Starfield:Ricardo Bosch

Ricardo Bosch (000A0214, 000A0215)
Location	MAST Tower (map)
Editor ID	UC_NA_RicardoBosch
Race	Human	Gender	Male
RefID	000A0214	BaseID	000A0215
Other Information
Faction(s)	United Colonies, NewAtlantisFaction

Ricardo Bosch

Ricardo Bosch is a scientist for the UC.

Background

He was the lead researcher on Starstation RE-939 until the station was attacked by House Va'ruun Zealots

When you first arrive at New Atlantis you see him as part of a refugee group from Starstation RE-939 being welcomed by UC Functionary Brooks and someone from UC Security. Brooks praises Bosch for his actions during the attack as apparently he is the only reason anyone made it out alive. He has basic piloting and fireams skills which he used during the escape.
A couple years back Freestar Rangers helped him out when he was ambushed by spacers near Narion. A year ago he had to dump a cargo of microscopes to escape the Crimson Fleet.

Dialogue

His normal greetings include:

"Sir."

"Ma'am."

"Well hello."

"May I help you?"

"I'll take test tubes over laser guns any day of the week, thank you very much."

"Good to see you again. Quite the lab, huh? The UC spares no expense."

"Back in the lab. Quiet, safe, secure. Just how I like it."

"Thanks again for recovering my slate."

He will have a unique greeting if you speak to him after the introductory scene in New Atlantis:

"Guess you caught some of that, huh? The galaxy is "at peace," and somehow seems more dangerous than ever. Spacers, House Va'ruun, Crimson Fleet - everyone trying to grab their piece. What happened to the early days, huh? When we'd just float through the stars... and dream."

Who are you?

"Ricardo Bosch. I was the lead researcher on the station that got attacked. It was business as usual until those House Va'ruun crazies swarmed in, spouting their scripture, or whatever it was. Even the Marines were overwhelmed. Honestly, I'm just lucky to have made it out of there in one piece. We all are. Now.. I just want to get back to work. Where IS that woman..."

One of these options will progress the conversation:

Some of us are still dreaming.

"Well now. You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that. I'm right there with you, my friend. How can you not look up into the cosmos and just be overwhelmed by its beauty? So much possibility. So much hope. Even despite... recent events."

That's humans for you. We can ruin a glass of water.

"Ha! Ain't that the truth. Still, I hold out hope. There are more good people than bad in this galaxy. It's just that the bad are... louder."

I hear that.

"But hey. Just stepping out your door is dangerous. What happened was a tragedy, of course. But I've had way more good happen in my life than bad. The galaxy's still pretty wonderful - it'll take more than this to make me think otherwise."

After choosing one of those three options, you will start a new level of the conversation, giving you a few new options:

Spacers? Who are they?

"Really? You must've been hiding under a moon rock your whole life if you've managed to dodge those assholes. Eh, they're basically a bunch of space scumbags. Fly around, attack and rob anyone they see. They're pretty disorganized and easy to fend off - until they aren't. They're a different beast than the Crimson Fleet. Generally speaking, pirates want your stuff, so they can occasionally be reasoned with. Spacers, though... they tend to shoot first and ask questions never."

House Va'ruun? What's that?

"Not what - who. How to describe House Va'ruun... Well, imagine a bunch of colonists who set off into the stars ages ago, disappeared, and then re-emerged as a sort of... religious society. Faction, cult, whatever you want to call them. They believe in some celestial deity called the "Great Serpent." Real nightmare fuel kind of stuff. About a hundred years back they picked a fight with pretty much everyone in the Settled Systems. Guess your school never covered the Serpent's Crusade, huh? We eventually made peace. Sort of. Then they just... disappeared. They're out there, somewhere. Or so folks assume. The ones that attacked us, they were hardliners, for sure. You meet those guys, you run, you understand me?"

So you've run into the Crimson Fleet too, huh?

"That I have. Had to dump a load of cargo just last year. Microscopes, can you believe that? Guess you can sell anything these days. Pirates are a tricky lot. In space, they're all about the hit-and-run. Jump in, steal your stuff, and get outta there fast. Keep your cool and you can generally talk your way out of it, so long as you're not too attached to your valuables. Stumble upon them planetside, though, and their trigger fingers get much... itchier."

Once he gets reestablished at MAST, he will get new dialogue options, including a request for you to recover his slate. It can be found at Starstation RE-939.

What is your field of study?

