the gunner] for a few seconds and then grunts, "Okay, then. We'll just have to look for a different delivery boy. Can't pay you what you're asking and can't take a risk of the shipment not going through." "Maybe we'll be able to do business again at a later date." he says standing. Peng nods and replies in a neutral tone: "May be."Very unlikely, this side of Perdition. I've seen that look before.[Rutledge] nods to the two large men who have been standing in the shadows and they step forward, escorting him from the seedy bar. None of them even look back as they go. Peng [] sees a man and a woman get up from a table after a few seconds and follow [] Rutledge out of the bar. He notices that both of them left almost full glasses of beer [] behind. Weeelllll. I'm thinking that I just missed either a police sting or a takeover attempt. Yep. Not this side of Perdition it is.Peng waves at the waitress and points at his now-empty mug. Think I'll just sit here a spell and wait for the storm outside to pass, then go get some sleep.
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Post by carlos on May 11, 2017 4:55:08 GMT -5
OOC: Consumables are rolled into the Life Support Costs. All you're going to have to worry about are the durable items in the Ship's Locker. I'd say, there will be a few generic vacc suits, filter and combo masks with air tanks aboard the ship. You'll have clothing, a dress uniform for formal occasions and a couple of sets of working clothing, plus coveralls for the really dirty jobs. There will be some weapons in the ship's locker, but you might want your own (for shipboard use I recommend Cutlasses, Axes, snub auto pistols and sawed off shotguns). Comms for use aboard ship and on planet back to the ship will be provided. Toolkits for maintenance and repair of various systems will be available.
What I have usually done is give the party a Starting Budget and said when you want something item from the locker it will be there if a) you have enough money left in the budget for it and b) I approve it. We make a running list of what is available as you pull it from the Locker. When you pull into any port you can add credits from the Ship's General Fund to the Locker Budget.
Speaking of which, I need to create the Clear Sails Spreadsheet where everything is listed. I don't think I can link a live spread sheet to a post on this board, but I can put one online (Dropbox or One Drive) and share it to the players. Finding time to do this is the problem.
Sounds good to me! I see no real need to have the spreadsheet available, all we need is a general idea of what is /might be there, and you just provided that.
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Post by carlos on May 11, 2017 5:00:31 GMT -5
Raven is up early and down at the ship, checking things, such as the minor repairs to be made, and making sure they are ready to go at the planned departure time. She is prepared and waiting when the Patron and assistants arrive. Doc Vargas was up late re-checking the new autodocs. He hit the gym again first thing in the morning, before showering, and will be at the med bay going over equipment checklists and ship's bio-environmental reports while sipping from a very large cup of coffee. Anybody passing by will hear him muttering something about the air filters' specs.
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Post by Mighty Darci on May 11, 2017 21:46:43 GMT -5
Raven continues checking everything on the Bridge and making sure everything is shipshape and the way she likes it. Don't want to be underway and then discover that anything is missing, bad luck that.
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Post by raikenclw on May 11, 2017 22:45:13 GMT -5
Peng takes one of the auxiliary walkways to the upper starboard bow airlock (the outer door of which opens directly into his "ready room"), drops into his hammock and pulls his [Spiderman] pillow over his head. After a few seconds, he starts violently and - moving the pillow the smallest amount necessary - reaches out to the intercom, keys the connection and mumbles, "Starboard turret ready."
Then Peng relaxes back toward slumber . . .
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Post by Chuck on May 11, 2017 22:46:54 GMT -5
[Reposting to the proper forum]
After refreshing himself on the history of the Morgan Church, Gilroy muses to himself "Hmm, this 'small package' might provide more excitement than may be warranted. I'll have to be cautious when I deliver it. No point in getting dragged any deeper into that business than is necessary. I need to remember to do more research on the waypoints in the future before I take on side deals."
Gilroy walks to his gun turret and begins going through the pre-flight checklist to make sure everything is in order. "Hate to wind up in a fire fight with a bodgy ship's gun. Just ruins one's day!" Clicking the intership communicator, he reports "Turret and weapons are all ship shape cap'n! When do we lift off?"
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Post by Mighty Darci on May 11, 2017 22:50:42 GMT -5
(Also reposting to the proper thread)
After refreshing himself on the history of the Morgan Church, Gilroy muses to himself " Hmm, this 'small package' might provide more excitement than may be warranted. I'll have to be cautious when I deliver it. No point in getting dragged any deeper into that business than is necessary. I need to remember to do more research on the waypoints in the future before I take on side deals."Gilroy walks to his gun turret and begins going through the pre-flight checklist to make sure everything is in order. " Hate to wind up in a fire fight with a bodgy ship's gun. Just ruins one's day!" Clicking the intership communicator, he reports "Turret and weapons are all ship shape cap'n! When do we lift off?" " Good job! Then continuing, Blackjack said this evening, so the time is approximate. I expect though it will be pretty quick once Blackjack, Cho and her people are aboard and situated. They should be here before too long. I would estimate we will be underway by 1900 hours, based on Blackjacks routine."
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Post by Chuck on May 11, 2017 22:51:16 GMT -5
"You are an absolute angel", he responds and decides to take the opportunity to stretch out in his bunk and catch a quick cat nap. Something in the back of his mind keeps bothering him about that "small package," but he can't put a finger on exactly what it is so he figures he'll sleep on it.
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