IC: Phoenix Rising, In Character thread for the campiagn. Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Switch to: Outline Switch to: Standard Linear+

[bmcoomes]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1400hrs - Somewhere in the Seattle Metroplex--

On this brisk spring day outside with the sea breeze blowing warmer air through the Metroplex. You’re going about your daily business of getting set-up for the job that is coming your way or so you hear from rumor mill. Newsnet reports that warmer weather is on the way and possibility of rain for next couple of days.

Suddenly your commlink chirps to life with an incoming text message, the header comes up as.
<<Ochir_Sacred_Arrow>>
<<RE: Job Opportunity>>
If this is not a fake it’s the call you have been waiting for. Your contacts put out the word you were looking for work and it looks like your hopes have been answered. You have not heard of this Fixer “Ochir� but the message reads:
<<I hear you looking for some work. I might have something up you alley, please meet me at Nyen Lang by 1700. I hope you like Mongolian cuisine.>>

[Coldhand Jake]

Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1400hrs - Carl's Jr. in Seattle

<<Ochir_Sacred_Arrow>>
<<RE: Job Opportunity>>
<<I hear you looking for some work. I might have something up you alley, please meet me at Nyen Lang by 1700. I hope you like Mongolian cuisine.>>

Jake saves the message as a hyperlink off of his cybereye record, and takes another chug of his soda. He takes a bite of his soyburger, and flips a AR page of his latest comic book. Following the adventures of the Avengers over a hundred years takes alot of back-reading, but he was working on it. Luckily, the Annotated version had links to any crossovers or plot references, so he was slowly, but surely, assimilating some serious American mythology. He bookmarked the page before getting engrossed, and closed the window.

Who the fuck is Ochir_Sacred_Arrow? Bringing his throwaway comm with the SIN that said he was Brad Pate online, he navigated over into the ShadowMatrix, and wrote a quick search protocol.

:LoopStart
Search<"Ochir_Sacred_Arrow" OR "Ochir" OR "Ochir Sacred Arrow">.
Prioritize "Fixer", "Seattle","opinion".
Compile<"Ochir_Sacred_Arrow.datasearch.hits">
IF Chrono<1500 THEN GOTO LoopStart
Encrypt<Ochir_Sacred_Arrow.datasearch.hit"> to <"Inbox.04102070.txt">
Delete<"Ochir_Sacred_Arrow.datasearch.hits">
Ping Audio "You've got results!";Port:Cyberear;Volume:7
Ping Video "You've got results: Ochir_Sacred_Arrow Search. Meeting in 2 hours 00 minutes at Nyen Lang!";Port:Cybereye;Opacity 8

He compiles the node script, and hands it off to his Agent, who he unleashes into the list of his most useful data havens, with his latest passwords for the shadow communities.

[ Spoiler ]

1 Hour Data Search
Data Search 2+Program 6
Taking 2 autosuccesses per retest, letting it run for that hour.
Agent 6 managing the data collection, I'll take the two hours between compile and the meet to study up on this guy's shadow reputation. And this should take my Matrix contacts into account.

Then, he downloads an AR beacon for his mapping software, so he can find his way to the meet, as it registers on his AR as a huge column of light flashing rainbow colors among the spires of the Emerald City, and a route laid out on the path from wherever he's standing on the grid to it, in a wriggling translucent tube of golden light connecting a spot just at his feet to the entrance of the Nyen Lang, which he also looks up the public page for.

[ Spoiler ]

Download a Rating 1 MapSoft for Seattle. Looking for a free directory, but I'm willing to pay a little.
Datasearch Nyen Lang, 1 minute.
Data Search 2+Program 6
3 Hits
Datasearch (8d6=34)

All this between a bite of his triple BombBurger with "Bacon!"* and the time it took him to finish it off and have another sip of soda. Life is good for the Wired... Back to issue #437...

[Shalimar]

Renton, Talismonger's Shop. 1:50 PM, Thursday April 10th, 2070

Charlie Decker walked into Elan Vital, or rather July Tascar did. So proclaimed the brand new commlink she had picked up in the big box retailor. It was really quite fun, and now she was 2 completely different people, able to swap back and forth by switching her commlinks. The new commlink wasn't as good as her personal one, but then again, daddy wasn't around to tell her price was no obstacle, she needed the commlink for July and she'd had to make her nuyen stretch until she started making more.

[ Spoiler ]

Novatech Airware running on the Iris Orb OS, 2250 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif)
Nuyen after purchase: 10,750

The young mage approached the big human who ran the shop with a smile. Mike was a friend, a really good friend of the family. Her dad had given him his start at Shiawase, a ticket off the streets and out of the gangs. Ever since then he'd stayed pretty close with her dad, even after leaving shiawase to open his shop. Mike was the closest thing she had to a teacher, he had given her her own start with magic when she came to him after awakening. Now that she'd mastered that last formula he'd given her she was hoping he might give her a bit of a brake on some new spells to write into her Book of Shadows.

"Hey Mike, how's business going?" she asks, plopping herself down in a chair next to his. She planned to be here for awhile, their visits tended to start at a couple of hours and had even run to a couple of days in the past. He was a very big influence on her magic, and she wasn't quite sure if she was hoping for him to formalize their master apprentice relationship. It would be great to be able to have a 100% reliable teacher, but she was also a pretty independent person. Besides the current arrangement was working out pretty good, she'd buy spell formula, often at a bit of a discount, and go back and ask him for instruction only if she needed it.

"Well, I finished up with the make over formulae, and it was totally kicking. I made my hair turn blue, then I made it green, then easter grass purple. So...do you think I could get a few more formulas now that I'm done with that one? I was thinking I'd ike to try that levitation spell next if thats ok with you...so how much do you figure for it?"

[ Spoiler ]

Using the Business Services option for contacts on Mike
9 dice: 3 hits (Loyalty 5, Charisma 3, Negotiation 1)
1500 = standard cost

"Wait a second Mike, I'm getting a message...sweet, its something I've been waiting for. I have a dinner meeting tonight at 5:00pm at Nyen Lang. Thanks for putting the word out for me, it looks like its paying off." Charlie tells him, grinning widely, this was it, her first shadow run, a day of more firsts than she had originally thought. "It looks like I wont have time to sit and chat today though, not if I want to get home and then make it there in time...so how much do I owe you for the formula?"[/color] she asks. Once he gives her the number she slots her credstick, takes the formula and bids her mentor good bye, asking him to wish her luck. She hurries home to prepare for the meeting.

Once she gets home she decides to update her look to a slightly more professional one, but nothing too formal, a pair of tan slacks, a green silk blouse, and a gold jacket. Next she concentrates on her appearance putting her new make over spell into affect, it changes her hair from its normal blonde to red, paints her nails a matching if understated color, and generally gets her looking her best, and slightly older mid-twenties instead of late teens when taken with her outfit.

[ Spoiler ]

I'll just go with auto-successes on the two spells (Fashion + Make Over) 5 + 5 + 4 = 14 = 3 auto successes on each, no need to roll for it.
Drain of 2 for each spell, 10 dice = 2 autosuccesses, No Drain

Happy with her new look, Charlie picks out a matching purse and puts in her Predator IV loaded with Gel Rounds. She slipped on her glasses to complete the picture of a young twenty something out meeting someone for dinner. After that, it was time to head out if she wanted to make it to the resturant on time. She was glad it wasn't quite to the solstice yet, the sun wouldn't go down for quite a while, meaning she had a bit of back up if things turned bad.

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1400hrs - Sea View Condos Building, Seattle Metroplex--

The chirping tone that announces an incoming message interupts DD's skimming over the latest gossip on "Fame&Fortune" while still in her bed. A quick glance at the header displayed in an AR window by her implanted commlink - sometimes, ok, often, spam messages make it through the filter, so DD's used to quickly deleting mail - makes her realize that this is not some advertising, but the genuine thing: a Job offer!

Finally!

The woman's elation at the news is a bit dimmed when she realises that she has no idea who this "Ochir Sacred Arrow" is, and why and what he picked her for. Wrinkling her nose, DD ponders this. Even though Seattle, for all its claim at being avant-garde, has no P2.0 system, there are other venues to check the reputation of someone. Closing her eyes, DD goes fully VR and conducts out some quick searches for "Ochir Sacred Arrow" as well as "Nyen Lang".

[ Spoiler ]

Matrix search for Orchid Sacred Arrow: 5 browse+3data search+2 VR (10d6.hits(5)=2)
Matrix search for Nyen Lang: 5 browse+3data search+2 VR (10d6.hits(5)=3)

"Mongolian Cuisine..."

DD thinks loud about what manner of dress might be most appropriate for the meeting, but remains torn between "hardened runner look" and corporate chic.

I wonder if Jake's involved in this...

DD decides to call the ork and find out, sending him a message while she takes a shower.

<<Hi Jake! I got a job offer, or an invitation for a meeting tonight in the Nyen Lang. Do you know anything about this? If you call back it'll be voice only, I am in the shower. DD.>>

That'll probably delay an answer for a few minutes at least...

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1430hrs - Sea View Condos Building, Seattle Metroplex--

Stepping out of the shower, DD goes over the results of her earlier search again.

<<Ochir: Real name Ochir, no known last name, a Mongolian Ork. Known Adept (Archery). High shadow reputation, former prime runner, retired and became a Shadow Fixer in Seattle.>>

Lots of rumors about past runs... high profile. Not a wanna-be then.

<<Nyen Lang: Tibetan and Mongolian cuisine with a nightly magic show. No known ties to organized crime, said to be considered neutral ground.>>

Not really known for a regular runner treff...

DD decides against showing up in full runner gear. The lined coat is a must, with the acidic rain common to this town, but she picks out a short, slightly orientalic looking dress to wear in the restaurant.

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1600hrs - Bellevue, Seattle Metroplex--

Once she was good and ready with her preperations Charlie called her father's the car service to take her to the resturant. As she closed her commlnk connection Charlie sighed, this was the last month of the yearly subscription, and it was just another thing that she would be losing out on when she moved at the end of the month. At the moment her only prospect for a place to stay was the cheap apartment she'd rented for her Tascar ID on short notice just to get an address linked to the ID. She would need to do a serious search for a place that she could afford, but also wouldn't be sacrificing too much in the way of comforts. Maybe Mike would know someone who was looking for a roomie, with a bit of magical consulting work on doing wards she'd defintely be able to get a good place if she had someone to share it with. The standard rates are like 100 an hour for doing wards, I should be able to cover half the rent on a good place with maybe a week per month. Anything past that is gravy, and that includes payment from runs, and any other consulting work that pops up. That should totally do nicely.

While she waited for the car to arrive, Charlie decided to use the time for practice. You had to be good to make it as a shadow runner, and a large part of that was practice. Calling upon the power of her locket she used her magic to slow time, or so it appeared to her. To be more exact, she was heightening her reflexes, she was speeding herself up. She pulled the mana of the spell through a bracelet on her right wrist, until she was confident that when she released it the bracelet, in actuality a sustaining focus would do its job.

[ Spoiler ]

Casting Increased Reflexes at F3 into my sustaining focus.
Buying 3 Auto-successes, must resist DV 3. Success

With only an hour until the dinner meeting she was more than a little impatient, and more than a little anxious. It was her first real meeting with a prospective employer, and she had to fit in. She'd met that DD girl and Jake, but that was different, they were potential teammates, this time it was a paycheck on the line. She did wonder if they had gotten the meeting offer as well. She decided to find out.

<Text Message From July Tascar> Hi J, I have a dinner date tonight at Nyen Lang, I was wondering if you had gotten the invitation to the party too. Let me know.

Once the car picked her up Charlie started to run over all of the data she knew about the Resturant in her head.