"The short answer is xenobiology, but I get that that's a pretty broad category. My specialty is alien flora, but as a lead I managed pretty much every department on the station. Maybe now that I'm here, I'll go back to my roots, so to speak."

What are your thoughts on New Atlantis?

"It's home. It doesn't matter how long I've been away, that will never change. Now, this lab will take some getting used to. Sometimes I go looking for the bathroom and end up in the storage closet."

You seem to be settling in.

"Yes, it's nice being in a lab again, and the facilities here at MAST are the best in the galaxy. The only thing I don't have is my research slate. Sigh, the thought of having to start over from scratch, well... I feel like Sisyphus pushing his boulder up the hill."

What was on the data slate?

"Xenobiological stuff on the flora we grew in the facility. We made regular jumps to MAST, so thankfully, I don't need all of it. Just my most recent notes."

How hard would it be to start over?

"Have you ever lost a document because you forgot to save? It takes twice the mental energy to rewrite it. You remember the basic idea, but there's no inspiration behind it. You're trying to pick up a memory you told yourself was safe to forget."

Not right now.

"That's all right, I'm sure you're plenty busy.

You will have this dialogue option if you do not have the slate.

I can find your slate for you.

"Great, I'll give you the coordinates to the station. It orbits Voss, in the Alpha Centauri system, so it won't be too far of a jump. Just be careful. I don't know if those Zealots are still there. If they are, definitely do not engage.

If you already have the slate, you will get a different option.

I actually already found your slate.

After finding the slate, you will have either one of these options, they both illict the same response.

I recovered the slate.

"Well, will you look at that. And it seems to be in working condition."

"So you see? Even when tragedy strikes, there's people like you to help pick up the pieces. It makes me feel good about where we're going as a species."

After having chose either of those, a few more dialogue options appear.

Thanks. You're doing your part too.

"I hope so. And with all the resouces we have here, I have no excuse not to."

I don't care, honestly."

"Oh, I don't know about that. You cared enough to help a stranger, after all."

I expect to be compensated for this.

"Of course. A good deed never goes unrewarded, and I've got just the thing."

Our species is doomed and you'll be the first to go.

"Ha, those Va'ruun cultists might agree on that. They may have won the battle, but I think the war's got a different outcome in mind."

They eventually all lead to the same response.

"Here. I know credits are a lazy gift, but as a scientist I think it's better to be practical. Thanks again."

Conversations

He will take part in the opening scene to New Atlantis:

UC Functionary Brooks: "I can assure you this unprovoked attack on a United Colonies research facility will not go unanswered. We'll get you settled into your new assignments as soon as possible. For you Bobby, that includes meeting your new foster par-"

Bobby Katz: "My parents aren't dead. They just took a different shuttle. I'll see them when they get here."

UC Functionary Brooks: "Oh! Well... of course... That's sure possible. We'll ju-"

Helena Chambers: "Helena Chambers. ID SSCOM1327:HCHA - I was the station administrator. I'll need to report to MAST ASAP for a full debrief. My treatment thus far has been entirely unacceptable. My authority a-"

UC Functionary Brooks: "ANY authority you had was forfeit the moment House Va'ruun Zealots breached the station's perimeter and you failed to initiate proper evacuation protocols. Thank you for your service. We'll find you a new position commensurate with your experience. And Mister Bosch, let me just say how honored I am to meet you. By all accounts, you're the only reason anyone made it out of there alive."

Ricardo Bosch: "Just glad I still remembered my flight basics. It had been a while. So was, ah... shooting a gun."

Bobby Katz: "I read all about New Atlantis. So cool. Is it true the NAT train goes 5,000 miles an hour? Or that citizens get special discounts? Or that the whole city celebrates when it's your birthday? Mine's June 11th, by the way. My parents took me to Akila City last year and it kind of smelled. But I don't smell anything here."

UC Functionary Brooks: "Um... No, yes, no, and I will certainly mark June 11th on my calendar. As for Akila City, well... the air purifiers here in New Atlantis are state of the art."

Helena Chambers: "Akila City? Oh don't even get me started on those simpletons..."

Ricardo Bosch "Little unfair, don't you think? Freestar Rangers helped me out quite a bit a couple years back. Got ambushed by Spacers near Narion. They assisted, no questions asked, even helped with some repairs so I could do an emergency jump home. Good people."

UC Functionary Brooks: "In any event... you all must be exhausted. Just give me a moment to coordinate some details with security."