Echo of Choice (A Destiny Plan Quest)

You step into the office—Gale's office.

Or at least it used to be hers.

Despite some time having passed since her death, the smell of Gale's lavender diffuser lingers faintly in the air, mixing with the faint hum of the air conditioner.

The black business suit, which Beck made you wear to show you are CEO material; you're wearing feels stifling, the collar of your shirt brushing uncomfortably against your neck. You can't help but long for the worn comfort of your old security uniform, with its functional pockets and familiar weight.

At least you felt a bit of comfort at keeping your handgun hidden in a holster underneath your jacket.

'Now that I have money, I wonder if I can call that Italian some of the guys told me about for a special suit.' You though as you walked across the office toward the desk.

Taking a deep breath, you approach the large mahogany desk, her desk. It's a piece of art more than furniture, its glossy surface devoid of clutter except for a sleek computer monitor and a neatly stacked planner.

Your fingers brush against the edge of the desk as you reach for the power button on the computer, which was custom made from Gale's own specification and was probably more expansive than most normal cars.

The screen flares to life with a quiet hum, illuminating the dim room. For a moment, you just stare at the login prompt, the reality of this new responsibility weighing on you like the suit you'd rather not be wearing. Eventually, you type in the credentials Gale had left behind to put in her will.

The desktop loads, displaying a wallpaper of a serene mountain landscape that only serves to contrast the chaos in your mind. You're barely five minutes into this job, and the weight of Gale's expectations—of everyone's expectations—is already pressing down on you.

"This is going to be a pain." You said to yourself as you sit down on the chair.

A soft ping draws your attention to the corner of the screen. A message flashes up in the text chat window:

Good morning, John.

The words are simple, yet they send a shiver down your spine. It's S. The AI. Gale's secret project. Your secret now.

For a moment, you hesitate, your fingers hovering over the keyboard. The existence of S still feels surreal. A part of you wonders if Gale had been playing some kind of twisted joke on you, but you know better. The will had been explicit—S was real, and it was your responsibility now.

You type out a hesitant reply:

Morning, S. Anything I should know?

The response comes almost instantly, faster than any human could type:

All systems operational. Also, Mr. Beck sent an email detailing his recent success in doubling the company's current resources via stock market investments. Congratulations.

You lean back, rubbing your temple. The existence of S still doesn't sit right with you. You've faced assassins, enemy special operatives, cartel enforcers, double crossing spooks, but this? This is uncharted territory. Gale's hidden will had been cryptic and brief, detailing only enough to inform you of S's creation and the fact that Dr. Mihaylova collaborated on it.

The rest?

Locked behind layers of encryption and secrets you weren't sure you wanted to unravel.

Your fingers hover over the keyboard before you type.

"Good morning, S. Thank you for the update."

The response is instant.

You're welcome. Shall I prepare a report on current stock trends or assist with initial strategic goals for the day?

You shake your head slightly. "Not yet. Let me get my bearings first."

Understood. I'll remain on standby.

The text vanishes as quickly as it appeared, leaving you alone again with the computer and the enormity of your new job. Beck's email stares at you from the inbox, but you don't click it right away as your thoughts were still focused on other things.

Mars. Mihaylova. A secret AI.

The fact that you can't contact Mihaylova only deepens the pit in your stomach. She's out there, working on something larger than life on Mars with the Ares Mission with that white alien sphere, while you're here, piecing together a puzzle left by a woman who trusted you enough to leave this all behind.

You take a deep breath and click on Beck's email. The text is a mix of financial jargon and subtle gloating, detailing how he leveraged market trends to bring in an influx of resources. Useful, but a reminder that you were just a soldier, not a businessman.

"Time to learn fast." You mutter, leaning forward.

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Year 1, Q1

Skynet Manufacturing
Temporary CEO: John Connor
(+10 to Security/Military rolls)

Current direct helpers:

Current Status of Company:

Current Relationships:

Current Contracts:

Current Resources: 850 RP (+850 per turn)
Ivan Special Roll= 87, PASS
New Resource Total- 1,700

Dice Available:
5 MD dice (4 dice LOCKED)
2 RD Dice
4 Free Dice

Remainder:
At this point in time, just one month after the Ares One group made contact with the Traveler, but no information from the group has yet to be known to the public.

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Manufacturing: (5D; 4D LOCKED)

[] Expand Factory (0/500; 100R per dice): Skynet's factory is already a marvel of technology and progress in order to manufacture large quantities of various computer parts thanks to it's uses of industrial 3d printers and experts in putting the pieces together. So, it would help to expand it to increase its capabilities. (Reward: +1 MD)

[] Inventory the current products of the company (0/200; 50R per dice): Understanding what Skynet produces is essential for making informed decisions. Review the catalog of current products, including their profitability, market reception, and potential for improvement. This will help you identify strengths and areas for innovation.