[ Spoiler ]

Trying to remember anything she can about the resturant/area that it is in:
Intuition + Local Area Knowledge = 8 dice, 2 hits

[Coldhand Jake]

Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1415hrs - Carl's Jr. in Seattle

<<Hi Jake! I got a job offer, or an invitation for a meeting tonight in the Nyen Lang. Do you know anything about this? If you call back it'll be voice only, I am in the shower. DD.>>

Voice only? Damn. I'll wait till I get back to my room. He gets on his old Harley, cranking it up and lets the GridLink take him back to his motel room. He checks in on his Agent's progress, seeing it steadily cramming a file to the gills with references, he starts filtering out bad hits, and rerouting priorities...

1445hrs - Best Western, Seattle
Checking himself out in the mirror, he runs his right hand over the low dome that is his rapidly shrinking gut. "No more love handles...couple more months and I'll be fucking -tight-." His fingers brush over his slowly-reappearing abs... "Nice."

He clicks through the motel's Matrix access node, and sits down on the bed. Closing his eyes, he loses himself in the feed, pouring his digital soul into the great radio web...

Ten minutes, and sixty-five different entertainment and shopping sites later:
"Oh shit, I was gonna call DD back." The avatar of the ork, a seven-foot wererat with black fur, red eyes, a cyborg hand, eye, ear and tail, and the Mark of Chaos on his forehead, stops and pulls out a Runeblade, the visual icon of his Encrypt 6 prog, opens a window, gouges the knife into the corner, then begins feeding it DD's commcode.

<<Chat invitation from: Jake>>
<<Invitation: Hey hotness. Listen, I got your message, sorry I didn't answer back faster, got a tad distracted. I'm on now, and yes, I got the same invite. I've got a thorough search going on the fixer, once I get it all back and collated, I'll share. No fee, but if you feel like giving me a peek to show I'm appreciated...damn sure won't say 'no'. Left a chat channel open, hit me when you get this.>>

With that, he sets the window minimized, and goes back to looking for some more pirated copies of Dungeon Keeper 3...the VR version isn't going to write itself, and Bullfrog Games died off -ages- ago...

1600hrs - Best Western, Seattle, and deep in cyberspace...
"You've got results: Ochir_Sacred_Arrow Search. Meeting in 2 hours 00 minutes at Nyen Lang!" The text pops, as well as the voice of his agent, alerts him, and he stops, setting the download to automatic and pausing the Edit/Reality Filter combo in mid-imp design. Opening the folder full of hits, he puts in his password and decrypts it, and dives in to make sense of it all.

"Real name is actually Ochir... no listed last name... Mongolian... Orc... confirmed PhysAd... archery nut. Shadow reputation is pretty swuft... prime runner... retired to fixer work in Seattle... Highlight runs would be... Bug City clearing, Renraku arcology shutdown, and Deus’ escape from the arcology. Nice. This guy's a pro."

He shaves off the crap, recompiles and encrypts...then saves it, deleting the unencrypted copy completely. "Nice work." The white-furred mousegirl in the turtleneck and labcoat blushes, clutching her clipboard tightly, and vanishes.

1600hrs - Best Western, Seattle, and deep in cyberspace...
A shy, quiet, but somehow alluring voice piped into Jake's ear...or rather, Skathan Blacktail's ear.
"You have one hour till your meet at Nyen Lang. Shall I run the tracker to assist you in arriving on time?" Jake looked over at his agent, the demure, bespectacled mouse girl based off the stereotypical "mousy bookworm girl"(Think Velma from Scooby Doo and Winifred from Angel) he called Marie. "Yeah, thanks, run the program, I'll be meatside in a second." He forced himself back into his own body, as a ping informed him of an incoming text.

<<July Tascar: Hi J, I have a dinner date tonight at Nyen Lang, I was wondering if you had gotten the invitation to the party too. Let me know.>> Son of a bitch, how many people know I'm here? He sighed, he was still off his game, had made too many waves coming here already, it seemed. Oh well, at least she's someone I know. Fuck it, might as well act like I know something. He messages her back.

<<Jake>>
<<July...July...Jonas' friend. I remember you. Yeah, on my way there myself, apparently, whoever it is, wants some cowboys on the job, they tapped me and another one, who's more edgy, but not as connected. I'll introduce you. Apparently, the fixer's a real fierce fucker. Knows his shit, and is not one to casually fuck with. See you there. And one more thing...try to let me do the talking... I wouldn't want you getting hurt before we're getting paid for it.>>

With that, he goes to his clothes, pulls on combat boots, programmable jeans with integral belt(set to relaxed fit, and faded blue denim), a black LCD t-shirt that reads "Pandora, Guitar Heroin Tour", and a image of a purple-haired stage goddess laying it on hard on a guitar...around this, his black silk button-up with the long sleeves and the SweatProof lining, which he buttons up over the shirt. A pair of redundant AR shades in his hair, shock gloves in a pocket, a pair of AR gloves over his hands (covering his wedding ring), one commlink sitting in the compartment in his cyberarm, the other in a pocket. Internal commlink is set Autistic (beyond hidden, the wireless feature is OFF, DNI only), and goes over himself, making sure his system reads as Brad, and furthermore, that he is unhackable. All cyberware autistic as well, the only access to him through the now-empty pair of datajacks. He slaves the pants and shirt to the pocketed comm, and heads out the door. Climbing on his Scorpion, he checks to make sure his guns are still where he left them, and takes off.

[DWC]

Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1415hrs, Snohomish, Seattle, UCAS

The bright red Ferrari's V-16 engine screamed as the transmission downshifted and the throttle cut back, the force of the turn hammering him against the inside of his coccon. At the apex, the throttle slammed open, the engine gulping in the exhaust-tinged air, and the car leapt out of the corner like it'd been fired from a cannon.

The silver SK2071 misses the apex, and gets passed like it's standing still.

Along with several million others watching the race, Truth leaped up out of his seat, throwing his hands in the air in celebration. The Gran Prix of Vegas was always a race worth watching, especially early in the season when Ferrari was still running last season's car.

Truth sees the message, and ignores it for the moment. The race will be over in two laps.

[Oenone]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1405hrs - Etoiles Downtown Seattle Loft Conversion--

Sitting cross legged on the floor of her apartment Etoile idly lights another noxious unfiltered cigarette, the smell of strong tobacco mixing with the lingering smell of imported perfume a little too expensive for her means and gun oil.

Her commlink, left negligently over by the narrow little skylight beeps as a new message comes in. Exhaling a cloud of smoke she stretches out to grab for it, scrolling through the text as she drops ash into an empty wine bottle.

<<Ochir_Sacred_Arrow>>
<<RE: Job Opportunity>>
<<I hear you looking for some work. I might have something up you alley, please meet me at Nyen Lang by 1700. I hope you like Mongolian cuisine.>>


Hmm, work it has been a while.... But Mongolian cuisine?

She sighs and heads for her wardrobe, the only object in her room which comes close to qualifying as furniture, hunting around for the silver and light blue cocktail dress. Then pulling out a matching jacket and her form fitting body armour.

I suppose now will be a good time to invest in that map software I saw the other day. Or perhaps I'll just take a cab there. She shrugs. Cabs are easier to track, so the map it is then. Merde this means a shopping trip.

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10, 2070. 1605hrs - Bellevue, Seattle--

When the car finally arrives at 4:05, Charlie climbs into the back of the BMW 400GT and givesthe driver the address of the resturant. Operatng from Bellevue, the car service was the soul of discretion, she had needed only to call from her home link-up and instruct the company to send out a car and pick up a young woman and drive her anywhere she needed to go. It was immaterial the name of the passenger, since a large part of thee company's service was discretion. Charlie had the July Commlink in her lap typing on the keyboard in AR mode by the time the car pulled out of the driveway.

Now that she was actually using the commlink, she could see where she'd need to get some programs for it, and an agent or two. Plus some upgrades...but that was all going to cost, she'd need to score some cash before she got to that. If they really were on a run together maybe Jake could hook her up with some of it on the cheap, it was something to think about. A pop-up in her glasses told her that she had gotten a reply from Jake.

<<Jake>>
<<July...July...Jonas' friend. I remember you. Yeah, on my way there myself, apparently, whoever it is, wants some cowboys on the job, they tapped me and another one, who's more edgy, but not as connected. I'll introduce you. Apparently, the fixer's a real fierce fucker. Knows his shit, and is not one to casually fuck with. See you there. And one more thing...try to let me do the talking... I wouldn't want you getting hurt before we're getting paid for it.>>

<<July>>
<<Never been to Nyen Lang, but it has a pretty solid rep for being neutral. It's also known for having magic shows everynight, so tonight could be very entertaining if nothing else. Thanks for the heads up on the host, I'll try not to offend anyone.>>

After she sent off her reply to Jake, Charlie got down to the business of creating the icon for her new commlink and its July Tascar persona. She wanted it to look semi-professional so she started with the spitting image of a young corp exec in a pants-suit, but she didn't really like the look of that. She let the icon's hair down, changed it to green, and added a red witch's hat. Next she traded the suit for calf-high black leather boots, brown tights, and a loose fitting cream blouse. Over all of it she wrapped a red cloak and added an ornate staff with runes and symbols carved into it.

Looking out the window to note the location of the car, Charlie decided that it would do for now, and that she could go back and add animations to various actions later. She was good enough with commlinks to be a graphic artist and she knew she would spends hour getting every little motion correctly translated.

[deadman]

thursday aug 10,2070 some where in redmond

in deep medatation and contaplation of my belly lint,I am jolted back to reality by a shrill beeping of my com unit telling me about a job

<<Scared_Arrow>>

Who the heck are they?,guess I will find out, better start geting ready if I am going to make it by 1700,never thought Ochir had any taste Mongolian please

[DWC]

Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1418hrs, Snohomish, Seattle, UCAS

The Ferrari completes its' victory lap as Truth opens the incoming message. After a quick scan, he heads for the shower. As he cleans up, a traffic report zips past, followed by a quick look at the menu of Nyen Lang.

Tasty.

Freshly scrubbed, he collects a pair of jeans with nothing spilled on them from the floor, throws on an armored vest under a rumpled oxford shirt, and pulls on an old pair of running shoes. The ubiquitous Ares Predator IV slides into an armpit holster under a simple sport coat. Down in the cavernous garage, his truck's engine roars to life, then settles into a throaty rumble.

[ Spoiler ]

All cyberware is clustered, and has its' wireless disabled. The cluster is slaved to his internal commlink, which runs in Hidden Mode with its' wireless active. The Renraku Ichi is in Passive Mode, broadcasting his fake SIN, loaded with Browse, Scan, and Command programs. All cyberware nodes and the Predator have copies of the Rating-6 drone firewall. The pistol has its' wireless active, and is slaved to his commlink. The pickup is also slaved to his commlink.

Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1453hrs, I-5 Southbound, Snohomish, Seattle, UCAS

Truth splits his time between issuing orders to the pilot program, cruising the Matrix for pictures of anyone noteworthy coming out of Nyen Lang, and snooping for information on "Ochir Sacred Arrow" as the work truck bulls its' way through the afternoon traffic.

[ Spoiler ]

Truck is operated in Captain's Chair mode, while he searches in VR.
Data Search(4)+Browse(6)+Encephalon(2)+Hot Sim VR(2): 14 dice. Buying 3 hits per interval for 30 minutes on Ochir, followed by spending 30 minutes hunting for information about famous people at Nyen Lang.

Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1557hrs, Downtown, Seattle, UCAS

Truth cuts off a limo and dives across two lanes of traffic to hit his off ramp. At an obscured part of the turn, the tailgate drops, and a hiss of compressed air fires the MCT rotodrone into the air. At the top of its' arc, the electric motor hums to life, and the drone helicopter disappears into the afternoon sky with a quick shimmer.

[ Spoiler ]

The Rotodrone is subscribed to his commlink. Its' coating is active. The truck's pilot is ordered to go to the parking garage for Nyan Lang. He controls the rotodrone in Jump In mode.

