Omegans, C-Spacers, Everyone - We Need Your Help!

[Cross-posted to MedNet, CitadelNet, ANN Forums, and 8 others]

Alright folks, here's the deal. Some of you native Omegans might already know that the assorted Shepard Memorial Hospitals and a few of the other clinics are starting to form a little support network for themselves. Because let's face it - trying to run a medical facility on Omega is shit, particularly when you're on your own. So we're working together to share supplies and basically just increase coverage on the station, so more people can get help when they need it. Well, we've decided to make it official - me and several other medical professionals on station are now proud members of the Omega Health Organisation (OHO). Problem is, we still need help, and that's where you lot come in. Lemme give you a quick run-down of what we need:

Scientists - Epidemiologists, immunologists, bacteriologists, virologists... Basically, any sort of scientist that specialises in disease. See, Omega has the same melting pot of alien species as the Citadel, but pretty much no people studying how disease can be transmitted amongst them. It's no secret that there's a new plague (of varying severity) every few months here, but no one can study them - we're too busy treating injuries and drug overdoses and all that. Aria usually just seals off the affected districts to stop the disease spreading, but that leaves a lot of people out to die. If we had people studying and understanding what's going on behind the quarantines, maybe we could save those people.

Supplies - As you might imagine, medical equipment is fucking expensive. Even now technology keeps advancing, and having to buy a new deep tissue scanner or one of those things that assays biotic nodules can really cripple a clinic. And that's not even factoring in consumables like medigel, which believe me, we run through fast when a scuffle starts up. I work at one of the better set up clinics, but even we have some weeks where we're only scraping by on donations. I know there's still a lot of refugee camps that need this shit too, but don't go forgetting Omega just 'cos it claims to be civilised now.

Protection - It's not so bad in the upper, 'classier' levels, but, in the shithole depths of Omega, clinics are prime targets for raids by gangs and merc groups. Sometimes they're after free medigel, sometimes chemicals they can re-purpose into recreational drugs, and sometimes they want the aforementioned massively expensive medical tech to sell on for a quick profit. The facilities lucky enough to be in established territory (Suns or Eclipse, mostly) can usually get away with moderate protection if they pay up, but I have friends working in places that only have a few shitty LOKI mechs protecting them. So, to all you merc companies and security firms out there, we want to cut a deal.

Money - This is the big one, and the one that most people can probably help with. See, clinics often have a bit of an ethical dilemma on their hands. They need money to buy supplies, equipment, protection, etc., and to pay their workers (we have a few volunteers, but fact is, medical staff have to eat and pay rent / protection money too), but a lot of patients are far too poor to pay treatment fees. Sure, we can squeeze it out of the Big Three mercs easy enough, but Omega has a fuckton of poverty, be it people outright living on the streets or just poor folk living pay-check to pay-check. We can't deny those people treatment, but there's no way they can cover their costs - most clinics are running at a loss. Sooner or later, we have to start turning people away, which we'd really rather not do. However, we need donations to sustain us, at least until Omega actually starts moving into that 'Golden Age' they keep going on about.

Help us out with any of these things and we'll consider you an affiliate of OHO - once we gather some steam and get some power established out here, you'll get some pay-off for investing in us. Now, I'm no expert in all that stuff - I just treat people and do some promotion - but the official OHO extranet site has all the details and benefits of becoming an affiliate explained by someone much more knowledgeable than me. Contact details too, though you can shoot me a PM if you'd prefer and I'll try and sort things out.

Oh, and one last thing, before anyone gets bitchy. Yes, of course we have people applying for aid through more official channels. We're not fucking stupid. But I've been hanging around the extranet long enough to know that there are some right generous people lurking out there, and if this reaches even one of them, this is worthwhile.

oho, that sounds admirable, Lessi.
tell ya what, you could put up a donation box at the club. we used to have one for the warren puppy foundation way back and that produced something so your thing should also cash a cred or two in here. if you have flyers or stickers or stuff, bring it over.

Uh, you have any problem with receiving secondhand material?

