IC: Gang of Rebels Options

[ludomastro]

The rich southern sun had been beating down on the muggy streets of the Big Easy all day. Not a cloud in sight. The weatherman on the trid had been saying that the temperature was only 87F (or 31C if you prefer) but it had felt more like 95F (35C) with all the humidity and the concrete in the city. The only respite was the occasional breeze coming off the Gulf.

[JDragon]

As Hack'ed steps outside from the airconditioned coffin motel hes been crashing, he has to stop to catch his breath as the heat & humidity hit him. Damn, this sure ain't Seattle. Well I guess I best check in with Smiley and see if maybe hes got some work for me today. He then looks both directions down the street, then turns and starts the short walk to the dive Smiley is bouncing at.

[ Spoiler ]

Let me know if any of the formatting here is wrong

[ludomastro]

1800: The Club Mix

Smiley is standing at the door of The Club Mix, one of the several dives in town that tried to make a name for themselves by claiming they cater to all types. In reality they basically cater to the orks and trolls of the world. Smiley - an older ork who could pass for human from a distance - is at his usual place next to the door. He motions you inside as business is a little slow right now and asks, "Hey, son, whats you doin' today?"

[ Spoiler ]

Formatting looks good.

[last_of_the_grea...]

Jack finishes his cool shower and gets dressed in his "business attire." Clothes do make the man, even if they are far too stuffy. With his sidearm in place, his commlink up and running and breakfast on the table (ah, Nerps™ and soymilk. Breakfast of champions!) he logs into his message bank and scrolls through to see if anyone left him a message. He put out the word that he was not taking any more penny-ante jobs. Hopefully his contacts took him seriously.

[JDragon]

1800: The Club Mix

"Nut'n much, you?" Hack'ed stpes in to the realtive cool of the the club, and moves over next to Smiley and leans against the wall. "Just checkin' in see if you got any work for your new best chummer." Hack'ed smiles as responds, scanning the club.

[ Spoiler ]

I'll switch over to thermographic vision to scan the back rooms, make sure there's nothing odd going on. If I don't see anything I'll go back to normal vision and see what Smiley has to say.

[Kiedo]

Time. When your at the bottom of a bottle that word has no meaning.

Wes sat, in the corner of his favorite bar, Chicken Foot Pete's, going home as he liked to call it. All his life he had moved around, never staying in any one place too long, and by his measure the only thing, that was always every where he went, was booze. He was crawling slowly towards the bottom of a bottle of synthetic scotch, telling anybody who'd listen to him his stories about long dead friends and great battles. But nobody would. For better or worse, Wesley Draconis Spire, was a drunk. And nobody listens to drunks. Sure they might sit next to him and nod in all the right places when his voice hits a spot that merits one, but they never listen, not really. It didn't help that most of the time he wasn't talking to them anyway.

"What the hell happened to me," he muttered.
That bottle of scotch happened to you my friend, the ever present voice of raven answered back.
"Naw, that's not true, this is home," he says gesturing with the bottle like it was some sacred artifact.
Only if you let it be, all you have to do is stop

He shook his head hard, like there was some type of monster bug of his face that if he touch would certainly kill him. "I've lost my thirst now, you happy, raven," he say his fallen compatriot's name slowly and filled with contempt.
yes
Staggering, he stands from the booth that he had claimed, and made his way precaiously to the bar.

"C-can you hold on to this for me my good man," he says to the bartender, holding out the half empty bottle of scotch. Wes wasn't particularly a pesimist but that's what he thought his life was. Half empty. His oldest and most trusted friend lay dead thousands of miles away, the woman he loved was off in some country ending in "stan" on important buisness, and his new best friend, Davin Grey, was in back in Seattle trying to manage his night club. Except for the few guys he knew around Nawlans, he was completely alone.

Except for me, I'm always there for you even if your not always there for me

Well there was Raven.

The bartender to Wes' relief agreed to hold the bottle in the drawer of safe keeping, as he called it, until asked for. Which from Wes' perspective, wether he knew it or not would probably be the next time he walked through the doors of this place. But that wasn't his concern right now, he needed to get back home, and sober up, there was a job coming. He could feel it.

Stumbling out the door, almost knocking over a woman walking a dog, the sun hits him like a troll swinging a sledge hammer. "Drek, if I'm not sober before I get home I'm going to puke," in an almost comical, but mostly pathetic, manor he takes off his jacket and tucks it under his arm. If he knew it was time to "go home" he never went in packing, which was good too, because a pair of Lone Star officers on bikes rode by almost as soon as he started walking, and if he had had his piece strapped to his hip he'd probably have some explaining to do.

The New Olreans sun beat down on Wes, making him wonder if this was how last night's soydogs had felt, but he was tough and kept moving despite the fact he was plastered to the wall, so to speak.

