Tokens
“How will I know she’s the buyer? I’m not looking for a repeat Efate situation.”
“I’m not sure that’s even possible for another 87 years, but I get it. You won’t know her and that’s by design, but she’ll know you. Take this.”
“A token?”
“Yes. A token.”
“My ex’s kid had a collection of these. Does it project a singing, dancing Holly Cron when I press the middle, here?”
“Focus, will you? You wonder why people volunteer to work on other teams? Now you know. Focus. This looks like a coin or a kid’s token but it’s not. When you tap it against a token that the buyer’ll have, they’ll both glow blue and chime. It will then give both of you instructions for next steps and payment.”
“Sounds a little… complicated. Why the dance?”
“Okay, total truth time. You’re not the first one we’ve sent out on this. And we suspect Zho… interest.”
“Wonderful. Why not send Kalan? He has no thoughts going on whatsoever.”
“We did. Now it’s on you.”
“Oh. Well, that’s swell.”
“Buck up. He knew the risks. And this new process is safer.”
“Oh, no It’s not that. Kalan was an okay guy and a passable agent. But also he owed me 50 credits.”
“You know, I think I might know another reason no one wants to work with you…”
Token is the generic name for a coin-sized and -shaped device that performs one or several functions, and is usually meant to be carried. Other shapes exist but the “coin” token is by far the most common, regardless of use.
Some tokens are toys for children, displaying amusing holograms when pressed or activated. Others are ornate, decorative, and convey contact information like old school Business cards. Some are family-based, and signify a favor owed. Still others function as keys, physical invitations, signs of authority or ownership, service in a particular combat unit, and a multitude of other uses. They can be gifts or rewards, have historical significance or be worthless trinkets.
They are universally durable and portable, but otherwise appearance can vary quite a bit.
Most tokens can hold information, some of a specific type, some of any type at all. A token can be devised to produce a given effect when pressed or otherwise interacted with. It can be keyed to an individual, geofenced,
Tokens are Mcguffins in games or stories, items that are sought, found, and reveal secrets. They can act over time, revealing more and more of their nature. They can be quite valuable, for some historical, political, or other plot-based reason
Example uses
- Proof of membership
- Proof of identification
- A physical event invitation
- Commemorative, like a “challenge” coin
- A datastore
- Business or contact info “card”
- Store value like a bankcard
- Symbolize a debt or a favor owed
- Stinger that delivers a toxin, or other dose
- Proof of power or authority
- A journal, to be read or typed into
- Display a map
- A sign of affection, forget-me-not
Example features
- It can verify, by sending a key, touching something, or by proximity
- Be locked or unlocked – by biosign, passphrase, or other token
- Be set to only work for bearer, or someone specific
- Pass a certificate or credential, so can act as a key
- Possess serious physical and data security
- Throw a hologram
- Display a random number, shape, or outcome
- Act as a gamepiece, singularly or in concert with other tokens
Clone tokens – those that clone whatever token they touch – are very rare outside of intelligence agencies
