Copyright 1994, Bruce Tong
AKA: The SVSC
Org. Ref. Number: UNOR-500-5389-94
Very little is known about The Super Villain Shopping Channel, if it even exists in the first place. UNTIL analysts have proposed several times in the past that an underworld organization may be supplying criminals with advanced equipment, but in each specific case detailed investigation has only been able to reveal typical black market operations. Only because of recently received corroborating evidence from other organizations that this file has been opened. Field agents should be advised information presented here is largely incomplete.
According to UNTIL Agent Hill, who is involved in undercover operations in the Washington D.C. area, he observed elite members of a gang consortium using Genocide issue Gyrojet Rifles and flak vests from the former Soviet Union. In a later report, Agent Hill mentions over-hearing a portion of a telephone conversation where similar equipment was being purchased. The conversation made several references to "the one you just showed." Agent Hill is confident the person ordering equipment was alone. At this time, operational considerations prevent Agent Hill from returning from the field to provide more information. Arrangements for his debriefing on this matter will be made as soon as his current assignment is concluded.
A recent, unconfirmed account from Denver Colorado told of a VIPER agent being disciplined for selling older weapons to an unknown source. The weapons were believed to be pistols.
Police in Miami Florida reported the recovery of a crate of French-made rocket propelled grenade launchers discovered during a narcotics raid. Normally, authorities assume weapons like these find there way to local drug lords via the same smuggling routes as the drugs take. But in this case, police found the crate had been reported stolen from a United States Army test and evaluation facility. In addition, one person apprehended mentioned his boss said something about "going home and watching the blaster showcase."
Three months ago, a witness discovered by a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry into organized crime mentioned a Lansing, Michigan based family purchased equipment from a television vendor. Unfortunately, the witness was killed before he could be brought under a protection program. Even though the assassin is still at large, other sources make it clear the witness's death was sponsored by those whom he was about to turn over evidence on, rather than by part of any organization such as The SVSC.
Five months ago, Agent McNeese (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) reported his surveillance of a motorcycle gang near Santa Fe, New Mexico found the gang was training with special equipment, allowing short-term invisibility. Descriptions of the equipment match those stolen from a research facility in Rochester, New York. McNeese also recorded a meeting between the gang's leader and an unidentified individual where the sale of the equipment was arranged. During the meeting, the individual referred to a demonstration video he claimed the gang leader had already seen "on the channel." McNeese was supposed to coordinate a strike on the gang holdout, but never made it to the staging area. The gang has not been seen since McNeese's last report.
The United States Federal Communications Commission reports no unauthorized broadcasts in either the Washington D.C., Denver, Miami, Lansing, or Santa Fe areas. Although it's not impossible to escape the notice of the FCC with traditional television broadcasting techniques, it is unlikely.
Obviously, such a black market organization would exist to sell illegal or stolen goods to anyone who will pay. Thus far, evidence suggests the SVSC deals in all types of equipment, and does not specialize in weapons or even high-technology items.
It seems unlikely organizations such as Genocide would deal with the SVSC in any way. Possible customers range from small, well backed criminal organizations to independent super villains. If the Washington gangs actually acquired Soviet flak jackets through the SVSC, even international organizations are involved in this network.
When examining the issue of product acquisition, it is again difficult to envision The SVSC dealing with Genocide or similar organizations. Certainly, it is impossible to believe the SVSC would actually be able to routinely steal a high volume of merchandise. The best possible answer to this issue is for the SVSC to function as a "fence" with many, world-wide connections to other black market organizations.
An organization such as this would have to have an audio/video production staff as well as telecommunications specialists, the number of personnel would depend on the size and nature of the broadcasts. Further personnel would be needed to receive orders, manage stock, and make deliveries. Then, because the SVSC doesn't deal in common commodities, someone would have to procure products from underworld sources.
The SVSC must operate a television studio and a small switchboard. If we assume the SVSC has a large inventory of weapons and body armor for sale, then it would have to operate a warehouse. However, since sales are apparently made all over North America, then the SVSC almost has to be a mobile operation; wide-spread, undetectable broadcasts are not feasible. We strongly believe the SVSC runs a mobile broadcast unit which communicates with a centralized base which handles the inventory and makes deliveries.