Thanks so much - I'll bring over some promotional shit in a couple of days, if that's good with you? I know how generous people get in clubs, so if even a tiny bit makes its way into our donation box it'll be well worth it.

Not at all, so long as it's either still functional or can be made functional without too much spending on our part. Some of the poorer places are using fourth-hand shit at this point, so second-hand stuff would be a massive help.

As a citizen of the station with people close at hand who might recall, has there been many organisations like this on Omega in the past?

Interesting. I've been hearing bits and pieces about this through the grapevine over the past week or so and I must say it does strike my fancy, I'm sure we'll be able to scrounge something up for you all.

Hrm.

Scientists and researchers shouldn't be terribly difficult to procure really, there's a paper or two in Station based epidemiology for any half capable xenobiologist and nothing encourages participation like the possibility of recognition. Titan will privately subsidize their salaries of course. It'll relieve the financial strain on the OHO and, considering they're our employees still, makes the most legal and fiscal sense.

Supplies, supplies. No hard numbers at the moment I'm afraid but I know for a fact that we can contribute a fair variety of vaccines, antimicrobials, and consumables like nanosutures or haz seals, on top of medical infrastructure and tech. Chimera doesn't specialize in instruments mind but we would be open to negotiations regarding the funding and implementation of gene vats and/or augmentic assemblies (along with cases of finished models of course). You'll understand if I can't provide any direct and binding promises at the moment though.

As for security there are two routes that can be taken, this will be discussed at length with others in the OHO's hierarchy as well but I just wanted to gauge your response and hear your thoughts.

Option one: We establish a contract at a charitable (read: preferred) rate with the larger organization as a whole. Benefits: active Myrmidon Security Services personnel with their own armaments and support. Drawbacks: it will still ultimately be rather costly for a newly established group such as this and may, in turn, sap too much of the OHO's resources upfront.

Option two: We provide the network with discounted surplus small arms and mechanized units like the Choir or Karkinos. Benefits: substantially cheaper initially and you can order more as needed. Drawbacks: you will need to provide your own personnel.

Money's the easiest of the lot really. Fairly straightforward.

Oh and apologies for using you as an impromptu sounding board, I will be making contact with the OHO through more formal channels shortly.

Okay, cool. Because you see we have all of this stuff here that's been seized over the past two years and because of Red tape it ain't going anywhere except to the incinerators or storage. It's all good stuff, some of it a lot nicer than what's being given to our people, but it came here through your various smugglers or other types. Some of it's from the war, and some's just looted out of the wreckage that you can find just about anywhere. Half this shit's really unopened or unused, but the brass (some idiot Admiral, I think) says we can't use it for god knows why.

Now I ain't exactly sure if we can do it, but I'll put forward the info to my big boss and see what he says. He'll set you all up if he can, and probably if he can't too.

Small deeds shine brighter than most people think. I must say, I'm proud of all of you who found it in yourselves to donate to this organization. A little less credit must go to Mr. Aleksanders, I'm afraid, since by all accounts Titan would be swimming in the kind of supplies OHO would kill for and calculated actions of charity are far from unheard of in the corporate business, but I'm sure you simply wanted to do the right thing darling.

On a more serious note, how desperate would you say your need is for protection? It is with deep regret that I admit I'm not equipped to help in any of the other fashions, but I'm confident that I could still do you some good.

On second thoughts, that offer seems very small coming after an offer for a veritable private army of professional soldiers or connections with arms dealers and mech distribution establishments. Curse you, Aleksanders, for showing me up once more.

Hey, if you need some discount security, a certain salarian and I worked on a thing.

YO NIK, YOU STILL GOT ANY OF THAT FARM SHIT

seriously, install our software patch and deploy a thresher combine against anyone looking to cause trouble, funniest shit you'll ever see

Are there any hanar-majority clinics in the organisation? Because they could be so inclined, if they had not already, to register as a Hospice cult or sect, depending on their size.