The truck's status sits in a window in the corner of his field of vision as he stretches his rotors and soaks in the afternoon sky, headed for the restaurant.

[crizh]

--Thursday April 10, 2070. 0605hrs - Downtown, Seattle--

Gecko hung by one hand from the tip of the spire. He had his feet braced against it so that he appeared to be standing. Not that anyone could see him with the stealth coating on his armour.

He was annoyed, this would look so cool on the tri-d but it just wasn't the same for real. For starters the light that flashed to warn aircraft was making his eyes hurt despite the Flare Compensation.

Still the view from the tip of the Space Needle was breathtaking.

He particularly liked the solitude. For all that things had changed, he wasn't the powerless runt anymore and he had many trusted friends, he was more alone now than he had ever been. The painful truth was that Alain did not feel the same as he did. He was starting to doubt that he really felt the way that he thought he did, perhaps what he felt was just an illusion caused by youth, inexperience and hero worship.

It was time to put childish things aside. He was ready now to start running the Shadows for real. Maybe if he concentrated on something else for a while this would all work itself out.

Alain had said something was in the wind, perhaps today would bring some action.

He waited for the first rays of dawn to break over the horizon before starting his descent.



--Thursday April 10, 2070. 1400hrs - Tacoma, Seattle--


After lunch he was sparring with Francois when his comm beeped in his mind. He layed the older man out on his back, bowed and opened the message window.

<<Ochir_Sacred_Arrow>>
<<RE: Job Opportunity>>
<<I hear you looking for some work. I might have something up you alley, please meet me at Nyen Lang by 1700. I hope you like Mongolian cuisine.>>

He clapped his hands with excitement and helped his partner up from the floor.

Well that's it, looks like I'm officially a Shadowrunner, drinks are on me tonight.


--Thursday April 10, 2070. 1640hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Crouched on a rooftop several hundred yards away with line of sight to the entrance of the restaurant Gecko settled down to see who else would turn up to this meet. Alain had hinted that the French girl he rented to was likely to be on the short-list. He'd met Etoile a few times in the cafe but wasn't sure about her, she seemed very stand-offish.

On the other hand she was French.

Time will tell, he told himself.

[bmcoomes]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Truth: You really don't see anyone special come or go until 1800 hrs. When an Ork riding a Harley Scorpion and wareing deep earth tone maroon trimmed in gold. Pulls into the parking lot of Nyen Lang, parks his bike and walks in. Then later you see other shadow types file in one at a time.

Gecko: You see some other shadow types show up and one of them is Etoile. Nothing else real happens.

To All:

You Arrive at Nyen Lang just before the meet. You seen there is not line to get in, just a large ork bouncer standing at the front door. As you approach the bouncer pings your commlink, getting a response he waves you in as he holds the door.
He says "Your in the back room."

Fabric covers the walls and rather than having traditional tables and booths. There are traditional Tibetan/Mongolian short tables and cushions and pillows which are deep earth tones and trimmed in a vibrant gold’s and purples. The lighting is low and inviting. There is a state of the art trid that covers one of the large walls. Tibetan/Mongolian new world music plays at the perfect volume either to dance to or carry on a conversation over. Few of performers on stage are dancing to the music in addition to Air elementals. The wait staff is tactically located around the place. A think sent of sandal wood clings to the air from incenses. You also notice that there is a well developed AR interface but there are also notes that there is an “astral� interface also. The few patrons that are here seem to be enjoying the company with the sound of laughter and the melody happy conversation.

You’re escorted to the back room by one of the wait staff. As you push the heavy tapestry back there is a large room which carries the same theme, but there are a couple of low tables set up in a hexagon with a massive fest laid out. Standing at the head table is an ork you can only assume is Ochir. He stands about 5’8� well built even under his Modern/Traditional clothing. He wares the traditional clothing with modern lines; they are of deep earth tone maroon trimmed in gold. Ochir is well groomed; you notice a strange ring on his right thumb and a wedding band on his left hand, and two Native American arm bands one on each arm. He stands there with a smile on his face.
“Please come sit be comfortable, we have much to talk about and learn from each other,�
As he waves his hand toward the table motioning you sit.
"Noowan please sit here at my table with me."

(Charlie, Ralph, and Dancing eyes – Make an Astral Perception test)

[Coldhand Jake]

Jake comes in behind DD and Charlie, hair slicked back, dressed up a little, looking alot more professional than usual, and has a seat with them. He smiles at the music, always a fan of good folk music, and starts recording it for listening and getting more later.

Using the AR interface, he orders some "safe" beef dish, and a cola, and settles in to see what this guy has to offer him worth his time...

[Zaranthan]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1700hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Dancing Eyes paused down the block from the Nyen Lang, watching his mapsoft's pathfinder cycle through various animal tracks. Sacred Arrow, huh? Cute nicknames don't get you far in this world. They certainly hadn't gotten him past package deliveries and pickpocketing. Hopefully this would provide a better test of his skills, it would be a terrible disappointment if his big city dreams amounted to nothing more.

A little professionalism wouldn't hurt, though. A sigh escaped his lips as he paused the news ticker that had earned him the nickname "Tick-Tock". Apparently the rhythmic movement of his eyes resembled the workings of some ancient device used by people who couldn't afford a real timepiece.

He proceeds into the restaurant, taking a seat in the middle of the room when offered. There is no such thing as having one's back turned in the spirit world.

[ Spoiler ]

Assensing + Intuition vs. Nyen Lang restaurant (5d6: 1 hit)

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--


Charlie's car dropped her off in front of the resturant 10 minutes ahead of the meeting and then zipped away. Charlie swapped her commlink into passive mode and then subscribed it to to the resturant's AR before walking in. The red haired teenager shifted her perceptions over to the astral one she caught sight of the air elementals, curious as to just what was going on in the astral, especially with the note on the 'Astral Interface'. Once she had taken a look around, she notices Jake and the woman with him and joins them as they pass into the back room.

She sends in her dinner order via AR interface, the meal she had picked out earlier when checking out the resturant's page, and then sent Jake a chat invitation, figuring this would be a good time for him to introduce her to his friend...and being connected might also keep her from making a slip up.

<<Chat invitation from: July>>
<<Invitation: Hey Jake, want to introduce me to your friend...and keep me from saying the wrong thing?>>

Astral Perception tests

[ Spoiler ]

Test in the main room to look at the 'Astral Reality interface'
Astral Perception: 1 hit
Test to assense DD 1 hit
Test to read Ochir 2 hits

[crizh]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1700hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Gecko paused at the threshold. He could feel a number of Spirits within.

Time to pay attention to the old spidey-sense I think.

Calming his own Chi with a slow intake of breath he paid attention to the ripples of Mana that washed over him as he wandered through to the back room.

[ Spoiler ]

Magic Sense (Detect Magic, 50m radius)

4 Hits

When the ladies were seated Gecko took a chair and started to peruse the menu while carefully sizing up the impressive Ork they were here to meet and the strangers he might shortly be trusting with his life.

I hope one of these guys is a hacker, this comm-link is an accident waiting to happen on a run.

Gecko's comm-link was running in Hidden mode and had the best Firewall and anti-hacking tools money could buy but he suspected it was going to be easy prey for the corp spiders they were likely to run up against and he really needed a stealthy way to communicate with his team.

Relax kid, one of these guys, at least, is a hacker and will make sure everybody's comm-link is secure. That's half his job and no run ever goes off without someone to do it.

He ordered what he hoped was the chicken.

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Picture

Stepping out of the cab, DD takes stock of the restuarant's exteriour. She's wearing her hair blonde for once, and all her cyberware has wireless turned off, with the exception of her implanted commlink, which is in hidden mode, with her Agent "Al" watching out. Her decoy commlink is set in a stylish "Holster" on her thigh - the Zoé "Derringer" model, from the late "Wild West" line - and she is running it through the skinlink, with her implant serving as security buffer.

No line... can't be that fashionable then... hope I am not overdressed...

DD is wearing a short red dress, vaguely chinese-style. Not exactly mongolian, but then, trying to out-ethno the originals never worked well, too much possible gaffes one could committ. Chinese should be close enough to Mongolia to fit in. DD just hopes she hasn't missed some ethnic feud between chinese and mongols.

She arives with Jake and a new girl, Charlie. A mage of sorts, if she understood correctly. Looks rather young, but dressed well. She'd fit well into a sim as the spunky rebellious teenager with talent, probably falling for a tall dark and brooding male, maybe switching to a you man of similar age and better character, if the brooding one didn't change.
Jake of course would be the slightly comic-relief male techhead that gets the girl, to appeal to the male engineer demographic. If only this was L.A., there is potential here!

DD suppresses a sigh, planting a dazzling smile on her face, and walks toward the ork bouncer with all the "They're waiting for me, don't hold me up" attitude she can muster, beneath a veneer of politeness. It must have worked, since the ork bouncer waves her and the rest through!

I hope "back room" means "VIP Area".

The inside looks as the VR tour in the matrix node promised - pillows for sitting, sandalwood scent, ethno design. All very posh.

Good thing we got Jake dressed up a bit. Even if I had to spoof the cameras in the changing room for a quarter hour or we'd have been thrown out.

The performers on stage with air elementals cause DD to feel a bit ill at ease - magic is not something she is familiar with, not truly wants to be - but it's hip and trendy, so she smiles at the display with the same practised ease she used to tell men they were great.

Charlie will cover us if anything goes wrong with the spirits. Hopefully. I'd rather not play the scene where the young spunky kid makes a serious mistake so she'll grow into a competent runner later during the show, with some angst about having gotten her team mates killed.

The backroom is as impressive, and DD makes an impressed sound as they enter - both at the room's decor as well as at the well-groomed ork standing there, Ochir she presumes.

Never hurts to make the men feel good about themselves. Especially the married ones.

Using the comm net linking her with Jake and Charlie, she send out a small comment while sitting down.

<<So, that's 'ow you'll look like once your dietware is done with you?>>

Kneeling down on the pillows DD takes the room in, a smile on her face and a flirty touch to her manner while she studies the other people present and waits for the meeting to start. She makes her order after a quick check with her "All the ethno food you can eat safely with a John" file back from her days in New Orleans.

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

<<Chat>>
<<This place is wild guys, the astral is totally lit up, I haven't ever seen anything like it. There's an army of little watcher spirits zipping around waiting on people. A few small low key normal spirits too. I almost wish I hadn't put my order in over the AR, this is so Wiz...Just so you know, I think I only see two or three of the waiters that aren't awakened.>>

[DWC]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle—

As the time of the meet draws near, the others arrive and file in. Four stories above the street, Truth swoops in and alights on a building parapet next to a gargoyle, settling in on his virtual haunches. The little drone’s exterior fades into the stonework, its’ landing tripod secured to the building with its’ Gecko Tips™. He double checks that the camera has an unobstructed view of the restaurant’s kitchen entrance and loading dock, then returns his consciousness to his own body, before taking control of the pickup. He quickly glances around the parking lot before settling a camera on the front door and another on the passing traffic.

Satisfied that his bets are covered, he jumps back into Captain’s Chair mode to run a quick pre-flight check on the fire support drone in the enclosed bed. Comforted by the row of green lights, he jumps out of VR and back completely into his own skin.

He checks himself out in the visor mirror, runs a hand through his spikey hair, turns up the green glow of his cybernetic irises, then climbs down from the cab and hurries across the parking lot and into the meeting. After a quick look around and some apologetic nods, he takes a seat off to the side of the main conversation, trying to be unassuming.

“Sorry I’m late. What’s good here?�

[Tarantula]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Ralph is an average looking early 30's man dressed in the ever-stylish actioneer business clothes. He has a slightly rumpled and unkempt appearance, though its obvious he did his best to look professional for the meet. He has goggles worn or hangling from his neck, and a trode net hidden within his hair.