The Super Villain Shopping Channel was devised, implemented, and is currently being run by Robbin Croucier and Warren Blotzer. Several years ago, the pair of engineers were the heart of UltraTech Industries' communications satellite design team. The technical ignorance of the project supervisors, as well as a few well-timed bribes, allowed Croucier and Blotzer to secretly build in extra capacity into the communications gear without being discovered. When the satellite became operational, it had four more transmitters/receivers than originally planned -- and only Croucier and Blotzer knew how to access them.
Every other Saturday night, The SVSC broadcasts from the back of a semitrailer between the hours of 4 AM and 5 AM, Eastern Standard Time. SVSC broadcasts are transmitted up to the Home Entertainment Network satellite, which distributes six premium cable channels to North American cable companies. Any customer with access to all six channels via a cable TV company or through a satellite TV package and a special descrambler can view the broadcast. If any one of the six channels is missing, the descrambler is unable to recombine the signal and only wavy lines will be seen. Service to regular viewers is not disturbed because the broadcast occupies spare bandwidth within the standard transmission range. The broadcast does, however, interfere with closed caption text, so hearing impaired viewers and others using similar services will see random characters and symbols rather than sentences.
The descrambler, which looks like a standard descrambler one might get from a local cable company, hooks into the consumers' chain of video gear prior to the TV. The device also has a pair of connections for telephone cords. When the descrambler is plugged in between a telephone and the telephone's wall jack, the descrambler acts as a voice encryption device. Updated keys for the encryption of the telephone calls are received by the box at the beginning of each SVSC broadcast. All orders received must be made under the protection of this cipher, or The SVSC will immediately hang-up. As the location of the broadcast changes, an advance person secures a telephone number prior to the broadcast. This is done by entering the area a few days before the broadcast, locating a secluded business which is closed during the broadcast time, and establishing a temporary tap for the semitrailer to connect. The telephone number is displayed during the broadcast, and remains in operation for one hour after the broadcast's conclusion. Therefore, the SVSC receives long distance phone calls from villains all over the country, and the chances of discovery are minimized.
The SVSC does not deal with inventory. For a fee, interested customers are referred to those with equipment for sale. Demonstration tapes and sample items are often made available to The SVSC for the broadcasts. The SVSC relies on extensive contacts throughout the world to find items for sale and does not have a method for being contacted directly. An SVSC representative polls the contacts for potential business on a periodic basis to determine which items would be the most marketable.
The SVSC business office is a secret, fixed location in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming. It remains in communication with the semitrailer through another encrypted connection via the Home Entertainment Network satellite.
Daphnie Quarters, the seductive voice behind The SVSC broadcasts is actually a computer voice synthesizer. For this reason, Daphnie has never actually appeared in any of the broadcasts. The SVSC prefers to let its audience think she avoids being seen to make identification of her impossible. Data used to construct the artificial voice was collected, mainly from a prominate national news anchor-person. A hastily conducted voice print analysis of Daphnie's voice will most likely point to the unfortunate anchor-person, rather than conclude a computer is the actual source.
Coordination and Control of SVSC Operations
An avid outdoorsman, Robbin Croucier's trim and rugged appearance comes from countless hours of riding, hiking, rappelling and hunting. She favors flannel shirts, blue jeans and hiking boots over everything else. Robbin's long, sandy-brown hair is usually held back by a silver barrette. She uses makeup and perfume only for special occasions.
Before Robbin left for college, she was raised by her single mother. Robbin doesn't know who her father is, nor does she care. Robbin's fondest memories center around Yellowstone National Park, where her mother worked as a park ranger. Although her mother's profession led them from park to park all throughout the Rocky Mountains, they always seemed to end up back at Yellowstone. Even after she moved to Bozeman to study Electrical Engineering, Robbin still found the time to visit her mother and the park.
Out of college, Robbin was picked up by UltraTech Industries who promised her work in Wyoming. But a year later, UltraTech transferred the talented engineer to their headquarters, just outside of San Francisco. Not entirely happy with the transfer, Robbin looked for ways back to the Wyoming site, but UltraTech only talked about transfering her. Disillusioned with the company, Robbin almost quit. When Warren Blotzer, another engineer on the same design team, proposed a plan to use UltraTech to set themselves up in business, Robbin was interested. But when she found out she would be able to work from a remote site of her choosing, the deal was made.