It may be, as citizens of Omega, they do not want Primacy interference, but beyond an interview with a Primacy official and having to pay some minor taxes (they can apply for all sorts of tax cuts as a Hospice and for not actually living in the Primacy), they will be given a subsidy (depending on their size).

Of course, it cannot make any promises that such a classification would be given. It would depend on the official they send and how 'important' they think the group is. There is some contention on how Omega should be viewed at the moment in the Synod. Some suggest it is the murkiest of murky waters. Others are suggesting that with the right investment, it could prove to be a bright star in the galaxy.

Just give me some of your shit and I'll keep the bad, mean people away.

You specifically, or the Blood Pack? Because I'm pretty sure these people can't afford to do business with the Blood Pack.

It was either this or build another throne out of serum canisters and, to be frank, the first wasn't particularly comfortable anyway.

Oh come now it's not like I'm giving them those products. At least some money has to be involved.

I know where he's going with this and I am obligated to say that no, you should not listen to him, it is a terr-


-ible idea.

...eugh.

No Mekan.

We will not recommend that the organization deploy weaponized combine harvesters to protect their clinics. They're looking for security not "mulched husk".

See above statement with the substitution of "musclebound hormonal juveniles" in place of "mulched husk".

I asked around, and apparently there's been a few - most were too small to get any real traction, and the rest got into trouble with smuggling gangs and the like. Luckily for us, the opening up of trade with C-Space means we don't have to deal with that lot, and more and more clinics are joining every week.

You help us out any more, sir, and I'm gonna have to save up for a flight out to the Citadel so I can kiss you. I knew asking around would turn summat up!

As for the security, 's probably best you ask the folks in charge - we've got quite a few clinics under our umbrella now, all in varying states of defence. I know my place would benefit from weapons more, since our private staff haven't even upgraded to thermal clip models yet, but a fair few others don't have the bodies to hold those guns in the first place. And I haven't a clue how much money we have, besides 'not enough for everything'.

You're trying to flirt with me, aren't you, soldier? Not that I mind. Maybe stop by Omega next time you get leave, eh?

That would be amazing - some of our clinics are forced to refer patients elsewhere at the moment simply 'cos they don't have the equipment (which ain't so great when said patient's bleeding out fast), so that would help a lot. Thanks a million!

If you don't mind going into the murky depths of Omega, there's a few places in 'disputed' territories that would really benefit from some help, even if it's just to tide them over until we negotiate other contracts. You'd have my eternal gratitude (and as many credits as we can scrape together) if you did decide to help out - I've got a doctor friend out there who's got so many dents in her carapace (courtesy of the locals) that I can barely recognise her.

While I, uh, appreciate the offer, that's not quite what we're looking for. Seems like it'd cause a lot of collateral damage, and farming equipment ain't too common on Omega.

There are definitely some around, but I'll be the first to admit I'm not so hot on hanar stuff. I'll definitely pass on the word, though - anything that can help us out. Thanks for the heads up!

Like Mekan said up there, we can't really afford to hire the Pack, at least not at standard rates. And not to be rude or anything, but the folks out in Pack territory have had... bad experiences, shall we say. Overzealous guards, and the like. The krogan they had wasn't too bad, if a bit disinterested, but the vorcha... I mean, I get that's how they communicate, apparently, but there was patients coming out worse than they went in.

If it's just you personally, though, we might be able to work out a deal. Our tech guy's setting up a page on the extranet site for freelancers and other interested folk to sign up for security work, so head there in a couple days and someone'll arrange an interview. Just gotta make sure the people we're hiring are legit, yeah?

Once again, thanks to everyone for their help! Just goes to show there's still some good people out there, despite all the depressing news!

Ayyyy, ole Dano still knows his ways to charm the ladies, even without half a leg. Problem would be, lady, is that I don't get leave. I work, and then I go get ready for more work. It's a lovely life, married to SATAE.

'course, I'm probably old enough to be yer daddy too.


No problemo. I'll send it up to Stevie and see what he can do.