Ralph walks into the restaurant and follows the bouncers instructions to head to the back room. He keeps his eyes and ears open, always picking up any clues he can, a practice he can never seem to stop. He makes a quick trip to the restroom to make sure he got the stain out of his suit and checks his pistol in its holster before heading into the back room. He makes a slow walk around the room checking out the decor and everything before having a seat. He sits quietly, not knowing anyone else here, just observing. Once everyone is in the room he checks about astrally, not only to check out the very fancy looking magical aid in the joint, but to see who else can access the astral plane.

[ Spoiler ]

Spending a complex action to memorize a 36meter cubed area (or the room if its smaller than that) with 3d memory.

Astral checks;
Restaurant, Ochir, DD, and Eyes Assensing test. ([2,4,6,1,2,1,1,6,5,5,4,2,3,3,6,1,6,1] = (6 hits), [3,6,6,6,4,3,4,3,1,4,1,6,2,1,4,1,1,5] = (5 hits), [1,4,2,3,1,4,5,6,5,5,5,6,6,3,3,5,4,4] = (8 hits), [4,4,1,1,3,2,5,5,4,5,6,2,6,4,6,4,1,5] = (7 hits))

[Oenone]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle—
Having done an idle walk around the block, ostensibly to give her time to finish one last home rolled cigarette, but in reality to check out the neighborhood for good escape routes, Etoile enters the restaurant following the bouncers directions without comment.

[ Spoiler ]

Perception roll to see if she spots anything out of place 7d6 → [2,6,2,5,6,6,3] = 4 Successes.

Perception check before the meet at Nyen Lang. (7d6=30)

Her cyberware is all set to wireless off for the next 24 hours. Her smart-linked pistols and contact lenses are both slaved to her commlink. Which is set to hidden mode, unless the place requires her to switch to something more public. It's running encypt 3, analyze 3 and a rating 3 Seattle mapsoft.

She has lockpicks hidden around her clothing and is wearing both her pistols in the hidden arm slides.

These will have been tucked away using Palming, the roll for which is below.

12d6 → [6,1,2,3,5,3,3,2,2,1,4,2] = 2 Successes.

Palming roll to hide lockpicks and conceal weapons before the Nyen Lang meet. (12d6=34)

Pausing to glance around the back room Etoile settles in whichever seat is furthest from people. Her eyes shift between each of the other dinner guests, the door and then finally linger on the host. There is a long pause and then, almost as if responding to invisible cue cards she smiles at each person in turn. Smiles which somehow come across more wolfish than friendly....

[ Spoiler ]

She's running both her etiquette and negotiation skillsofts, each rating 3. And will be attempting to figure out if there is anything stored about the correct way to behave at a Mongolian dinner.
5d6 → [1,4,3,3,5] = 1 Success
Etiquette roll at Nyen Lang. (5d6=16)

A crowd, delightful and what is this food? Can I not eat it? Will he mind? Bah I should have looked this up before hand, why did I let myself start reading Oresteia before a job?

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1705 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Charlie's information abut the astral aspect of the restaurant doesn't cause her to get as excited as the mage - although she does try not to let it show.

<<Really? Cool!>>

I just hope all those spirits are under control...

DD looks the rest of the runners over, partially to get over her slight nervousness at the massive presence of magic in the location. Ralph catches her attention first, and she smiles at him.

Hm... crumpled appearance, and a bit older, but he has the "experienced touch" pat down. That could be a good mentor figure, or the "man with a past", whose secrets come up in a few episodes. Could get a love interest from among the team, and then some tension when an old flame pops up.

DD's putting up her usual cheerful friendly and flirty front, helped by her tailored pheromones while she looks the rest of the team over.

[ Spoiler ]

Assensing Info:
DD is healthy, but there are slight traces of drug abuse. She’s a mundane, her essence is 2.6, and she’s currently excited and a bit nervous.
She has cyberware and bioware implants, most of the cyberware is in her head, with some in her chest, most of the bioware spread over her body and skin.
No astral signatures.

Matrix info:
DD’s profile reads like the typical profile of a socialite: Friendly, sexy, flirting, fashionable, and as deep as a puddle after a spring rain. But has been put together with more computer-savvy than usual – if she did not simply have someone do it, then she’s got more to her than looks.

[ Spoiler ]

Perception check (visual) to look the place and people over (12d6.hits(5)=4)

[Coldhand Jake]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

<<Chat channel>>
<<Okay. Charlie, here's the basics.>>
<< You've got enough skills that one of your contacts has slipped your name into a list for the same job as me and DD. First all, congrats on impressing someone in the know with what I assume was your magic. What that means is, Ochir here probably knows about 80% of your abilities in whatever that person bragged on you about. Again, assuming that's magic, that would mean you're here as a magical resource.>>
<<That being the case, you want to come across as competent, and if possible, confident, without being a cocky-ass liability. I'm lowballing here, with the shades and gloves, which I -don't- need, and the nice shirt because I, A), don't trust this guy yet, and B) don't want my wedding ring or cyberarm or tattoos on any cameras, and C)to present an air of professionalism, as I'm already damn competent and confident.>>
<< Your basic job here, is to listen to what he needs, and plan honestly as to if you can do it. Alot of runners get dead their first run for biting off more than they can chew. I have to assume there's so many takers here, because he assumed half would walk out when they hear the offer. Don't be afraid to do that, if he's asking for something ridiculous. If you want, you can follow my lead there.>>
<< All in all, watch the other possible employees, they're watching us too. Keep an eye out for other Awakened, see if they're toxic, or nasty, and basically try to establish if they're going to be trouble. Don't act on it, just file it away.>>
<<Finally, expect to be misled and out-right lied to. Whoever Ochir represents, 95% chance they don't want anyone knowing they're involved. His commlink's going to be full of misleading crap, anything he's carrying will be planted intentionally to point you in the wrong direction if any at all...we're going to be told just enough to guess if we can do this, and not so much we could get righteous and indignant and try to stop it. If we say 'yes', then we get enough info to do the job if we're great. But not enough to make it easy.>>

[ Spoiler ]

Assessing info:
Healthy, left cyberarm from the elbow down, headware, and light but extensive bioware. Mundane, Essence around 4.5, happy, aroused, proud...

Matrix profile:
Brad Pate, freelance computer repair. Advertises as able to fix commlinks, nexii, home networks, and interfaces. His profile reads as "In an open relationship", and seems to draw attention to the fact. Confident, and a little perverted, but honest and upfront. Site is well-cross-referenced, with nice design.

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1705 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Ok, Jake got the "I have been doing this stuff since before you were born" role down as well.

<<Yes, Charlie, we're in Seattle, they do things differently here than in L.A.. More retro, less media. Although a double-cross or set up is a common occurance in many runner careers. Would get good ratings in L.A., and also get good ratings for the revenge arc afterwards.>>

While she's chatting through her implanted commlink DD's also looking over the profiles of the runners present, and checking if anyone looks her profile up - or tries to hack into her commlink.

If anyone accesses her profile she sends them an e-card of hers.

[ Spoiler ]

The partially recycled e-business card shows a smiling picture of DD’s face over the „DD Data Services“ lines. The picture links to a short clip showing DD in a slinky dress doing a "model on a catwalk" impression, walking towards the viewer, stopping, striking a pose, then turning around and walking back, with her physical stats being displayed on request (height, weight, B/W/H, etc.).

Picture of the card.

[Divine Virus]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070. 1600hrs - A Run Down Apartment on the Edge of Seattle--

Winston finally dragged himself out of bed at four that afternoon. Dragged isn't quite the proper word. He rolled out of bed and fell to the floor in a muddled pile of blankets. The impact with the floor was enough to rattle him to something resembling wakefullness. He cursed softly, quiet enough to not further aggravate his pounding headache, and crawled to the bathroom. Eyes still mostly stuck shut, the light was far to damn bright, he managed to get the lid of the toilet tank. Reaching in, he pulled out a bottle of damn fine Scotch in a ziplock bag. The first step to curing a hangover from to much bad liquor was the good stuff. He fumbled it out of the bag and took a pull, before twisting the lid back on and replacing it in the tank. He waited a few minutes for the medicine to take effect, then grabbed the sink, pulled himself up, and stared at himself in the mirror. Miracle. He didn't look half as bad as he felt.
"Not bad, as far as benders go," Winston muttered to his reflection. "Time to drink a gallon of water and go back to bed." Winston turned on the tap and rust brown water gurgled out, ripe with the eggy smell of sulfer contamination. He dumped his toothbrush on the floor to free up a mug, filled it and downed it. Fill mug, drink water, don't gag, repeat. He finished his fourteenth mug and decided he had had enough for now. Sleep. At least his headache was better all ready. As he staggered out of the room he had the misfortune of noticing the message light blinking on his commlink. Which meant that he should check it. Sighing, he flicked the display screen on.

<<Ochir_Sacred_Arrow>>
<<RE: Job Opportunity>>
<<I hear you looking for some work. I might have something up you alley, please meet me at Nyen Lang by 1700. I hope you like Mongolian cuisine.>>

Winston groaned. There went sleep. Sweet, peaceful, oblivion of sleep. He went back to the bathroom, drank another six mugs of water, took a cold, cold shower, and then took a three minute long piss.
He struggled into his form fitting body armour, put on his suit, sunglasses to hide the red eyes, linked his comm to the master commlink built into his form fitting bodyarmour, and picked up a few small items. A supply of water, two pens, a box of tic-tacs, three five-nuyen credsticks, a toothpick, a cat's eye marble... he was ready for anything. Finally, the grabbed the car keys, left his shithole apartment and locked the door behind him. In the car he flipped on the gridlink and the gridlink override and punched in the address. A smile flicked across his lips- he now had an excuse to test out the new turbo. Not that he needed an excuse.

Shortly thereafter he walked through the front door of the restaurant and went straight to the Men's Room. Then he proceeded to the back room indicated, snagging a pitcher of water and a cup alone the way.

He nodded to those already present as he entered, and took a seat with his back to the wall, facing the door. He took out the tic-tacs, popped one in his mouth, dropping the box on the table. A few rolled out randomly. He poured himself a glass of water.

Winston is a man in his mid-twenties with black hair, someone handsome features, and a fine suit in last year's style. It looked like it could use a good dry cleaning. He wore dark sunglasses, even inside, that obscured him eyes entirely. He wears a weary smile.

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

<<Chat channel>>
<<I may not have a ton of practical experience with it, but according to my teacher, I have a lot of raw power and over the last 4 months I have done absolutely nothing except for learning to control it. No school, no job, just studying spell casting, learning spells, and magic in general. I'm better at parts of it than he is, more raw power, and the areas I've focused in I'm as good as he is if not better, I just don't have the breadth he has with 15 years of experience behind him.>>

<<The only person Ochir could have heard anything about my abilities from that would lead him to want to hire me would be my teacher Mike, he runs a talishop in Snohomish. He's also the one that got my name to you through...I think her name was Mei? Mike is really hooked in to the Magical community in the area. If you need someone with magical talent he'd definitely be the one to ask. Looks like he really came through.>>

Charlie smiles at the new arrivals as they enter the back room and starts to scan for other 'magical resources' in the room, as well as just assensing the group in general.

<<I think I'll leave his commlink to you, this is a new one I picked up today, and all its get for programs is the FTL Matrix Netwizard Package. Don't even have an agent. Maybe this run'll cover one.

[ Spoiler ]

Jake - 1 hit
Etoile - 2 hits
Ralph - 2 hits
Truth - 0 hits
Gecko - 2 hits

[Little Johnson]

Tom wakes up late and stairs at the backof his eyelids for a while. Not wanting to actually get up. It had been a late night last night and he was still feeling it.