"Ahhh, my home away from home," which was what he called any place his life that wasn't liquid and alcoholic. His home in fact was nothing more than a run down shack about fifteen blocks from the infamous Bourbon street. The rent was cheap because the gangs were bad, but he didn't care, even drunk he felt sorry for the poor sap who'd try and break in his house.

It took him almost five full minutes to rummage in his pockets for his keys only to remember he didn't have keys and punched in the code that unlocked the door. "5. 9. 4." he said aloud as he hit the corresponding keys, not thinking that anyone who cared to listen now had his passcode. He was drunk.

Don't use that as a crutch Wes, your sick. You have a disease.
"Knock it off with your drug store phsycology, I'm not interested," he said hoarsely and he walked into the crummy place. Before he had a chance to hang the jacket on the hook he was vaulting for the door, his body was hell bent on making him keep the promise he'd made earlier.

After wretching, he had noticed, you feel two things. Exaulted and exausted. He had begun to call it the ex's of drinking. He crawled from where he lay sprawled out on the bathroom floor to a carpeted area, decided he'd never make it to the bed, and passed out, drool trickling down the side of his cheek.

[ludomastro]

1802: The Club Mix

Smiley grins and says, "Well, let's see." He riffles through his comm and sees something. "Looks like it be your lucky day. Right 'ere I gots you something that you might like. Looks like a friend of mine is taking me seriously in my new business. Go to O'Mally's up by the Lake around 2230 and ask for the party room. Be sure to beam the hostess the code I'm sending to you now. Now, don't fogit your friends, no?"

[ Spoiler ]

He sends you the code: 12RB Fish.

0800: Jack's place

ONE NEW MESSAGE: Maggie
Remember that we agreed to eat dinner at O'Mally's tonight at 10:30pm. I'll be in the party room. Don't forget your coat and see if the hostess can figure out this riddle: 12RB Fish.

[ Spoiler ]

Since you didn't specify. Maggie (Margaret Mason) is your human fixer.

TIME???
Wes is standing on a cliff with a large black bird on one side of the cliff and an oversized bottle of scotch on the other. A voice says, "Take a choice, then take a leap."

[JDragon]

1803: The Club Mix

Hack'ed scans over the info in his AR image link, Wow, Smiley actually came through, holy drek. "Thanks bud, I owe you one, and don't worry I don't ever forget my chummers." Just ask the famlies of my old buds from the metroplex, may they all RIP.

"Here's a little something for the lead, with a little more to follow if this ends up being real work." Hack'ed's vision goes distant for a second as he brings up an account to transfer a few nuyen to a credstick for Smiley. I can't really spare anything right now, but I can't afford not to keep him happy, so 50 nuyen it is.

Hack'ed slips a credstick from his jacket once the transfer is complete. "Here you go." Handing Smiley the credstick.

"Well I got a little work to do, do you mind if I borrow an office?' Hack'ed motions to one of the empty booths along the back.

Not waiting for an answer he walks back and takes a seat, motioning to the waitress for his usuall. So, now lets see what exactly it is Smiley has found for me.

Hack'ed barely seems to notice when his drink shows up, as hes working in AR to see whats going on with this party and the word on O'Mally's.

[ Spoiler ]

I will work on doing some data searchs on the matrix to see what I can find out about O'Malley's and if there is any rumors on what this job may be.
Let me know what kinda rolls you want.

[JDragon]

[ Spoiler ]

Data Search checks - Info on O'Mally's - 4 Dice - 0 hits - Critical Glitch - http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=459099
Info on the "Party / Job" - 4 Dice - 2 hits - http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=459101

[ludomastro]

[ Spoiler ]

O'Mally's = You get information on the O'Malley Clan. You also get information about a bar known as O'Mally's in Seattle.

O'Mally's Party Job = You spend about ten minutes online and discover that O'Mally's has several party rooms available for rent. Nothing else seems to pop up. On more shadowed sections of the Matrix you find a short reference to O'Mally's Party Room for New Orleans runs. There is a little rumor about a B&E job but nothing specific.

[Whizbang]

New Orleans....Zelda wondered once more just how she had managed to find her way down here. Oh yeah...that run that in the end turned out to not even be worth the plane ticket home. That was just wrong. But oh well. The weather was nicer down here. Not nearly as much rain, for which her knees were most thankful. And not like she had left all her friends behind, she thought as she hopped online, heading for Link's.

The matrix club was right where she left it. 8-bit game music was piping in the background. Most of the icons here were from that early era of electronic gaming. And hers was no exception, being that of the Hyrulian princess that was forever in need of saving. Though she was not to be underestimated. She was definetly capable of saving herself. Taking a seat, she scanned the area for the proprietor.