Over the next year, Robbin and Warren carefully tailored the design of the communications satellite to include the features they would later need. They played on the ignorance of the UltraTech management and glossed over "minor details" during project reviews with the client. They worked extra hard to make sure the satellite passed all tests and thus avoided undue scrutiny.
Shortly after the satellite had been delivered and the pair had been reassigned, Robbin left UltraTech and returned to Wyoming to continue on with the part of her bargain. She purchased a large, secluded cabin deep in the Rocky Mountains and outfitted it for a long winter. During the winter, Robbin and a small team of technicians converted a room on the upper story of the cabin into a satellite communications facility. Great care was taken to make sure the cabin's outward appearance remained the same. Even the satellite dish was made by altering a standard dish used for satellite TV reception. When The SVSC became operational, the small band of "survivalists" were well prepared for their new life, and Robbin was back where she always wanted to be.
Robbin knows innocent people may get hurt by the things The SVSC sells, but doesn't think much about it; she's so far removed from the violence. As far as Robbin is concerned, nothing matters except the mountains, her mother and her friends. Her lifestyle is financed solely by her part of the money pulled in by The SVSC.
Robbin does not look for trouble, nor will she back down from it. If her lifestyle is threatened, she will act to preserve it. If The SVSC is discovered, she will attempt to hide in the mountains and later seek refuge with her mother or a friend.
ROBBIN CROUCIER 11 STR 11 DEX 12 CON 11 BOD 13 INT 12 EGO 15 PRE 12 COM 3 PD 3 ED 3 SPD 6 REC 24 CON 24 STUN Skills: Electronics 14-, Mechanics 11-, PS: Engineer 14-, KN: Satellites 13-, Bribery 12-, Persuasion 12-, Climbing 12-, Survival 12-, Riding 11-, WF: Small Arms, High Society 8- Powers: None Disadvantages: None. Equipment: None
Programming and Broadcasting
Warren's short, black hair is a far cry from the tangled mess of his punk rock adolescence. He's even traded in his combat boots for Hush-Puppies, and his leather jacket and torn jeans for a dress pants, button-down shirts, and sweaters. Warren wears contact lenses to correct his near-sightedness and change the color of his eyes from green to brown. Several times, Warren has begun to grow a mustache, only to get impatient and shave it off days later. Warren likes to smoke clove cigarettes and drink cappuccino.
Warren lived in Los Angeles for years, until his father landed a better job and moved the family up the coast to Santa Cruz. Shortly thereafter, Warren moved to San Francisco to attend college. After graduating with an engineering degree, Warren went to work full-time with UltraTech Industries, a company he'd interned with over the last few summers.
Warren was a capable engineer, but was never motivated enough to really shine. He never put in overtime on any of the projects he was assigned. He spent most of his spare time trying to dream up "get rich quick" schemes and hanging out with his friends. Several of his friends brought in extra money by buying and selling stolen weapons. Weapons were traded with a man from Iowa, so "hot" weapons were constantly being relocated away from the area before authorities could find them. In exchange, the Iowa connection supplied weapons for Warren and his friends to sell.
After Warren recruited the help of Robbin Croucier, he traveled to his connection's farm outside of Newton, Iowa and presented his ideas for founding The SVSC. Theodore Von Halon, Warren's contact, agreed providing Warren could successfully demonstrate the satellite performed as promised. Until then, business would continue as before. Years later, Warren and Robbin proved the satellite could meet the requirements of The SVSC, and Von Halon joined the partnership, bringing his extensive underworld connections with him. Von Halon was even able to supply the semitrailer Warren later rebuilt into the broadcast facility The SVSC uses today.
These days, Warren runs the mobile broadcast facility and the switchboard. Together with his small team of technicians, Warren wanders from city to city setting up the gear, broadcasting, tearing everything down, and slipping away without notice. He remains in communication with Robbin and the rest of the SVSC via the satellite feeds. During the down time, the team relaxes in out of the way locations and awaits word from the advance man about the next broadcast site.
