The crew of the 2352 Bottom Line expedition to Penglai

The expedition was sent in 2352, as the news of some kind of coup that had ousted the PCA reached Atlantis. The Process became interested and worried, and leased the Bottom Line from Aurum Investments to check.

The mission objective: to investigate what has happened at Penglai and return with a report to Atlantis. The crew is mainly Atlanteans, a multidisciplinary team gathered together to deal with a wide variety of situations.

Thomas Mzu

"Let’s make some profit here!"

Process representative on the Bottom Line. A businessman with diplomatic training, part of the original Process team at Penglai but later involved with mediating with Lung Fusion on Atlantis. Ambitious, impatient and greedy.

Perks: Powerful Ally (Nancy MacDaggart), genetically modified great looks.

Orders: make sure Process investments at Penglai are safe, and take steps to ensure the continual stability and prosperity of the Process. Oversee the exchange of Promonss snapshots.

Alexander Petronev

"Don’t ask me, I’m just your driver. But I wouldn’t like to be here when they find out about what you did."

Captain of the Bottom Line. Consultant from Lepp Space Activities Inc to Aurum Investments (owners of the Bottom Line) and the Process. A thinker and planner, who prefers to have a detailed plan done before committing to action. Close friend to Dennis, who he thinks is cowardly when it comes to personal independence.

Perks: Zero-g adaptation, suffers no penalties for working or living in zero-g. Also amplified gene repair, can withstand radiation better (treat radiation levels as one level lower).

Orders: hired by the Process to bring the ship to Penglai and back.

Dennis

"What I’m doing? Well, I’m considering the relative merits of crashing into the space station instead of docking."

The ship AI, equipped with a quai subpersonality (Ruff). Originally written by Freedom Software in 2345 and heavily upgraded. Slightly quirky, often exhibiting contradictory personality traits. Fiercely independent when it comes to ship operations, but with less ambitions for personal independence; the Nova-descended AIs are newcomers. Loves to make deadpan jokes to unsettle the humans.

Orders: primary objective: to obey representatives of the ship’s owners (Aurum Investments) and their designated representatives (in this case the captain), secondary: safeguard the ship and crew.

Connected to all ship systems, controls a number of repair robots.

Gilbert Wallace

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Engineering expert (Heinlein Networks). A silent, efficient man who works hard to fund his personal project, to buy into the Cult of Profit.

Ayn Wernerson

"Can’t we just leave the TDD as a small distraction?"

Military consultant from Trillicom Arms. So far, her military experience has mainly been ground combat training, some PPL work and extensive simulator training from interplanetary combat, but she is confident that she is one of the very best Atlantean space military people. She almost hopes to get the chance to test the TDD.

Perks: Genetically enhanced health, neurointerface connected to a C3I agent system and the TDD in the cargo bay.

Orders: In the case of an emergency, act as the military consultant for the Process. Make sure Trillicom arms looks good whatever happens.

Cassiopeia Hamil

"This cluster of concepts is the most interesting, it is completely non-religious"

Penglai expert from GGU. After undergoing expensive psychodesign therapy for Chang Yu-Lee, she can shift between her basic Atlantean personality and a more Penglaiese personality at will.

Orders: hired by the Process to find out what has happened on Penglai.

Petronius Whitebird

"Ha! He forgot to shield the room service electrical monitor."

Communications and infowar expert from DLF Netsecurity. Originally from the Red Rock Alliance, but emigrated to Landfall and later to Atlantis. A social and energetic person, always on the lookout for profitable challenges to overcome. Slightly unused to the Atlantean style. Uses pattern detection enhancing drugs to improve his skills.

Perks: Neural interface, autonomous control (makes it possible to ignore sleep, pain, hunger etc)

Orders: hired by the Process to find out what has happened on Penglai.

Robert Aisenberg

"Sorry, we cannot do that unless you sign here, here and here."

Process diplomat and treaty expert. Originally a lawyer with cross-cultural training from GGU, specialised himself to deal with negotiations with statists. A dry man who likes rules and formality, with a biting sarcastic humour.

Orders: To safeguard Process investments, exploit new opportunities and if necessary negotiate with a new government.

Fred Kastenbaum

"I’m the doctor here, you pay me for carving in you!"

Medical consultant from TransLife Health Maintenance. An outgoing character who loves to get involved outside his speciality.

Has a Good Medical Monitoring and an Ordinary Medical Support System implanted.

Orders: Hired by the Process to maintain good health and efficiency in the crew, as well as help investigate Penglai if necessary.

Victor

"If you ask me, I would say those soap operas provide better explanations of human behaviour than Sartre"

Translation AI consultant (Victor Linguistic Services). A cheerful, optimistic entity that tends to believe the best about everyone unless shown otherwise; loves to talk with people. After the recent visit to Weg it has become a celebrity in the Atlantean linguistics community.

Orders: Hired by the process to Provide translations and investigate Penglai.

"The Horror"

"Ah, there you are my beautiful Ayn! I’m ready, just waiting for the other three horsemen of the Apocalypse!"

TDD battle AI, linked to Ayn Wernerson. A cheerful, talkative if somewhat unintelligent weapon of mass destruction. Always tries to promote Trillicom Arms and get into action.

Orders: to obey Ayn, to promote Trillicom arms.