Finely he couldnt put it off any longer and sat up. He scans the room quickly more from habit than any real sence of danger. Checking his com he brightend some

Work! atlast. now thats something to get out of bed for. He gets up and goes about checking his gear. laying his kit out on his freshly made bed. checking by sight and feel each piece.

Once hes satisfied he loads everything into its proper place. Rifel , scope, tripod and extra clips in its case. He looks over his body armor and decides to stow it in his trunk for now and just wears his lined long black coat, black boots and jeans.

camelion suit in a pack with his "long haul" rations and suplies just incase he got stuck on a job for a cpl days.

for upclose work he would pack his shotgun. big loud and messy but it did the trick if he couldnt find a vantage point for some long shots.

Times getting short. he gathered it all up and headed to the meet. Stowing all the ordenance in te trunk.

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Once she had gotten a read on everyone Charlie passes the information that she was able to glean on to her...well DD and Jake weren't co-workers or partners...but they could be and they were helping her out so she'd do the same.

<<Chat channel>>
<<The woman over in the corner is cybered up. The guy in the Actioneer get-up is an adept, and so is the guy who walked around the room before sitting down. Everyone seems pretty healthy, and in good shape. Ochir is an Adept himself, though you already knew that . I think I have now astrally butt-sniffed everyone in the room, I swear I never knew mages went around sniffing people's crotches like those really annoying small yappy dogs.>>

Assensing/ Matrix info

[ Spoiler ]

Profile:
July Tascar, Magical Consultant. Advertises Astral Warding, Healing, and Magical Miracle Make Overs, and other services. Currently single. The profile page seems professional quality, though at the low end of it.

Assensing:
July is healthy, with no implants of any kind. She registers as a Mage under the effects of a spell. She is carrying a trio of Foci, though only a bracelet is active, it is sustaing a Force 3 Health Spell.

[Zaranthan]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1700 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Dancing Eyes sat calmly, resisting the urge to whip his head at every new detail he noticed. The "Astral AR" was almost too much to take in at once, and the hordes of spiritual activity worried him. Your eyes do not see spirits. Your mind does. Keep your eyes where they belong. He flagged down one of the watchers and ordered a dish he recognized as beef and vegetables. It would be nice to have real greens for the first time in a decade.

He ran a finger under his leather jacket, the hood of his form-fitting body armor was uncomfortable when folded under his considerable hair, but keeping it up for a formal meeting would be rude.

[ Spoiler ]

Assensing Info: Healthy; worried, apprehensive; Essence 6. I'm not sure if deactivated foci are astrally visible, but if they are I'm carrying a Force 1 Weapon Focus and Force 3 Sustaining Focus.

Buying 1 hit to assense everyone else. Hopefully I'll get a better idea of who you are the old-fashioned way.

Dancing Eyes is a young square-jawed Amer-Indian male human with a slight underbite, 6'2" 170 lbs. His maroon complexion and dark eyes sink beneath his jet-black shoulder-length loosely-braided hair. He wears a plain, but well-made leather jacket loose faux denim jeans that meet his heavy black boots even while he sits cross-legged.

[ Spoiler ]

Tick-Tock's matrix profile displays the name Jeffrey Stone, and indicates with standard instant messaging iconography that he's a magician working in a small enchanting shop. The rest of the profile consists of a single line in Salish: "Relationship: Not interested."

[Oenone]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1705 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Etoile glances again at Ochir, then rolls her shoulders in a sort of half shrug, waiting for the conversation to start before contributing. Occasionally people watching her will notice a few of the muscles near her left eye twitch.

Matrix Info for anyone who looks up her commlinks profile.

[ Spoiler ]

Etoile's commlink lists her as Odile Martin, a private security consultant. No personal details are even entered, aside from her being female and her nationality as French. Layout and formatting are minimalist.

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1705 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

DD listens to Charlie's info, comparing it with the profiles of the people present, which she passes on to Jake and Charlie.

Lots of mages...

Odile Martin. Private security consultant. No personal details. French. Minimal layout and formatting.

For a cybernetically enhanced she's rather lacking in matrix presence. Could be the "cold killer" type, which warms up over the first season, then has a backlash in season 3 after their love interest dies. But she's french, those are always the heartbreakers, not the heartbroken.

Jeffrey Stone. Magician working in an enchanting shop. Standard instant messaging iconography, Nothing else but a single line in Salish: "Relationship: Not interested.

Definetly the "burned by a woman, now wrapping my heart in layers of steel type until soemone cracks it after a heartwrechning scene" character. Or the mage nerd. But native americans are usually shamans... going against the clichee here...

A comm from Jake arrives - he had gotten her e-card.

<<Data Solutions... Is that what they're calling it these days? My workload is overflowing, you have a box I can stuff for an hour or two?>>

DD snickers internally at the double-entendre, and answers over the internal commlink

<<Only if it's job related, or we have some free time.>>

Then the woman studies the other people again, taking in their dress and looks.

Young Ork. Adept, Charlie says. Would be a hit with the orzek crowd - but looks a bit strange, not like the usual ork hero figure. Looks a bit out of his element too.

The human man wears a bit crumpled clothes... could be a techhead. Or the grunge artist type... looks like the team is not that easy to cast.

DD keeps trying to fit the different runners present into L.A. style casting conventions while waiting for the meeting to start.

<<Should we introduce ourselves? Or wait after Mr. Johnson is done?>>

[bmcoomes]

(OoC: Deadman will post soon, So we can assume he is here.)
--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

"Welcome Everyone, I'm glad you all could make it. Now I'm not the Johnson, I'm just the fixer who the Johnson contacted. I'm the type who likes know my talent before sending into the path of danger. So hope you will share a drink with me at lest or a meal. I do have some information I'll pass on about the job and see what type of team we will have. But first left introduce everyone.

Ochir points to the person as he introduces them

"Starting here next to me is Noowan, he is an Mystic Adept specializing in summoning with a personal twist."
"Here is Brad, he is the matrix muscle and a seasoned vet."
"This is DD or Desiree, she if you could not tell is the face and also backs-up with matrix support."
"Here is July, she is magical support also know as a mage to some."
"Here is Gecko, he is an adept with many talents."
"This is Ralph, he to is an adept specializing in firearms."
"Here is Truth, he is the transportation and drone expert."
"This is Etoile, she is the muscle and weapons expert."
"Here is Tick-Tock, an other mage filling the magical support roll."
"This is Winston, also an adept specializing in throwing projectiles."
"Last but not lest here is Tom, he to is an adept specializing in longarms."

Ochir sits down.

"Now that the introductions are over with, let get to some business. As I said a moment ago the Johnson as hired me to get him a team, a large team at that. Some of things I can tell you is that this involves the military and a megacorp. The pay will be worth the risk I might add, so if you'd like to stay on board then please stay if not. It was nice of you to come and meet face to face and I'm sure I'll have work in the future for you."

Ochir pauses to see who stays, leaves, or has something to say.

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

When the fixer introduces her, DD flashes a smile at the rest of the room, winking, while she tags names and function to faces in her commlink's memory. When the teaser information about the run is revelaed, the young woman blinks.

The military and a megacorp... oh, boy! That's prime time episode, alright! No wonder we've got so many mages and adepts.

While she tries to act unfazed and professional, DD sends a question over her internal commlink. This could be her big break, but it also sounds very risky.

<<The military and a megacorp... what do you think, Jake?>>

[DWC]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle—

Truth waves slightly when his name is called, relieved that Ochir interrupted his boredom before he did something obnoxious like start pinging the room for hidden wireless nodes.

"Small point. I'm really not a transportation guy, especially not if I have to bring a soccer team along with me. Figured I'd get that out there before anyone expected me to jump an open drawbridge in a school bus. Other than that, count me in."

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

<<Chat>>
<<That is a whole lot of people, and and a whole lot of magic:
4 Adepts
2 Mages
1 Mystic Adept
1 Hacker
1 Face/ backup hacker
1 Rigger
1 Street Samurai

Thats 11 of us. Should it be off putting that they want to actually hire this many people Jake? I don't know about all this.>>

Charlie maps the names to faces and talent's on her commlink as Ochir talks, just trying to keep all the names straight. When its her turn to be introduced Charlie follows DD's example and smiles at the group as a whole.

[Divine Virus]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Winston chokes on his water and sputters a bit when the fixer mentions military and megacorps.

"Another small point and a bigger point. Small point- chucking stuff is just a sideline, I'm the driver. Even better, I'm an unhackable driver- its all Winston talent and reflexes, no computer needed." Winston pours himself more water. "Bigger point. If I am to risk both Corp and gov'ment heat, I need more to go on then being told "the pay is worth the risk." Give me a digit count as least."

[ Spoiler ]

for the scanning crowd- no 'ware, no weapons. some FFBA with a built in commlink, but it has no signal or wireless whatsoever, and a passive mode commlink on his wrist displaying no information.
For the magical type, Winston is awakened, is currently rather irritated, a bit angry, and some scared. He is hung-over, but that is passing. Otherwise, healthy.

[Tarantula]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Boy, even his fixer didn't give him much info to go on. Guess its not just us runners who get the short end of the stick.

Ralph clears his throat lightly waiting for Winston to finish his sentence.
"As long as everyone is making corrections, I'm definitely not the firearms expert. Oh, and a digit count would go a long way towards winning me over for this gig."

[bmcoomes]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

"Sorry, of the confusion on details. I'm not the most organized person in the world plus like you I'm not use to this large of a team. I've limited on info, Mr. Johnson didn't tell me the digit count. He said drop the Military and Megacorp line and see who stays. But he did assure me that it's not a hot job, that it's local and would be do able in a nights worth of work. If that helps just for the record you will be meeting him later tonight for those you accept the job."

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

<<Chat>>
<<Going against a Megacorp and the Military with only a night's worth of work seems a little crazy...is it really as cray as it sounds to a noobie? I guess if you break it down with this many people it could get done, many hands and all that.>>

<<DD, Jake, what do you guys think? Are you going to stay? I think I want to hear him out...>>

[Zaranthan]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Tick-Tock patiently waits his turn to speak, then slowly makes eye contact with everyone in the room. "I sincerely hope that Winston and I are not the only ones who actually have an area of expertise. I also hope that you are simply selling yourselves short." He looks back to Ochir. "While I have no desire to throw my life away on a fool's errand tonight, your offer has intrigued me. I will stay and listen for now."

[ Spoiler ]

For those still assensing, Tick's worries have worsened, but his curiosity is honest.

[deadman]

april10,2070 1700hrs Nyen Lang resturant Seattle

I arive at promtly at 1700 and go in and look around <of corse the big lug is late dont think he can even tell time,damn I wish he would pick a place with some decent music just once in his life>I sit and wate have a drink or two and as if right on que an hour after the meet time the lug walks in and calls attetion to me by haveing me sit at his tabel<I think he does this to embarise me cus I am a elf and he hates me,the big softy probably likes me,he is kinda like a barbaric teddy bear of sorts>I move to his table which offers a good view of those here <intersting bunch,we will see if we live>

"If I might say somthing going agesnt Military and or a Megacorp is always a hot job local or not, and just crazy to boot. But despite that when was it you all last worked? its been a while for myself personly and I am board out of my skull and if theis big barbaric teddy bear of sorts here says thats all he has been told then I vote we wate for Mr Johnson to get all the facts and figures"

[Coldhand Jake]

Jake listens to everything, recording, thinking...