Although Warren gets tired of life on the road, he is more than able to satisfy his desire for money. He is unable to connect the weapons he sells with the events he watches on the news. Normally, Warren is a fun-loving, carefree man. Where The SVSC is concerned, Warren is all business. He is always careful to protect the identity and location of the broadcast unit.
Warren carries a .38 Special in case he encounters trouble, but he is not prepared to use it against a person. Shooting at targets is one thing; shooting at a living person is another. Warren is likely to panic in a fire fight and attempt to flee the area.
WARREN BLOTZER 10 STR 9 DEX 10 CON 10 BOD 11 INT 10 EGO 12 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED 2 SPD 4 REC 20 CON 20 STUN Skills: Electronics 13-, PS: Engineer 12-, KN: Communications 13-, Streetwise 11-, KN: Music 11-, WF: Pistols Powers: None Disadvantages: Psych - Greedy Equipment: .38 Special
Black Market Contact
Theodore is a stocky, short man. As he spends a good deal of his time working his farm, he has a deep sun tan and strong hands. He has blond hair, blue eyes, and a large nose on which to perch his glasses. Most days he wears denim cover-alls, work boots and a Pioneer Seed hat.
New York City proved to be too much for Theodore. It wasn't the violence or the crime -- he was used to that; it was part of the job. Where ever the black market set up, crime and violence was sure to be near. But he felt it didn't have to be that way. And, when this tough street kid decided he didn't want to be on the streets anymore, it was only a matter of time until he found a way out.
When he moved into his Newton, Iowa farm, most of the items in his moving van were contraband. He lost many of his clients when he decided to move. Those who needed to purchase weapons on short notice simply took their business elsewhere. Theodore found the clients who remained were the sort to plan far in advance and who appreciated an element of professionalism. Dealing from far away, as it turned out, proved to be the best thing. Word spread among the more influential criminal elements and Theodore's business slowly expanded to five times the volume he had been doing.
Theodore was truly pleased. Not only was he doing business with a better class of criminal, but he was able to relax by working on his farm. It didn't matter to him he would probably never make anything from his crops, he was finally able to enjoy life.
When he was approached by Warren Blotzer about conducting business by satellite and taking orders by phone, he was skeptical, but played along. But when Warren demonstrated the system, he saw a way to not only a better way to do business, but a way to remove a large inventory of incriminating evidence from his barn. These days, Theodore remains in contact with his suppliers and arranges air time for their goods. He receives periodic sales reports from Robbin, and occasionally discusses supplier concerns with Warren via Robbin's satellite link to the broadcast semitrailer.
Theodore is careful about working with new suppliers. While years ago he wouldn't have been so careful, he figures The SVSC and its clientele deserve it. Its difficult to keep up to date on the major players in the market, but Theodore puts in the time required. Theodore's careful efforts and good reputation in the market have been the key factors in landing business from foreign suppliers, such as several military organizations in the Commonwealth of Independent States (otherwise known as the former Soviet Union).
Going by "Teddy" instead of Theodore, Teddy is an informal man, who has become accustomed to farm life. He likes being his own boss and the simple satisfaction in putting in a hard days work. Of course, farming doesn't pay well for most, including Teddy. So, he makes use of his connections and manages to get through the tough times.
Even though Teddy prefers country music, he finds the similarity between his name and that of a notable rock-n-roll personality amusing. To further the joke, he has even learned to "two-hand tap" songs on his ukulele.
Teddy has never married because he has been unable to locate the right woman. As part of his search Teddy attends local festivals, rodeos and dances. Sometimes he drives from his farm into Ames or Des Moines and hangs out in country/western bars.
Theodore knows if he were ever discovered, he wouldn't stand a chance against the authorities when they raid his farm. So, should that ever happen, he will just surrender. On the other hand, if he learns of a raid before it takes place, he will flee to Canada and then to a friend's place in Acapulco Mexico.
