Traveller Vignette 009

“Citizen Uletdiens? I am Intendant Purnavstetl, of the Tavrchedl'.” She does not show identification, for who would lie about such things?

The man who opened the door was late middle aged, dressed in a crumpled tunic. He hadn’t shaved that morning. He looked uncertain. “Ah….will you come in, Intendant?”

She glances briefly around the small lounge. Cheap but comfortable furniture, all just a bit grubbier than it should have been. Sometimes, one doesn’t need special powers to notice a problem.

She takes the overstuffed armchair, while Uletdiens moves magazines to perch nervously on the couch opposite. She makes her voice reassuring. “Your phone has noticed a significant drop in calls to friends, and in social engagements in your calendar. These are common precursors of early stage depression, so it called my office.”

Since an intendant’s time is too valuable to waste on false positives, one of her assistants had run a quick check on his purchase records and work history to confirm her attendance was needed, noting increased purchases of alcohol and comfort foods, plus several instances of lateness for his factory shift, but she doesn’t mention that; no sense in embarrassing the man

Uletdiens nods unhappily. “I’m sorry….it has been hard since my brother died in the war. We were close, you see…”

She smiles reassuringly. “It is nothing to be ashamed about, citizen; we all let things get on top of us sometimes. Now, why don’t you make us both a nice cup of tanna, and we’ll get started?” Purnavstetl rather liked this part of her job; she enjoyed helping people, and in an hour or so, the prole would be feeling much better about his life and on his way back to being a happy and productive citizen of the Consulate.


(Author's note - One of the big differences between the Imperium and the Zhodani Consulate is the canon background is the systematic use of psionics by the Zhodani, which makes their society completely different to a conventional human society.

Canon also notes that while Imperials think the Zhodani Tavrchedl' as "Thought Police" to stamp out dissent, the Zhodani themselves think of them as the equivalent of paramedics, helping citizens with mental aberrations or problems become productive citizens again by altering their minds. Whether one regards this as kindness or horrifyingly total control is very much up to the role you want the Zhodani to play in your campaign)


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