<<Chat Channel>>
<<DD>>
<<The military and a megacorp... what do you think, Jake?>>

<<Charlie>>
<<That is a whole lot of people, and and a whole lot of magic:
4 Adepts
2 Mages
1 Mystic Adept
1 Hacker
1 Face/ backup hacker
1 Rigger
1 Street Samurai

Thats 11 of us. Should it be off putting that they want to actually hire this many people Jake? I don't know about all this.>>
<<Going against a Megacorp and the Military with only a night's worth of work seems a little crazy...is it really as cray as it sounds to a noobie? I guess if you break it down with this many people it could get done, many hands and all that.>>
<<DD, Jake, what do you guys think? Are you going to stay? I think I want to hear him out...>>

<<Jake>>
<<Frankly, if I hadn't been wrapped up in what I had been this last month with that trip to New York, I'd be paying my check and getting the fuck out of here. I know I'll be calling in not-giving-a-shit, if they want us to try to take on a major holding, like a home office, or if they want me to take on Mitsuhama or Horizon.>>
<<But...I'm in to listen to the details. Megacorps' fingers are in a million pies, the trick is knowing how to slip in and out between them, and being smart enough not to end up right in the palm of their hand...>>

He grins to himself.

<<Damn, that was a great line, just rolled out like nothing.>>
<<Anyway, now's the time to play the "I'm a newb, this is too deep, I'll catch the next one..." card, if you're going to, 'July'. No shame, 'megacorp' and 'military' are two bad-idea buzzwords, right up there with 'vampire', 'dragon', and 'bug nest.'>>

He chuckles, audibly, about the only clue to the entire conversation going on behind the wavelengths...

"I'm willing to listen."

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

<<Sounds good, Jake.>>

DD has some second thoughts, and reservations, but she doesn't really believe there will be more shadowrun work offered to her if she balks at this. It would be too easy to slide down into escort work again. Besides, Jake's in, and he's got even more to lose, with his club and fiancée. So she smiles at the fixer, after Jake's "I am willing to listen" line.

"Me too."

<<As Jake said, we can always walk away if things start to look suicidal.>>

Besides, the rule is "geek the mage first", and with 7 mages, I should be less of a target... better not tell Charlie that though...

DD would lean back if she wasn't kneeling on some pillow. So she just smoothes her skirt and takes a sip from the excellent tea.

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Charlie listen's to Jake's advce and nods, it did make sense, but just listen to the details and making a more informed deision wouldn't be a bad thing, besides if she turned down her first job offer, how long would it be until she got a second?

<<Chat>>
<<I think I'll at least listen to the details before I decide either way.>>

"I'll listen as well. I can't promise more until the information is actually laid out for us though."

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Big barbaric teddy bear? I hope that's an inside-joke, and not an insult by the elf...maybe they are old friends...

DD eyes the elf who said that, then watches for the ork fixer's reaction, trying to gauge what their relation is. She keeps chatting through her internal commlink with Jake and Charlie.

<<Also consider the team members, not just the job.>>

[Tarantula]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1710 - Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Ralph listens to the Ochir's explanation and nods slightly.
"So, we'd be a mosquito biting a dinosaur for a snack. Alright, I'll listen."

[bmcoomes]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

"Good I'm glad you guys stayed, the was mostly for thinning the feint of heart. The meet with Mr. Johnson is tonight at midnight over at Dante's Inferno. I really don't have any more information on this job for you. But please eat and drink you will need your energy, and lets enjoy each others company. I'm open to questions and I can try to get you guys anything you need."

Looking at Noowan

"I'm a big barbaric teddy bear?" as Ochir gives a friendly but firm slap on the back enough to jolt the elf."I'll have to remember that on your next order." as he winks at Noowan.

Mental note, I truly need to take him out the compound to give him a lesson on us "barbaric" types.

"Well if there are any questions, I'll do my best to answer them."

(OoC: You can add Ochir(Fixer) to your contact list Connection-4, Loyalty-3)

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Dante's Inferno? Cool! That's Seattle shadows at their best!

Even in L.A., the three Dante's Infernos are considered among the clubs to frequent if you're hip, so DD feels a lot better about the job than before.

I'll have to change clothes before we get there though. Dante's is runner territory.

<<The job's already looking better. Do you think we're expected to do it tonight?>>

DD smiles, more genuine now, and starts to enjoy the meal, looking the rest of the team over and trying to judge how they react to the news.

And it looks like the elf and Ochir are friends... good, less likely to send us on a suicide mission... unless Ochir recently found out about some old bad deed, or something, like in "Shadows of the Past"...

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

"Well, now we have 7 hours to kill til we meet the Johnson at Dante's. We might as well enjoy it." Charlie commented to DD and Jake though it was vocal this time. The teenager tucks into her meal and sarts to relax with the two older runners, she wasn't quite sure what to make of the...tone of their internal conversations but there was time to relax. Charlie released the focus sustaining her heightened reflexes and everything around her began to speed up to normal.

"This is pretty good." she says after a bite of her chicken and broccoli. There wasn't anything that she was really looking for at the moment, mostly just money for a place to live for when she had to move at the end of the month. Even there though she thought there was a definite possibility of moving in With Mike and his wife Mirta over the shop. There was plenty of room, and Mirta had been hinting that they could use some help with the shop. It would also help to bring her into the Coven by immersion as opposed to the drips and drabs she was currently learning Wicca in...then again it was in Snohomish...ugh. Still, with two roommates she'd probably be able to make her share of the rent with only a few a few days a month of doing magical work, leaving her time to do whatever she wanted and that was a major benifit...beyond the benifit of having two powerful mages for roommates, with a magic shop down a flight of stairs. It was definitely something to consider.

[Oenone]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Etoile calmly listens to the job offer, staying statue still apart from the little eye muscle twitches. When she's described as muscle she pouts disapprovingly, then shrugs.

Finally, after considering her options she speaks, with heavily accented French.
"Did our prospective employer perchance mention /which/ military or corporation?"

Merde this software is terrible, nothing about Mongolia.

"And while the food looks what is the word? Ah delightful I must pass, I do try avoid eating or drinking when I work. For how you say, I think professional reasons is the term?"

[crizh]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Well if we've got some time to spare and we're expected to work as a team later tonight perhaps we should take some time to get used to each other and our strengths and weaknesses?

He sampled the dish the waitress had just placed in front of him. Not bad.

I suspect some of us are quite new to the biz, I sure am, not that I ain't good at my job. I'm an intrusion expert, there aren't many places I can't get to without being detected. Mind you, with a bit of Magical and Matrix backup I'm sure there wouldn't be anywhere I couldn't get into and out off like a ghost. I've spent a fair amount of time developing techniques for penetrating physical Matrix security also. I can get a Hacker access to isolated systems without having to bring him, or her, along.

So I run point, get the Hacker in to compromise security and the muscle can follow along behind me. I'm not too shabby in hand to hand either if it all goes pear shaped.

Like I said, though, I'm new to the biz. I've some pretty decent comms gear but I imagine any Hacker worth their salt is going to want to set up a comm-link they're risking their lobes on to suit the way they prefer to work, so I've left it vanilla apart from upgrading the Firewall.

Jake, July, DD you look like you've worked together before. Do you mind rolling the Comm protocol you use out to the rest of the group?

He pauses for a second to sample another of the bowls in front of him.

Ochir, you work as a fixer these days? Any possibility you could set us up with a high end cracked TacSoft? With this many of us it would be well worth the cash.

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

DD smiles at the ork - Gecko was his street name - and sampled another dish. Quite sure of himself, is he? But orks usually are, or appear so, in her experience.

Time to present herself. She's been working on that for some time, even before she got the job offer, using her mother's french accent as usual.

"I am DD, I specialise in ‘acking. I also ’ave experience in acquiring information outside the matrix. I am not completely ‘elpless in a fight, but my talents lie more in dealing with people without using violence."

DD straightens up a bit, presenting herself in the best light.

I have been working in L.A. for a bit, where I met Jake.

Of course, "working together" means me stripping in his club, but I better don't mention that. Bet Jake finds it funny though...

<<It's your set up Jake. Open a new channel for the whole team, or add them here? After all, we're going to be working together, but maybe not in the sense we did in L.A. *chuckle*>>

"Jake's the man to ask about comms."

[Coldhand Jake]

"Actually, this'll be our first job -together-. I just happen to know these two, one personally, one as a name from a friend, you know how it is."

He takes a bite of his meal, chews it thoughtfully, washes it down with a gulp of soda, and gets into it.

"Okay, name's Jake, or "Coldhand" if you're dramatic. I'm damn sure not. Brad's the name on the commlink, and after a while headed in and out of back rooms losing datatrails, you learn those names mean nothing. I recommend you all make a special trip over to a site I'll give you later, it gives you advice on how to put all your cyberware into autistic mode, kill RFID tags, basically, how to make sure you're someone else when a sensor catches you putting bullets in people. Beyond that, if you carry a good commlink full of your personal data, shut off the wireless and run it by cord only. Do your communication through cheap throwaways you haven't cluttered with things like your mom's birthday and your girlfriend's latest cam session. I usually keep a few extra for the new folks, I'll hook you up. When you do the startup, put in your SIN you're using for this run.

Alot of people come asking me for good programs to protect their commlinks, their cyberware, all their wire and chrome. If you drop the wireless signal, you don't get hacked unless you're -in- someone else's machine. Or someone crams a 'trode net on your head or skullfucks your datajack...and at that point, they could just as easy bullet your brainpan.

Anyway, I'm an old school combat decker, from back when the term was literal. I can handle myself in a firefight, but hacking and a little rigging aren't beyond me. My tools are cutting edge, and my skills are solid, if a little dated. I've been more guns and fists since the Crash2.0, but I can manage fine. DD's younger, with alot sharper skill-set. I know her pretty well and can vouch for her, especially since I'm sharing my toys with her. She'll have my back in there, and
she's a hell of a lot sharper than me come meat-side.

He takes another swig of soda.

"I'll get everyone's commcode and Access ID's later, so I can set up a network for us, clean out any viruses and spyware on your comms. If you still need good progs after that, I'll hook you up."

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

DD tries out several dishes, already looking forward to the desserts, while she waits for the rest of the runners to introduce themselves, and chats with Jake over their silent comm net. They are not sure whether or not the "military" angle means Fort Lewis, or the NAN.

Dietware is so nice.

Jake's collecting lists of possible information sources, mostly street level - that Ork gang he mentioned didn't sound too helpful to a human, at least in DD's opinion.

If we're going after Fort Lewis that might mean some legwork among GIs on leave...

DD runs a quick search for clubs popular among officers in the metroplex guard or the Navy, and possible employment notices.

[ Spoiler ]

Matrix search for clubs in Seattle popular among officers of the metroplex guard and the navy. (10d6.hits(5)=0)
Matrix search for clubs in Seattle popular among officers of the metroplex guard and the navy. (10d6.hits(5)=5)
Matrix search for clubs in Seattle popular among officers of the metroplex guard and the navy. (10d6.hits(5)=4)

[DWC]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle—

“I’ve got the tactical AR software covered. Granted, I keep it lean to cut down on the amount of data each subscriber has to provide, but the heavier duty stuff requires a hell of a lot more sensory infrastructure for not a lot more benefit, and is generally built for applications where you’ve got uniformity in sensory input, rather than a situation where you’re piecing together a network on the fly based on a dozen different hardware configurations. The heavier duty packages also don’t fragment anywhere near as well, and tend to bombard users with non-standard hardware with huge amounts of data that they have no way of processing, and…�

Truth catches himself starting to ramble, talking faster and faster as he goes.

“But yeah, between the three of us, we should be able to get everyone sorted before tonight. If you really trust us, it won’t take more than five minutes.�

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

DD is a bit distracted by Truth's technical explanation.

Well, he sounds competent.

"Can it handle simsense input?"

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle—

"I'll let you into my equiment Jake, I don't have a problem with that and I'll take any suggestions you have for security on it. You guys can call me Charlie if you want. About the sensory stuff...I don't really know anything about it, but I don't have any cyber to hook it into, and 7 of us are awakened...so that is most of us without it."

"As to my specialties...I can make peole invisible, create illusions,...and uh distract people pretty thoroughly."