THEODORE "TEDDY" VON HALON 12 STR 10 DEX 12 CON 12 BOD 12 INT 10 EGO 13 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED 2 SPD 4 REC 24 END 24 STUN Skills: KN: Black Market 14-, Streetwise 12-, KN: Weapons 12-, KN: Armor 12-, Forgery 11-, PS: Farmer 11-, WF: Small Arms Powers: None Disadvantages: Physical - Requires glasses to see well Equipment: None
Advance Man
A 5'10" man, with light brown hair and blue eyes, Marty Simpkins' unremarkable appearance contributes directly to his success as an advance man for The SVSC. He doesn't smoke, tap his fingers nervously, wear fancy clothes, wear glasses, have a beard or mustache, or even have a distinctive laugh. Nothing about him is distinctive.
Marty spent several years working as a police officer in Portland Oregon. Almost from the start, Marty had been taking money to "look the other way." After an investigation of corruption came close to discovering Marty's involvement with local criminals, he decided to leave the police force, relocate to San Francisco to be closer to his parents, and try his hand as a private investigator.
Business was slow, and Marty found himself earning money on the side by scouting out locations for thieves to burgle. On several occasions, Marty worked for Warren Blotzer, detailing methods for penetrating the security of gun stores. When the SVSC was formed, Marty accepted Warren's invitation to join the team.
Marty's mutant duplication power emerged while he was a police officer in Portland. During a traumatic shoot out, where Marty's partner was killed, Marty's duplicate sprang forth and help defeat the assailants. Marty has never revealed the existence of his duplicate, preferring instead to enjoy the fringe benefits of being able to be in more than once place at once.
Marty is primarily interested in the money, but he does enjoy the niche he's carved out. His SVSC duties make him feel like a cross between a Cold War spy and high-tech second-story man. He likes to spend some of his free time reading Ian Fleming's "James Bond" books, and has recently gotten hooked on the realism and tradecraft presented in books by John Le Carre'.
Duplication allows Marty to establish an alibi by being seen in a public place at the same time he locates, enters, and establishes the telephone link for the SVSC broadcast trailer. Marty takes great care to make sure his powers remain his secret. He knows of, and fears, organizations such as Genocide, and although he's uncertain if he's a mutant, avoids contact with any type of high-tech organization or superpowered being. If caught breaking in to a business, Marty will not resist. Instead, he will relay the event to his duplicate via their mental connection and have the duplicate warn The SVSC's headquarters. Later on, Marty's duplicate will arrang for Marty's escape, when an opportunity presents itself.
MARTY SIMPKINS 8 STR 11 DEX 8 CON 8 BOD 13 INT 10 EGO 10 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED 2 SPD 4 REC 16 END 16 STUN Skills: Streetwise 13-, Stealth 12-, Lockpicking 12-, Concealment 12-, Electronics 11-, Security Systems 12-, PS: Law Enforcement 12-, PS: Private Investigator 12-, WF: Small Arms Powers: Duplication (1 exact Duplicate) Mind Link (with Duplicate) Disadvantages: DF - Registers as a Mutant on Mutant detectors Secret ID - Has Duplicate Self Equipment: None
This tractor and semitrailer combination is the source of all SVSC broadcasts. The satellite communications equipment on board allows the output of the audio/visual equipment to feed to the Home Entertainment Network satellite and on to all SVSC customers. The semitrailer also contains the telephone switchboard used to take orders from customers. This switchboard is connected to telephone lines made available at the broadcast site, and is the only external connection required by the SVSC. The small satellite communication dish deploys from the top of the semitrailer, and can be retracted with a few minutes of effort. In all other respects, the semitrailer and the tractor that pulls it are normal.
45 STR 0 17 BOD 0 5x2.5 SIZ 35 2 DEF 0 10 DEX 0 2 SPD 0 14x8 MOVE 26 10 High Range Radio Hearing 12 +6 PER w/High Range Radio Hearing 10 Flash Defense (Radio Group) 3 Cryptography 12-
One of the most vital elements of The SVSC's communications is the cable box used by customers to receive the broadcasts and to place telephone orders. This box recombines the SVSC broadcast buried in the six "carrier" channels and descrambles the encrypted signal. The box can also be used to place encrypted telephone calls to The SVSC switchboard. SVSC cable boxes strongly resemble those supplied by modern cable companies throughout the United States.
2 Cryptography 12-, OAF "Cable Box" 2 High Range Radio Hearing, Only signals received via a cable company's line (-2), OAF "Cable Box"