Octavian is the ultimate fountain of information for
characters seeking leads on recoveries, hot or cold. His life experiences
have afforded him a wealth of contacts on countless worlds, and throughout
the Free Trader Network. There isn't a business deal made at Auction, or a
rumor spread that Octavian doesn't know about. Sooner or later, it all
filters back to him. Unlike others with this kind of information network,
Octavian isn't big on selling information. He is a fan of capitalism, to be
sure, but just in seeing the system thrive, not necessarily in amassing a
fortune for himself. He still believes in the need for free unrestricted
trade, and the recovery of goods from boneyards and TED's, where they do
noone any good (in his eyes) for society to flourish. He is a sworn enemy of
the Guild, and it was in a runin with them as part of a landing party trying
to establish trade contacts that he was injured. Such an organization, he
feels, is a perversion of the system he loves so dearly, and anyone seeking
to hurt the Guild, will find Octavian a valuable ally. His specialty is
knowing about Guild operations and trade routes. He also can exist as an old
acquaintance from the Service, willing to help out a friend either still in
the service or working as a Lancer. He has the rundown on all the Freelance
crews that trade at Auction, and usually knows where they've been, what they
found or heard of, and where they are going next. He can even help set up
job interviews with some Lancer crews for people with the right experience
looking to get into the field. He occasionally hears rumors and gets a peak
at the occasional recon report in RCES hands that might lead to recovery of
items critical to the Coalition's survival. The tops at the RCES know good
and well, if they don't have the resources to recover some tech they need,
Rodriguez is their best chance at making sure someone else does for them,
and he's not above passing on their requests to the right people, or even
helping them locate good crews to hire directly.
A character such as Rodriguez can easily become a caricature. It's important
that he be seen as someone with a bit more depth, released a little at a
time. The first image one gets upon meeting him is of a man who seems to
know everybody, and who everybody knows. Rodriguez is a shrewd judge of
character, though, and does not divulge information too quickly, or to
people he views as not having the best interests of the Coalition in mind.
Upon gaining his trust and respect, characters will find him a source of job
opportunities, or rumors that lead to potential work. After proving their
competence, they'll find him and even better source of information, and an
actual friend. He gets attached to people he knows very well, and looks out
for them when he can, even cutting the occasional better deal at Auction for
people he knows well.
Rodriguez also knows several of the regulars and Auctioneers at other
planetary Auctions, and occasionally makes the circuit in search of certain
items he's trying to obtain for the Coalition, and to search out new
information. Barring these times, he's pretty much a fixture on Aubaine, and
likely will remain so for many years to come.