<<Chat>>
<<After I awakened the first spell I learned was for a prank. My high school class president was a real stuck up slitch, I hit her with an orgasm spell right in the middle of a speech. I didn't know she was a screamer, but it made it all the more memorable.>>

"I can also throw some combat spells around and do healing."

[Coldhand Jake]

<<Chat>>
<<After I awakened the first spell I learned was for a prank. My high school class president was a real stuck up slitch, I hit her with an orgasm spell right in the middle of a speech. I didn't know she was a screamer, but it made it all the more memorable.>>

Jake snorts, audibly choking back raucous laughter.

<<Chat>>
<<Well, guess that answers that question...you busy after this? I know me and...>>

He counts on his fingers, more for a habit than need, glances over at DD...

<<...4 women who could use your spell casting expertise after all this is done.>>

[DWC]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle—

"Yeah. A simrig will work. It won't care about your sense of touch, or how getting shot at makes you feel about your mother, but it'll pull the big three. Run the software on your commlink, and it should find anything else suitable in your PAN, then it's up to you what you decide not to give it, and by extension, give all of us."

[Coldhand Jake]

Jake opens a second chat channel, encrypts it, then gets everyone's commcodes for their 'working' commlinks. If they don't have them, he hands out his extras, the cheapos. AR gloves, shades, with camera and mic, commlink with cold sim. Either way, he routes their AccessIDs to the password system so -only- those comms are getting a connection without hacking. He keeps the original chat between him, DD and Charlie separate, because, it's always fun to have a pair of girls with decent senses of humor nearby who are in on the jokes and can take his flirtations in stride...

Damn, I miss Mei and Cali now...

[Shalimar]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle—

<<Chat>>
<<I don't know...I doubt the term jailbait means all the much given our occupation. But Mike might get pissed, and a Mage isn't someone you want pissed at you, especially when he is married to another mage with stronger feelings on the matter and more mojo to go with it. That and I'm trying to get them to be my teacher and bring me into the coven. I might take you up on it later though, after things have settled down a bit for me. I have to move out of Bellevue in 20 days and I might be moving in with them.>>

<<I'll throw the spell your way if you want it though. I could definitely do with a hacker friend to help me get everything set up.>>

[Tarantula]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715 hrs - Nyen Lang, Seattle—

Ralph listens along to all the offers for setups and configurations and the like.
"You can do whatever you'd like with this one, though, if you don't mind lending me one of them spares I'd appreciate it. Like I said before, I'm not exactly the best of the best with a gun, but I can hold my own. Really, I'm just good and figuring things out and putting the pieces together." Ralph settles down to enjoy his food, savoring in the smells and tastes.

[bmcoomes]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

"As far as I know it would be the UCAS not the NAN, as far as which mega I really don't know but it would be one of the local one."

[Fuchs]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1720- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Ah, the UCAS...

After installing the software for the tac net, DD checks if her search for clubs popular among officers of the Metroxplex Guard and the Navy produced any results while she drinks more of the tea, then opens up a channel to Jake and Charlie again.

<<It doesn't seem that we will be going native.>>

I wonder if anyone else has a simrig... looping simrig input can be a lot of fun.

[Oenone]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

As DD begins talking with a French accent Etoile smiles in a way which almost looks convincing.

Strengths? Hmmm I deal with people too, violently. Very violently. I can be silent, athletic and dabble with locks.

She glances around the table, idly flexing her fingers.

As for weaknesses? Conversation, unless you need the fights starting.

[Zaranthan]

--Thursday April 10th, 2070 at 1715- Nyen Lang, Seattle--

Dancing Eyes savors his meal as everyone carries on about simrigs and tag-nets and all that other technobabble. He does his best to flip through WikiGoogtionary for the jargon he can pick out, but most of it goes over his head anyway.

"Since we are laying our cards on the table, you may all call me by my proper name: Dancing Eyes. If anyone else asks, though, Tick-Tock is good enough for them. My specialty is defending myself and others from magical threats, be they magicians, spirits, or even monsters. I can also handle myself in a fight, whether with fists, bullets or words.

I am not sure if I can help with this, uh, 'tactical software' you're discussing. I know from personal experience that I cannot use my magics on anyone I cannot see with my own eyes."

[bmcoomes]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0001- Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

Ochir forwarded the list to Mr. Johnson as the team left The Nyen Lang. The trip from lower downtown to center city was uneventful and an usual fast trip.

For those you left early to get ready had a similar experience.

Dante's Inferno the number one nightclub in the whole metroplex. the towering club is a testament to the movers and shakers of Seattle. Even on a Thursday night the club is hoping, the line to get in is three blocks long even at this hour. The door security is a tight one, with two trolls, and two orks running the show. Telling who the beautiful are and are not, who the important people are and are not. The line of people are a mix of all sorts from punk rocker to the corp suits and from chromed to the eco-nut.

You stroll right to the front telling the door men your on the list, the short list at that. They double check the list for some of you then scan you. From there they say your party is waiting for you in Hell's private room 4. Once you walk into the club you feel the music as much as you hear it. (link) You work your way to the ninth level through the masses of bodies surging to the music at each ramp there is an other bouncer to check you against 'the list'. After what seemed an hour to get through the bodies and bouncers you finally come to Hell and the private rooms. You find room four and give a courtesy knock before entering. Inside the room is set-up like a meeting room with a large real hardwood table and matching chairs. The room is dead quite even with the pounding music on the other side of the wall. There at the head of the table is a tall striking human dressed in a brilliant white suite. Once everyone has shown up and sat down Mr. Johnson starts.

"Welcome, as I'm sure you know I'm Mr. Johnson. I'm in need of some discreet employees. From the information Mr. Ochir has provided me you ladies and gentlemen will fit the bill and I'm short on time so I'm going to get right to business. The job that needs done is infiltration into a UCAS & US (University of Seattle) production building steal the prototype productions plans and data I'll provide all of the details that I have. Also I need an asset to terminated. The asset will be located on the US campus in her residence I'll send you the address and photo (link). The pay will be 10% up front and the rest upon completion and the total pay will be 10,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) each.

Are you in?

Mr. Johnson pauses waiting for the answer.

[Divine Virus]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0003- Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

"You better be joking." Winston barks a little laugh, "It would take at least three times that pay for me to take a job with so little information. I need more before I sign the dotted line. Like what kind of a timeline we are working with, what kind of security level we will be dealing with, and how much of a fight the chick is likely to put up. I don't like this, and I think I got every right not to. With the cred you have, I have to wonder why you don't just get a small team of prime runners. Instead you've got a crew of runners who, to the casual glance, appear either a bit green or a bit over-the-hill- no offense to anyone- and you get 11 of them. An eleven man team is clumsy, especially when they don't know each other. So I think maybe you do have a prime team, and we are just a messy distraction, one you don't expect us to live to collect our fee. The 10k upfront is a small price to pay for that kind of distraction. Of course, I might be completely wrong. I don't need your reason for picking a large team. But I need either more nuyen or more information, chummer."

[deadman]

april10, 2070 1720 Nyen Lang Seattle

I finish my light meal and get up to leave not showing the pain from the still stingin clap on the back from Ochir knew that would get to him the big barbaric teddy bear.

"I shall meet you all at Dante's, I bid you all farewell till then,Ochir its been a plesure as allways give my regards to your family for me will catch you later"

I leave and return home to get ready for the big meeting.

At home I pack up my gear makeing shure all is in order and there are no defects of any kind and load it into the trunk of my ride, wareing my form fiting body armor under my outer cloths and stashing a cupel of hi tec ceramic blades I head out the door for the meet.

[deadman]

april 11 2070, Dante's Inferno 0001

damn tecno music dosnt anyone lisen to the clasics any more!
checked at the door shown to a room with the others look like they are all here good sign

"I have to agree with that stament there, it does seem odd that you pick us a large group,though highly skilled for shuch a job, so I ask this question Sir is this a test of our abilitys or are we just expendable foder and I ask this intending no disrespect to you Sir"

[Fuchs]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0004 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

Dante's Inferno had been as good, hip and impressive as the hype promised. Exciting, full of hip people, and the vibe from it... much less magic than the Nyen Lang too, which had been a good thing in DD's opinion. AR was so much nicer. They had been gone there in advance, to enjoy the club before the meeting. DD had changed into her runner clothes "Seattle edition" - lined coat over top, hot pants and knee-high boots, and changed her hair color to green, and oh had it felt good to pass the long line, being on the short list. This was the life!

At the meeting, reality has come to crash the party, almost literally. The Johnson is striking, attractive and impressive, and the white suit even looks good on him.

Should be modelling.

But the job... the data steal is no problem, infiltrating a campus shouldn't be that hard, but the wetwork... DD is not so sure about that. She sends a private message to Jake.

<<What do you think of this, Jake?>>

Winston's words start another line of thought, even more worrying than realising that wetwork is not just the background and haunting past of the tall dark and broody archetypes looking for redemption.

Is this a set up? Like in Double-X II?

DD's smile fades a bit, her face turning into a more serious expression, still polite and hopefully professional - Killing is a too serious topic for flirty manners, in her opinion, and she might be taken for a spycho if she joked about it.

<<Do you think this could be a set up, Jake?>>

Even as DD is listening to Wisnton and Noowan, and trying to spot how the Johnson reacts, she's already looking for more information about this, searching the matrix for infos about a UCAS&US production buildings and female scientists working there.

[ Spoiler ]

Matrix-search:
Searching for information about UCAS&US production buildings. (10d6.hits(5)=5)

[Coldhand Jake]

Jake grinds the finger and thumb of his right hand over his eyes' protective covers in an attempt to fight off the building stress that threatens to put him in migraine mode...which is a quick way to get his hood flowing.

"UCAS? Fine. Fuck a bunch of Yankees. U of S? Fine by me. Stealing data? I'm your man. As far as that goes, we can talk.

Jake leans forward, sliding the wraparounds up into his hair, revealing his eyes, which go from hazel to solid red, no iris, no pupil, just red.

But.

I am not a fan of killing women. I'm not a fan of hurting women. I am not a fan of kidnapping women unless there's kink, a safe word and a lot of understanding involved. I am a fan of breaking necks on people who desperately need it, like people pointing guns at me, or fucking with my life. Hot Asian Chick here is doing neither. So, I'm going to need alot more than two month's blowing money to redefine this woman I don't know as "someone who desperately needs their neck broke." Like, why she deserves to die. I don't need to know exactly, but "serial killer" or "blood mage" or "freaky bitch gave me the VITAS, the HMHVV, and the herpagonosyphilaids" or "Humanis spokeswoman" better be forthcoming, along with some more bank, or I'm gonna go home and get laid. And corpscrip'll get you nuyen says DD and a few others walk out behind me."

[ Spoiler ]

Charisma 4 + Negotiation 3. I'll leave you to roll it.

[DWC]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0004 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

"This is going to suck..."

Truth watches the venom fly, trying to settle deeper into his seat and disappear.

As he does, he transmits over the established communications network.

"How about this for a compromise? Everyone who doesn't want any part of the killing gets up and goes to the bar. He tells the people who stay what they need to know, they collect their 10% up front, and head out to do the job. After they've left, everyone who walked out comes back in, gets the details on the theft, collects their 10%, and leaves to go do that part. His budget doesn't change, he doesn't have to share information with anywhere near as many people, everyone gets paid, and everyone keeps their ethics intact. And really, if he's impressed by you turning your eyes red, he's newer at this than some of the people in this room, and we're all in really serious trouble."