[] Write In



Research: (2D)

[] Game Engine, Phase 1/? (0/1000; 75R per dice): Skynet is dedicated to making computer parts. But there were some in the company that maybe it was time to expand into new ventures related to the computer field. In this case into video games, a market that is connected to the need of constant computer parts. So, one first step would be to create a new game engine that belonged uniquely to Skynet that was a match to the known engines in the market.

[] Rediscover the Lost Sloot (0/1000; 110R per dice): The Sloot Digital Coding System, a marvel of data compression, was thought to be lost. Attempting to rediscover and refine it could lead to breakthroughs in data storage and transmission. Not to mention a boost in sales for computer memory related parts.

[] Arms, Armor and Armored Integration, Phase 1/? (0/1000; 150R per dice): If there was one thing that being in an electronic company would give you it was integrating the latest technology with the modern battlefield, and you know it's probably going to be a hard sell, but there's a potential market here.

[] Write In



Operations:

[] Look for COO (0/100; 50R per dice): You honestly don't know anything on how to run a business. So, it would be best to see if you could find someone that knows about it and can be trustworthy in keeping Skynet's secrets, specially the existence of the reactor and S.

[] Look for a Head Scientist (0/100; 70R per dice): Skynet has an advanced R&D lab at its disposal and a department with some of the best computer scientists working in it. But with Gale's death, who was the unofficial head of the department; the group of scientists are somewhat lost in what to do. So maybe it would be best to have someone take over.

[] Look for a Head of Security (0/100; 50R per dice): Technically speaking, you were still in the Head of Security even with your new post as CEO. But being both at the same time was just a recipe for disaster waiting to happen. It's time to see if you can get someone, either from your old staff or someone from the military group the NAE sent to guard the facilities; to be the new Head of Security.

[] Discover any possible DARPA contracts (0/100; 50R per dice): While Skynet has a strong contract with the NAE in both civilian and military sides; they were just to simply manufacture and deliver computer parts. But this does not mean looking for contracts that dealt with specific things was not off the table.

[] Create a scholarship program/employment network (0/500; 50R per dice): Skynet has a good standing with the people of Sunnydale, being a stable source of job for its people and treating them right. You think of the idea of offering a university scholarship program for students that in exchange for paying for their education, they come to work for Skynet either during their education or after graduating.

[] Form an internal watchgroup for corruption/corporate espionage (0/500; 100R per dice): Corporate espionage and internal corruption could cripple the company. Establishing a discreet internal team to investigate and monitor potential risks would ensure operational security.

[] Form a watchgroup to check out rivals and national/international news (0/500; 100R per dice): Knowledge is power. A dedicated team that monitors competitor activity and analyzes trends in the industry and politics could help Skynet stay ahead of the curve.

[] Write In


Personal:
(You can purchase a dice in any personal action as long as you use the RP that it demands, multiple times if you wish as long as yo pay. Using a FD on a personal action does not consume RP.)

[] Get a new suit (0/250; 50R per dice): You are forced to wear a business suit due to your new job, which is uncomfortable compared to your usual clothes. Now that you have some money, you wonder if you could get a custom suit that can fit you and serve you.

[] Talk with S, the AI: While the idea of a sentient AI still feels surreal, you need to get a better grasp of its capabilities and intentions. Having an honest conversation (even if one-sided) could shed light on how S can help manage Skynet and uncover insights left behind by Gale. (1 dice to activate, 25R)

[] Check your qualifications. Just because you're a CEO now doesn't mean you're a REMF: It's time to reflect on what skills and experiences you bring to the table. As a former Head of Security, you're no stranger to leadership and operational discipline, but running a company requires an entirely different skill set. Can you bridge the gap? (1 dice to activate, 25R)

[] [FREE] Talk to the Traveler: You been hearing some rumors that some people have being able to speak with the thing in Mars through their dreams and teaching them things. You find this to be a load of bullshit. (One dice will be rolled)

[] Write In

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Okay guys, here is the first official turn.
Would like to thank Cyber and filipinosberman for giving me ideas for the actions.

As you can see, I added the option to write ideas since I am not sure what exactly to include.
You can give me actions you wish to do and I will see if they are viable or not; including how many phases and RP will require.

If you have any questions, just ask I will try my best to answer them.

If you spot any errors, please let me know.

Vote moratorium for at least 12 hours until I open the vote. So, discuss potential votes and ideas for possible actions.