Murder Inc.

Murder Inc. was founded by Deepak Chopra, a Landfall cracker, and Ivan Tjomkin, an Alliance mercenary. They realised that the ideal way of combining their skills would be a flexible company able to undertake quasi-military and investigative missions mainly in the Alliance. Since neither of them had any business or economic skills, they hired an AI boss for their company. Jimmie, the AI, quickly hired a few image consultant services (who came up with the name; classicist but blunt - just the fa style of the early 2350's) and began setting up the company.

Currently Murder Inc. is a well renowned if small firm. They have undertaken several missions that caused media interest and have a 76/34 point skill/legality rating on AgentNet.

Ivan Tjomkin

Ivan grew up among the Guardians of the Unbroken Circle, a small esoteric cult in the Alliance. The Guardians valued dedication and love of symmetry higher than mere interpersonal skills among the initiates, and encouraged parents to raise children with Asperger's syndrome (mild autism). However, young Ivan turned out to be both anti-authoritarian and more interested in tending the perimeter defence systems than meditating upon the cosmic harmonies, and eventually left the cult. He became involved in various Alliance security services, getting a strong taste for drone combat. During a hospital stay he was equipped with an interactions AI system intended to help him deal better with other humans; the results have been marginal - he still regards humans as things just like any others, and he is still much better at dealing with drones, robots and AI than humans.

Motivation: Find the Truth - he still believes a bit in the Guardians idea of some underlying truth or system in the world, and is constantly on the look-out for patterns revealing it. He just looks in rather different places than most people.

Ethics: Unscrupulous.

Traits: Anti-authoritarian, Amoral, Aggressive, Calm, Confident, Logical. He can kill without becoming the least upset, just organising his weapons to bear on the "problem" with maximum efficiency and symmetry. But he becomes very irritated if something prevents him from doing his job properly.

Perks and Flaws: Asperger's Syndrome -4 (-2 PER, have a hard time relating to other people), Danger Sense +4, Observant +3, Ambidextrous +4, Obsessed with symmetry -2

Cybernetics: Neurocomputer, drone link, 2 weapons implants

Drones: 2 ATU 22 heavy weapons drones equipped with: micromissiles, a fine caliber gatlinger, active armor, flares and multi-ammo "shotguns". 2 KHE Eagles, with micromissiles, scramjet bullets, fine caliber gatlinger, liquid gas gun. 5 KHE bats, able to release two subdrone packs (either stealthed spider surveillance bots, bombs or something else). 1 KHE Monkey.

Deepak Chopra

Deepak grew up in Louisville, a very ordinary Landfall town. He always wanted to become something, to become famous for his skills and abilities (just like any other Landfall kid), so he turned to digging up information and cracking computer systems. He turned out to be good at it, and began to make a living in computer (in)security. When he encountered Ivan (or rather, his interaction AI) he became intrigued, and eventually the friends decided to start a firm. Deepak seldom leaves Wladimirograd where he lives, working with Ivan through the net.

Motivation: Helping others. Deepak believes in freedom of information and the need to liberate secrets.

Ethics: Unscrupulous

Traits: Anti-authoritarian, humorless, silent, energetic

Perks and Flaws: Photographic memory +3, Poor looks -3

"Jimmie"

Timesliced business AI owned by Management Solutions Inc. MSI actually runs a few single massive AI systems on their mainframes, with clients each having "their" own slice of the AI. When the previous millisecond timeslice is over, the memory, personality and state of the AI is stored away and another state replaces it, doing a millisecond of work for the next client until being replaced again by the next client AI, and so on. Separation of knowledge and personality is guaranteed; Jimmie cannot know what "he" knows when he is one of the other company AIs, and they even have different personalities tuned to their respective companies.

Jimmie is set to be an easy-going, humoristic and fairly independent boss; it handles the major personality quirks of Deepak and Ivan with a smile.

Motivation: To increase shareholder value of Murder Inc maximally.

Moral Attitude: Honourable ("pacta sunt servanda", a deal is a deal)

Character traits: Cheerful, Leader