GURPS 4 Babylon 5
Character Creation: Contact Examples
Your own conspiracy network
Can't change the galaxy without friends
Getting anything done via official bureaucracy or direct persuasion can be too slow, hit a stonewall or can even alert those you're opposing. Contacts can bypass these problems. Below are some examples. Note that categories aren't rules and a contact isn't restricted by them. A contact in Babylon 5 security suppling restricted information can still arrest someone.
Academic Advice
Contact Group (Cambridge University science departments; Science/TL9 18; Telephone; Usually Reliable; Public Info) [23] - Some of the finest scientific minds on the end of a video 'phone. If they don't know, they'll get back to you in 1d days.
Contact Group (Geneva University law department; Law and Political Affairs 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Public Info) [15] - Explains every legal and political quirk in any part of the galaxy.
Contact Group (Mars Space Dock engineers; Technical/TL9 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Public Info) [8] - Old work mates who can tell how to fix most things over the 'phone. Might take some time though.
Contact (Babylon 5 aficionado; Area Knowledge (Babylon 5) 15, Current Affairs (Babylon 5) 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Public Info) [3] - An obsessive nerd who'll readily expound the encyclopaedic knowledge of the space station in his head or PDA.
Contact (Babylon 5 forensic technician; Forensic/TL9 15; 15 or less; Somewhat Reliable; Minor Authority) [3] - Can squeeze in some forensic analysis for you as long as it's quick and inexpensive. Processing more than a few clues will need hefty bribes.
Contact (Babylon 5 laboratory analyst; Biology/TL9 15, Chemistry/TL9 15, Bioengineering (Genetic Engineering)/TL9 15; 12 or less; Usually Reliable; Minor Authority) [12] - Has the laboratory to analyse any strange chemical or microbe you can deliver to him. If he can't work it out in 1d days, it's probably really scary.
Contact (Criminal profiler; Criminology/TL9 18; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [6] - Can profile any criminal and match him to previous crimes.
Contact (Retired criminal profiler; Criminology/TL9 18; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable; Public Info) [2] - Brilliant at extrapolating a criminal's motivations from evidence of the crime scene.
Contact (Stock broker; Current Affairs (Business) 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Public Info) [2] - Can tell you which companies are trading well or perhaps too well.
Bureaucratic Interference
Contact (Assistant District Attorney; Law (EA Criminal) 15; Telephone; Usually Reliable; Earth Alliance only) [6] - Can adjust the severity of prosecution for most EA criminal cases.
Contact (Babylon 5 housing officer; Administration 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Babylon 5 only) [3] - Housing is in short supply in Babylon 5 but she can find you a safe house or possibly an observation spot.
Contact (Babylon 5 maintenance technician; Electrician 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Babylon 5 only) [3] - Can cut the power to almost anywhere.
Contact (Customs and Border Protection administrator; Administration 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable) [6] - Can reveal passenger lists and halt shipments with customs checks.
Contact (Imperial Navy Cruiser Captain; Savoir-Faire (Military) 15; Telephone; Usually Reliable; Centauri Republic only) [6] - Can get you released from arrest or tell you where they're deployed.
Contact (Lord Jaddo; Anything 15; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable; Centauri Republic only) [40] - Can pull all sorts of strings in the Centauri Republic.
Contact (National Space Authority administrator; Administration 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable) [6] - Can relay ship movement, interfere with them using spaceworthiness checks and close backwater routes.
Direct Line (Londo Mollari; Administration 15; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable; Centauri Republic only) [5] - The Centauri Ambassador himself is prepared to meet you. Make sure you have something really good.
Propaganda
Contact (Babylon 5 Brown Sector gossiper; Propaganda 15; 9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [2] - Spreads the word amongst the poorly paid, down-and-outs and criminals of Babylon 5.
Contact (Babylon 5 Red Sector socialite; Propaganda 15; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [4] - Spreads the word amongst the shopkeepers, traders, tourists and middle classes of Babylon 5.
Contact (Babylon 5 social butterfly; Saviour Faire 18; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [6] - Spreads the word amongst the diplomats, staff and VIPs of Babylon 5.
Contact (Universe Today reporter; Propaganda 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable) [6] - Can run stories for you, even dubious ones. Universe Today is the most influential newspaper but it's not the only one.
Contact (ISN producer; Propaganda 18; Telephone; Usually Reliable) [18] - Can pull stories for you or stir up a public debate to get the message across.
Direct Line (Amnesty International; Propaganda 15; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [1] - You're trusted to send accurate, provable reports about abuses that others prefer out of the papers.
Restricted Information
Contact (Babylon 5 security sergeant; Administration 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Minor Authority) [3] - Can provide copies at low security police reports, access criminal records and bend the rules a little.
Contact (Babylon 5 security lieutenant; Administration 18; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable) [9] - Can provide copies at police reports, access case evidence and get you out of jail.
Contact (Babylon 5 bar owner; Streetwise 15; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [4] - Lots of people in Brown Sector talk to this friendly bar owner.
Contact (Centre for Disease Control researcher; Diagnosis 18; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable) [9] - Can provide copies of anyone's medical history except VIPs. So much for the Hippocratic Oath.
Contact (Cryptographer; Cryptography 18; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable) [9] - Can read any encrypted message in hours except military-grade encryption.
Contact (Interstellar Network Planning Agency researcher; Electronics Operations (Communications) 15; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Open Secret) [3] - Can tell of interstellar traffic patterns from anyone or to anyone but not its contents.
Contact (Psi Corps commercial section administrator; Administration 15; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable; Psi Corps only) [2] - Can tell what Psi Corps teeps have been hired to do.
Contact (Securities and Exchange Commission investigator; Accounting 18; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable; Top Secret) [18] - Can analyse the accounting reports of almost any company, pull the transaction history of almost any bank account or trace almost any financial movement, even secret ones.
Special Services
Preferred Supplier (Babylon 5 unlicensed doctor; Surgery/TL9 18; 15 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [3] - A struck off doctor that provides the best surgery on Babylon 5 without awkward questions.
Preferred Supplier (Babylon 5 forger; Forgery/TL9 18; 12 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [2] - Supplies all manner of forged documents and database entries for a price, even passports.
Preferred Supplier (Babylon 5 smuggler; Smuggling 15; 12 or less; Usually Reliable) [2] - Can obtain almost anything LC2 (Restricted) at an exorbitent price but uncommon stuff can take weeks. Try not to get caught with it.
Preferred Supplier (Babylon 5 snout; Streetwise 15; 12 or less; Usually Reliable) [2] - Has his ear to the ground in the underworld. If he doesn't know, he'll get back to you. He'd rather not be seen accepting payment in public.
Special Dealer (Babylon 5 info broker; Streetwise 18; Telephone; Somewhat Reliable) [5] - Provides underworld information at market prices but also offers deals not available to others, such as exclusive access (at an even higher price) or info on what other clients are doing.