Good evening.
When to call:
Per the guidelines, the phone should be used in exceptional circumstances only. From my perspective, less is also more. If you call all the time it loses its impact.
Say I am the provost. I think a appropriate time to call would be if a important fax has gone unread, or they seem to not be obeying it, such as a appeal for a inmate about to be executed has been granted, but I see them still asking a green executive for permission to execute, or misleading a major. A strongly worded phone call from provost would be in order, to the brig phone if manned, or CIC if not, to check their faxes, and perhaps a Ahelp if i feel they have ignored it outright and not just made a error. (If a phone ever gets added to the execution chamber, I may be tempted to make a phone call from the governor type call on occasion stopping an execution. I feel that would be thematically appropriate, and would meet the exceptional circumstance rule.)
Say I am W-Y. There are very limited situations that warrant a phone call, as the CL is often very attentive to his fax machine. I can only really see it happening in the case of a event, where I have been told I can call them, or if they are planning something borderline antag without admin approval. Say for instance, research has discovered DNA disintegration, and the CL is sat in their office with the goons planning to storm in, shoot first and ask questions later, taking it by force. A sudden call to their phone desk from a special services assistant manager informing them there will be DIRE consequences if they take such actions, damaging highly sensitive marine relations, would be in order. (Plus, a Ahelp if they do it. Whiteout anyone?). Even in the case of a hijack if they are faxing me asking what to do, they are clearly able to read a fax I have OOC preprepared, I would send that instead of a phone call.
Say I am some form of HC. Again, event phone calls I am told I can make are of course a situation I would do so. Beyond that, If there is a CLF/larva/pred/Marine on a UPP ship on HvH/ other significant threat aboard killing people or other significant crimes, and no one seems to of noticed, I would fax, and if no one seems to notice the fax, a brief phone call to the acting commander informing them “Ares has detected a unknown passenger aboard, committing acts of (XYZ). I urge you to check your secure fax line, this sort of communication is susceptible to being compromised. (High command station) main actual requests you investigate this situation and keep us informed via said secure fax line.” Would be in order. I feel this meets the exceptional circumstances line.
I would also on occasion, If I feel something particularly heroic and self sacrificing has taken place, and notice a radio pack, consider a phone call. Say hijack has occurred, and I notice a Staff Officer arm the self destruct and attempting to hold it. A phone call from high command saying something along the lines of “The marines, and admiral XYZ thank you for your service. You have been put forward for a purple heart.” Hang up. Would be in order. A phone call would NOT be placed to three low ranking marines in a pod, but might be considered if I notice a large number of marines have made it on a lifeboat, informing them rescue is on its way, or perhaps to condemn a commanders cowardice if I notice he is one of the last alive, in the cl’s pod.
CMB, and free press: I honestly struggle to see a realistic situation where I would be able to justify a phone call, except events. I could come up with some convoluted plot of a commander missing several faxes telling him the entire CMB team is being skinned by the mess tech, for shutting mess for health code violations at best. Perhaps I would call if some major crime like cannibalism in the mess is happening. I WOULD however call if a CMB team has overstepped and is trying to arrest marines without a HC transfer. A phone call to CIC while the CMB are in there, and then something akin to "pass the phone to the marshal. What the hell do you think you are doing. "
If playing WY Responder, what objectives do you consider within your power to give the CL?
Well, this is not particularly up for debate: its on the guidelines. I do think it is far more interesting for the liaison if you chain them together with a built in story: I will give some examples.
“Flight recorder XYZ has some information our friends in the company would rather remain confidential. Secure it to ensure it remains so.” (flight recorder colony side, and not in the Intel room.)
“We ask you please attempt to source the recovery of a alien body from the colony, discreetly”
“We ask you recover the ID located (location) in the colony. His body need not be recovered, his wife has been informed of his heart attack.” (clearly chest burst)
“Interview colonists from the area, and ensure they do not possess any knowledge of the confidential W-Y facility below. Any found to posses such knowledge, are to be asked to sign a NDA. Our friends in the company are willing to offer them a sum of $1,000,000, and housing.(and no more) for their compliance. Report any refusing parties and their names, but take no other action. The company will ensure such parties see reason at a later date. Marines do not matter, we have a arrangement with high command.”
“Interview officer XZY and provide the emotional support needed for them to recognize that it was CLF actions that lead to this outbreak and it is best this what they tell others. Once they prove their mental stability by removing delusions of Company involvement, a highly profitable PMC contract can be offered. They should be informed of this. Non-compliance is to be treated with calm acceptance, then reported so our in house incident team can help provide counseling for them to rid themselves of delusions.”
“The company is genuinely, completely unaware of what has happened here, and is requesting you interview survivors and marines to get a idea, so we can see if there is any opportunity here. $1000 compensation to interviewees is authorized.”
“This is a public relations nightmare, but easily contained. Our legal team and PR team believe the incident can be contained if you can get XYZ to sign a NDA in exchange for a life time consultant contract, of $1,000,000 per year. Ensure them, they need not provide more than a hours advice a year, and quality of advice will not be monitored. This is urgent. The losses even if they live to 200 will be far lesser than if you do not get this done. That is unacceptable.”
I think these are all reasonable, and provide room for further related requests if they CL achieves them.
If playing Press Responder, what objectives do you consider within your power to give the CC?
I assume this is the wildcard question, as there are no direct guidelines beyond general guidelines, but after taking a moment to give it some thought, I would treat them as a more mobile CL, with less direct relation to W-Y: So instead of:
Recover XZY from the colony, take photos of ABC.
Just interviewing survivors: Interview survivors for their perspective and fax transcripts. (potential for some nice interaction with the CL if I can arrange for W-Y to give a counter objective: get the same survivors to sign NDAs and refuse to talk to the press. If that fails, get the CC to not send a fax with the transcript).
Get XYZ to agree to exclusive interview rights for Penguin news (we are black and white, and read all over!)
Get XZY to agree to a exclusive docuseries deal with Cartoon Mouse network+
Ect. There are some other potentials to unique to the CC:
Wait until (Time) then get the perspective of the squad leads.
Record interviews of any officers in action you can and camera footage, including why they became officers, for use in a new officer recruitment drive.
Attempt to capture film or photos of strange new humanoid aliens sighted (only when marines start talking about them.)
On the slightly sillier end, weather reports, tours of spacious apartments suspiciously in need of new tenants, run advertisements, ect. I would alter my faxes to fit the type of correspondent.