Okay, I just finished going through all the procedural and legal whatnots (which Ana, bless her, had started putting together on her own initiative a couple of months ago, because she knows me).

We (that is, Envirometrics) are able to donate several medical hardware components (specifics and quantities/likely frequency of deliveries [here]) that we manufacture or have a stake in the making of. We've got a share of an import contract into Omega, so we'll be able to ship the parts in without incurring an extra cost; we don't fill our freight allocation at the moment, and reselling the excess cubage isn't much of an earner anyway, so that's no hassle. Additionally, take a look over our medical application catalogue ([here]), and if there's anything you'd have a use for that you'd be able to buy at cost, get in touch and I'll try to arrange that.

Ana and Vale have had a look over the affiliant programme details from your site - I feel weird and a bit mercenary for saying so, but that'd be a great benefit to us, so if that's a possibility, wonderful. There's quite a few quarians on Omega, and of course there are all the non-quarian applications (primarily medical, as above) for environmental control and sterile environment/field zone hardware; Trade Directorate's been putting all those marketing credits into convincing Omegan shoppers that 'Illium-made means excellence!', so we might as well see if they've been getting anywhere in opening up the market, right?

That would be great - I'll pass the word on to the others and see what we can afford. I know the guys down in the Jejuuna slums need a new clean room, so there'll be a lot of sick quarians blessing your name if we can make a deal.

Affiliation is most definitely an option if you're up for it - the Matriarch who came up with the idea says that affiliation's the bit that'll make us succeed where the earlier attempts at this failed. [Here]'s the contact details of our legal guy (I know, legal guy on Omega, but we're trying to keep as official as possible and we need him if we're gonna work with other planets), who should be able to talk you through the technical stuff and get you set up.

... Is it wrong that I'm totally excited about all this?

Well, no. You're making progress on an initiative intended to help Omega suck a little less for the people at the bottom. As much as I toot the Horn of Omega Rocks Just The Way It Is +20, I have to admit I'm only doing so because I'm not at the aforementioned shit-bottom, and I am in fact, comfortably in the middle. So, good on ya.


And this disappoints me ever so much.

Seriously, though - get some pesticide-sprayer drones, and I'll program 'em myself pro-bono. I'll even update the Project Farmhand software to account for the fact that nobody they're targeting is a husk. The drones ought to be dirt-cheap. Shouldn't be too hard to adjust from 'target husks' to 'target X dude with a gun.' Load the drones with nerve ga- i mean some kind of liquid or gas-based anesthetic, and boom. Non-lethal takedowns for anything that's not krogan or vorcha, right there. Except maybe quarians or people with gas-seals on their hardsuits (which can't be everyone).

On another note, how often are your clinics' computer networks compromised? I'm sure the LOKIs and cameras have been screwed with directly prior to a raid or something on a clinic. Maybe some stuff's gone missing and someone messed with the records to make it look like it wasn't there? Tons of ways for a hacker or engineer to make your lives hard. I'd like to see if I can't help with that.


Well aren't you a stick in the mud

Hmm... Well, we don't really want to waste valuable anaesthetic, but we are hurting for defence. Tell you what - I'll hook you up with our tech guy (ex-Eclipse engie, he knows his shit) and we'll see if we can't work something out. I'm still a little hesitant, but I'm no expert, and I'm not about to turn away help when it's offered.

I'm sure there's something you can do - again, not an expert, but I'll get you in touch with the folks who are. Thanks for the help, man - we really appreciate it.

Well, maybe they should just stop sucking so voiddamn much then so they can hire them


Fuck you bitch. I ain't no fucking whelp


Cool.

Gonna say it again, miss - combine harvesters. They will never see it coming.

But yeah, this stuff's pretty solid and worked well in testing. Didn't see much action before the war ended, but I've been working on updates to the software for colonial security in my downtime. Never know when a pirate or two meeting with an 'unfortunate accident' during a raid via rampaging farm drones may turn things around for the defenders.


up the shut fuck
[upload.virus.fuckyou/targetUserMandatory]