[Shalimar]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0004 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

Charlie agreed with jakes sentiment comletely, she wasn't going to go in on any job that required her to kill someone, just wasn't going to happen, no matter how good the money was. "I believe the reason Mr. Johnson wanted a group so large as this is that both uh...facets of the run must be accomplished at the same time otherwise the security on the other will be increased dramatically. By having a large group of skilled individuals we can split up and accomplish it at once. Is that accurate mister Johnson? This would allow those who do not wish to deal with the...uh asset removal to still participate. I do agree with the assessment of the team, we need to know what the time frame is...and what the security is going to be like if the time frame is so short." the currently red-headed Charle says. She had been all set to jump, but she wouldn't just jump in and look down later if the Johnson was going in planning people's deaths, that kinda shit comes back at you three fold right quick.

<<Main Chat(all runners)>>
<<Truth, I think if we can get more money, we should. With things like short time periods and killing someone he should understand that it might be a hard sell at that price. For the record, I'm not going to participate on the assassination part of this.>>

<<Chat (DD + Jake)>>
<<If we do take this job I'm not going to participate in any kind of hit, I think that 5 people should be able to handle that leaving 6 of us to get the information and get out.>>

[Fuchs]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0005 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

Main chat:
<<More money is always good. If one lives to spend it.>>

DD is still torn. Charlie's idea sounds appealing, but somehow, she has a hint of doubt that helping on one part of a run that has an assassination as the other part is that much morally superiour. And who knows how professional it would be or look like on her resume. She's also still wondering whether this was a set up. But the 10'000 nuyen... oh, what she could do with them!

DD looks around, waiting for the other runners, especially Jake, to speak up - at the table or in the chat channel.

[Oenone]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0005 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

Etoile scowls throughout the trip through the crowded club, only returning to something like polite indifference when the group has been led into the meeting room.

"If people 'ave a problem with the killing then I could 'andle it. It seems cheap for a life 'owever and I would like to know what training or defences she may 'ave."

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0005 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

D'accord. Etoile is right this is not enough money for wetwork and probably not enough money for a data-steal proposed by a Johnson who is not certain a group is willing to perform wetwork before proposing it.

You have placed your head quite distinctly in the proverbial Lion's mouth here.

[Coldhand Jake]

<<Teamchat>>
<<Okay, I'm not as adamant about this as I appear. It's distasteful, but that's shadow work. Wetwork happens. Quick check...who's into being on the kill team, and who runs cover for the thieves?>>

He waits a second before continuing.

<<Personally, what just came out of my mouth entirely aside...I'll kill the bitch dead if she needs it. But discretion shows professionalism. And as for the hotheaded orc bit, it's negotiation. Leave a guy a clear path, and he'll follow it. He thinks I'm insulted, he'll make amends. But 10k for that much work, and having to be labelled a "bloody hand" for the corps...I'll see his counter-offer and intel.>>

[crizh]

<<Teamchat>>

I am willing to dispense justice to those that deserve it. Executing innocents to improve this man's bottom line is not my style.

The offer is derisory for wetwork. Ten times that much for a target we are certain will not be missed would be sufficient.

No corp undertakes wetwork unless millions are at stake. Frankly this man strikes me as a fool.

We would profit more from discretely selling him out to his target's owner.

[bmcoomes]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0006- Dante's Infernio--

[ Spoiler ]

Jake - Charisma 4 + Negotiations 3 + Outnumbered 2 + Physical Intimidating 1 = 10d6 (5) Five hits
Mr. Johnson - Carismma 5 + Negotiations 5 = 10d6 (5) two hits

"Yes, this will be a split job with some of you doing the data theft and the other doing the asset removal. I'm willing to offer 40,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) each to get this done. Tonight is preferred but as long that it is done with in two days aka tomorrow night I'd be fine with that.

The campus security is lax the only thing there is it's still in the downtown area so the star is thick. She is just an egghead my intelligence says she has not real skill of defense or offense.

As far as the production facility is on Bainbridge Island, Eagledale. There security is OK but they have plenty of wholes. There biggest asset was there low key location. I think the biggest trouble will be getting to the island, ether by the sound or through Salish. They only have two to three solders on at anytime, they have is no access to there network but by physical means other than that is all automated with nanoforges.

As far as my reason I need this asset removed, well let’s say that she is the lead on this project. And this project will change to many things for peoples liking. Yours and mine you don't want this project to hit the streets. Even if the Star gets a few of these it will change the way you do business drastically.

As with everyone’s morality your working the darkside of business so I'd get used to a little wetworks or you many not find much work with the state of things around here. Anything else I can help you with?"

[Oenone]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0006 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

"A few of what? These things, are any of them in use? If they are so good surely the owner would 'ave some to protect the facility? You have no prefered method of death or proof you require?

Etoile idly lists off questions, flexing her fingers absentmindedly as she mentions prefered methods of death.

<Coms (subvocal)> The wetwork team should be smaller then, no?

Something is odd about this, it seems too easy.

[Shalimar]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0006- Dante's Infernio--

<<Chat - Main Channel (All)>>
<<40,000 each, way to go Jake! Seriously good money for this, it definitely makes up for the rush of things. Since it looks like there are people willing to do both, I think this could definitely work out for us.

Here is what I'm thinking for the...uhh Wetwork Team
1) Etoile - muscle and weapon expert
2) Noowan - magic support
3) Ralph - Fire arms expert
4) Winston - Get away driver
5)Tom

The other job is going to be more complex, getting out to the Island, Infitrating, Hacking, and Getting back so we'd want more people there.
1)Jake - Hacker to get into the system and get the data
2)DD - Back up Jake
3)Charlie - Magic support
4)Truth - Handle the transport and provide drone support
5)Gecko
6)Dancing Eyes

So what does everyone think?>>

<<Chat - Jake and DD>>
<<That waas really awesome Jake. I think I need some negotiation lessons from you.>

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0006 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

<<Teamchat>>

No, I'm starting to get the fear now.

This guy reeks of inexperience. He must have at least half a million to spend here and he offers people that can kill him with a thought 100k? He is suicidal, stupid or inexperienced.

He still hasn't given us a reason to kill this woman other than smoke and mirrors.

His dick is just lying on the table here and he does not seem in the least concerned. I'm recording this, Full-X, and I'm sure some of you are. What's he playing at. We could burn him so bad he would be praying for the Lake of Fire.

Has anyone assensed him to see if he's disguised.

Gecko starts collating the data the TacNet is feeding him, checking the Johnson for 'ware, concealed weapons, erratic heart-rate, body guards, etc, etc.

He also extends his Magical Senses to examine him and their surroundings for anything out of place.

[ Spoiler ]

Magic Sense, Detect Magic, Force 5.

3 Hits

[Oenone]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0006 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

<Coms (subvocal)> I agree, 'is price jump by too much.

Etoile frowns, then chews her lip.

<Coms (subvocal)> The splitting is not so good, murder with no 'acker means calls for 'elp and it all ends up on film. It could be done with only two, if we knew 'er 'abits.

[bmcoomes]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0007- Dantie's Inferno, Seattle

"From my intelligance it's a two man drone type plateform, it's on par or out stripes Cyborg drones, they can be air dropped by a Northrup Wasp so they able to responed rapidly through the whole metroplex. From my intelligance they only have one prototype that is full operational and it's currently showing off for the big wigs on the east coast."

[Little Johnson]

<<Teamchat>>

Im in for the wetwork as long as its not a kid. I have to draw the line there. the reason im working ummm contract now is my former CO ordered me to take out a whole family . I refused and he thought he would push the issue. I gave him the oppertunity for some crome upgrades from the knees down. I prefer precision fire support involving armed combatants but if this needs done i can do it. You guys get me the shot and ill make it. Lets not forget we might need some hacker support on the wet work. wont be as indepth as the B&E but we still need some

Best option is if we had her schedual for tomorrow and i could drop her while she was picking up her drycleaning or something..

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0007- Dantie's Inferno, Seattle--

So why will eliminating the woman make it impossible to replicate the research?

<<Teamchat>>

Charlie, this guy is lit up like a Christmas Tree, I don't know what it is but he's packing Astrally.

[Coldhand Jake]

<<Teamchat>>
<<Figured he was seriously lowballing us. 40k's at least -reasonable-. I could probably squeeze him a little harder, but greed gets you dead in this biz. Etoile's right there, you're going to need some Matrix overwatch on that job.>>

He stretches, thinking.

<<Hm...>>

[Oenone]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0008 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

<Coms (subvocal)> Shooting 'er with a rifle would not be best, an accident on the stairs 'owever....

[DWC]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0008 hrs – Dante’s Inferno, Seattle—

“If we’re just going to shoot her, I can fly a drone up to her window, shred her with an LMG, then have the dog brain fly it home while all eleven of us drive over to the island. But I think he’s hoping for a little more finesse than that.�

[Fuchs]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0006 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

DD whistles mentally, greed rising up inside her. Too bad this was not L.A., Jake's negotiating could become a trademark scene.

40K? That's... wow! I'd kill for that money... uh...

Preferring not to dwell on that thought right now, DD checks the net for more info about the woman - maybe she's got a known dinner date, or a public event she's attending today or tonight. Another search about the compound security follows.

[ Spoiler ]

Matrix search (VR) for the target scientist's schedule. (10d6.hits(5)=5)
Matrix search (VR) for information about the target compound's security. (10d6.hits(5)=4)

Team chat channel:
<<40'000 sounds much better than the earlier offer. I am looking for more information right now.>>

Private Chat channel to Charlie and Jake:
<<Yes, good show, Boss! I am not sure we should leave the 'it team without matrix cover though - if the 'it goes wrong, repercussions could reach the other team as well.>>

DD tries to project a cool face to the negotiation, but to anyone astrally assensing her she's visibly excited .

[Little Johnson]

<Tom> Theres plenty of Finess in what i do but then again theres plenty of squeegy work afterward so i can see youre point. IM not the rite guy for arainging an "accedent" but you allso might want to rember he might want it to be messy. Less chance of someone wanting to step into her job too quickly makeing sure that someone with more ambition than skill takes over for her

[Tarantula]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0008 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

Ralph sits back thoughtfully. "You sure you need her dead? Sounds like shes got some brains in her, maybe getting her to you alive might entail a bonus? You could pick her brains that way."

[ Spoiler ]

Assensing the J.
Assensing the Johnson (18d6.hits(5)=5)

[Shalimar]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0008 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

<<All runner Chat-line >>
<<If we want the wetwork team to have a hacker, than that means its going to be you DD since we need Jake on the Data Steal. Are you ok with doing the Wet Work job?>>

[ Spoiler ]

Assensing the Johnson 1 hit, Glitch
[/spoiler'

[Coldhand Jake]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0008 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

Ralph sits back thoughtfully. "You sure you need her dead? Sounds like shes got some brains in her, maybe getting her to you alive might entail a bonus? You could pick her brains that way."

Jake nods. "Best idea I've heard so far, and would go a long way to improving your position should you want to glean more data than just the files. And I can get into a snatch-and-grab alot more comfortably. What you decide to do with the chick afterwards wouldn't be my concern."

[Little Johnson]

<<All runner Chat-line >>
<<You wont have to take the shot DD i assure you . But believe me i understand personal limits. No loss of respect here if you bow out.>>

[Zaranthan]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0007- Dantie's Inferno, Seattle--

<<Teamchat>>

There is no honor in killing a defenseless person, but anyone who is truly defenseless has no right to feel so secure. I prefer the infiltration task.

"You mentioned that the Salish guard a possible approach. Do they hold any affiliation with this corporation? Also, do you have any information about what magical security the facility employs?"

[ Spoiler ]

Willpower + Charisma (3) to not argue over the team assignments (10d6.hits(5)=5)

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 0008 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle--

A hostile extraction is harder but definitely more our style I think. Less fallout for all concerned and you have an even bigger advantage over your competition. Win-win.

<<Teamchat>>
Hostile extraction keeps the karma score sheet nice and even. I'm good for either part of the job if that is the deal. I'm geared for either option although I might be more use in the data-steal.