Station 57
Who comes in and out of Station 57? Perhaps there can be bugs planted on mercenaries and track kept of the movements of ships, men, and supplies. It would all be very useful information, that could be used for future operations on Station 57, as well as against and involving any of the mercenary groups present.
Cost: 50 Wealth a turn
Probability: 65%+5
Reward: Information.
The Dark Side of Reconciliation
There are enemies. They can be found, those that committed the worst crimes. Even though reconciliation has happened, accidents could be arranged. Or more honestly, they could be found to be continuing bad behavior through basic monitoring and then be hauled off, to see what to do with them from there. It might turn out badly, it might be accepted, who knows.
Time is running out on this, though information about the revolution and darker actions coming out has extended the possibilities for this.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50% (+10)
Reward: Worst criminals still present taken in/dealt with, options.
A Traitor In the Ranks (Zaeswin)
It's a simple plan, if dangerous for many people. Plant rumors of traitors within the ranks, evidence and lies all concocted to sow discord within Zaeswin's network. But if done poorly the agents that tried it could be discovered. If done very poorly the entire inside line to Zaeswin's mid-level operations, which took a year to establish, could evaporate in a matter of days.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50%+5, failure then rolls to see how bad this hurts you.
Reward: Dissension, further bonuses against Zaeswin, options.
En Passant
Zaeswin is canny and clever, and more importantly, brilliant. A genius who has a lot of very deep and tricky plans, and so attacking him directly could be very dangerous. So instead, your agents will attack his pawns, those Iashec and other forces that ultimately are the bread and butter of any major game he's playing. It will take them across known space, into very difficult waters, in a race against time to capture as many pieces as they can, while not letting themselves but lured into any mistakes.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 40%
Time: 2 turns.
Reward: Options, advantage gained in the game against Zaeswin.
Castling
Protection of your own assets is quite important as well. Ultimately if your assets are destroyed, or worse, you yourself, you will have little ability to harm the enemy. Shuffle around identities, create new code systems and then have them change frequently, gain and discard shell corporations, and otherwise make sure that you have the processes in place to thwart any attempts at a counter-attack.
Cost: 150 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: Protection, safety, chance to catch someone's hand in the cookie jar.
When In The Course of Events
Besides the Capos and Capas, both aligned (unknowingly) for and against Zaeswin, there are other factions. Those who speak of the corruption of the merchants, who bemoan a weak government that can do nothing to protect the people. Some favor democracy, some oligarchy, some merely a more efficient mode of the same government that currently exists, but all are fed up with the system. They could be encouraged, whether they win or lose. Funding and aid could be sent their way, information and weapons. Some are slave owners, and even those that believe in democracy don't necessarily share all the values that a Gazinith or Solarian citizen would hold, but they're at least something like good guys.
Cannot be done with 'Naught But Ash Remains.'
Cost: 100 Wealth a turn
Probability: 65%
Reward: Armed anti-establishment rebels. Scattered at this point, both physically and ideologically, but with help and support they could gather strength.
Spartacus Rising
Agents could go in to free slaves, create chaos, to make indentured servants turn against their masses, and generally cause trouble for Capo and honest (slave-owning) citizen alike. This would be somewhat risky, but would have both moral, psychological, and economic effects.
Cost: 200 Wealth.
Probability: 40%
Reward: Freed slaves, options involving that path.
Naught But Ash Remains
Or, you could watch Asurin burn. Make the war expand further, and then further still. Force the Mercantile Republic to send in troops just to keep the peace. Then, have that fail. Have the poison of civil war spread, generals assassinated in their beds, Zaeswin's agents dead in a thousand ways. Fires, destruction, the complete evaporation of anything at all like a functioning planet. Bring the entire Mercantile Republic to its knees, if you can manage it.
Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: Start working on burning Asurin to the ground. Options. Has...interesting synergy with Spartacus. Think slave-owner heads on spikes.
Patterns of Behavior
You can monitor the forums and online conversation in several high-traffic areas, not to catch criminals but to notice patterns of thoughts and to better be able to predict just what's coming. Are people growing angrier, is dissent rising, is there a drop in activity that might mean they've found a way around the bugs?
Cost: 80 Wealth per turn.
Probability: 65% (+10)
Reward: Information, knowledge, potential options each turn. Likely to be one or so new options each turn, slightly oddball.
A New Archive
Now that the archive has been plumbed, it needs to be rearranged in a way that allows it to both be secret, but also less confusing, and more accessible… for you, at least. This would be a difficult process, but it would further improve internal security and allow for in-depth research on both the past and previous operations that might prove very valuable for agents in the future, since accurate information and accurate simulations are a major part of how one stays alive in a galaxy of Intrigue.
Cost: 50 Wealth
Time: 1d2 turns
Probability: 60% (+10)
Reward: Improved Internal Security, data.
What are they saying?
The ruler caste were immune to at least the bugs and programs you have access to, but you could find the codes for where they are monitored and work on setting up your own spy network. You need to know what they're saying and thinking, and whether they are planning anything against you. They gave up peacefully, but they certainly didn't *choose* to give up.
Cost: 350 Wealth
Probability: 50% (+10)
Reward: Monitor the former Ruler and her children and allies, open up options.
Colonial Eyes and Ears
The colonies are a big question mark. You could rectify this through viruses, agents, and other such forms of infiltration, but it's a long journey with forces you aren't entirely sure of. But considering the dangers the colonies pose, and are in, it might just be worth it. The operations would be delicate and complicated, but you just might be able to do it.
They're not that much of a threat, and so this is now redefined as setting up a security network, the sort of thing you already do to some extent back home, only a little more built-up
Cost: 400 Wealth
Probability: 60%
Reward: Information. An option or two.
Redeeming the Aroane Special Group
The most famous special forces group is the Aroane. There are many, but you have a friend or two who used to be in that group, and former friends still in there. Their reputation was marred by their actions, including a (nonlethal) raid on the house of a protest leader and scholar, but they are useful and the largest and (though the public might not believe it) least given to brutal and repressive acts.
They could certainly free up some bug-hours if they were more fully able to help out with things, at least internally.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 55% (+10)
Reward: Aroane checked out and cleared of potential subversives, public opinion restored to 'neutral/those scary people.' Might help other options.
Open Government?
There have been calls to open the action of the government so all can see it. You could do so...at least for the nonclassified things, setting up sites and document retrieval for the non-sensitive Diplomatic, Stewardship, Martial and Learning actions, while keeping the Intrigue carefully hidden. It'd increase public trust, at the very least, though also increase public scrutiny.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Open Government holo-casts and VR/websites, increased public opinion, increased public pressure.
Cyber-Agents
You need to improve agents, and just as importantly, make sure you know the access codes and shut-offs for the cybernetically enhanced agents so that you can grant more of them, deactivate them for those who leave the service, and otherwise get a handle on this security issue.
Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: Any agents that escape a purge won't have military-grade cybertech available. Can track your own agents. Can train more and give them cybernetics.