[Kiedo]

Walking to the edge he says, "when I was a kid I always wanted to be a proffesional swimmer."

He leaned forward doing a swan dive off the cliff. His body hurtling down at a suicidally fast pace. After all that was what he had just done. He closed his eyes beofre he hit the ground, but a muscle spasm caused him to roll over and he opened his eyes. Ceiling. It was a dream. Thank the gods.

Ah your up

"Could you leave me alone for five minutes," he said trying to sit up. Each time he'd get closer to sitting but would be struck by a wave of pain. Hangover.

"Well I'll be, I haven't had a hang over in months," he mused almost sardonically.

that's because you really went over board this morning.

"This morning?"

yes, what time do you think it is?

"Um I....don't know."

then look you didn't buy that clock for decoration

"But it does complete the room nicely, wouldn't you say? ....Oh right, 7 o'clock...am or pm."

pm

after a while, he gets up and takes shower.

[last_of_the_grea...]

Ah, O'Malley's. Apparently Maggie intended to bankrupt him. Hopefully that meant that she had some real money work for him. 12 RB fish? What the hell was that?

10:30 pm, eh? well, he'd just have to go about his daily biz until 4, then get a few hours of sleep. That ought to last him for a few days. If it was work it couldn't hurt to be able to go for days. If not...well, it better be! Having to trash his last ID and commlink was a real setback for him. He needed new programs to operate. His new link wase bare bones!

He linked to the latest screemsheets and read through the news, looking for anything that might influence his work. He checked to see especially if anything had been happening in the erea of O'Malley's. After that he pops open the local news radio station. Sometimes there were insights to be had from guest analysts or commentators. Usually not, but it did help him keep up with what was going on.

[ Spoiler ]

Alright, time for a Current Events skill check if I may. I got 3 hits. I will also check the finances pages, the business pages and the sports pages. Rolls for those get 3 hits for finances, 3 for sports and 3 for corporate politics, all to see if anything of interest has been happening in the news that may have to do with Maggie or her interests based off what I know about her.

If it helps notice news, here's a perception roll. Damn, 3 hits again! I guess my dice like getting three hits every time!

[Nikoli]

After checking his rat traps in the back alleys, Rooster began to make his way home. Nobody ever seemed to care how an ork like him could afford the place, they just tried not to see how he lived or how they thought he lived. Raising the day's catch up proudly to Mrs. la Fleur, "Howdy man, you want I should save you a few for stew tonight?" This of course gets him a visible lift in bile from the scrawny breeder, but it does help put a smile in his face as she pales again and runs back inside. Once safely from view he tosses the carcasses into the dumpster and unlocks the vback door to his doss.
Lights on
Rooster makes his way over his workbench and sets one of the damaged traps on the table to be repaired later. "I keep scrounging but thos damned devil rats keep finding new ways to chew through this stuff. Just have to keep trying."

After a few minutes of tinkering, "Vut!" Realizing he's forgotten to check his messages, he brings up the VR and heads to the shower.

[JDragon]

1825: The Club Mix

After spending a few minutes to see what he can find out about tonight, Hack'ed finished his drink and heads for the door.

Hack'ed nods at Smiley, "I'll check in with ya once the run is done."

Hack'ed steps back into the heat and humidity, and makes the trek back to the coffin motel. On the way he schedules a taxi to pick him up at the stuffer shack at the end of the block from the motel with enough time to make it to O'Malley's about twenty min before the meet. 20 min should give enough time to scope the place and make sure I'm on time. Can't be late for my first job in the Big Easy. Easy my A$$!

Once back at the motel Hack'ed will grab a power nap if he has time, making sure to be up in time to check & pack his gear and then be at the corner as to miss his ride.

[ludomastro]

1300: Link's
Link walked over, his sword at his side, and greeted his princess of legend. "How may I be of service, your highness? Ah, I am sure that the formidable Zelda is looking for another source of adventure? Perhaps if you travel to the land of O'Mally's and present the Guardian with this scroll of entry." With that, Link settles in to dicuss other information with Zelda.

[ Spoiler ]

The scroll contains the letters 12RB Fish in Gothic Script.

1900: Wes' Shack

The comm message light is blinking.

[ Spoiler ]

ONE NEW MESSAGE: Darren O'Mally
How are you my friend? I hope that you are well and sober. If you are interested in an interview for some gainful employment, drop by for some dinner on me. Tell the hostess that you are in the Part Room and give her 12RB Fish as your reservation number.

0815: Jack's Apartment

[ Spoiler ]

After reading the paper for a while, you notice several thing that could be business:
Two local AA corps are fighting over a patent. The Corp Court seems to believe that whoever can produce the proof of concept will end up with the patent. A local gang is making trouble that NOPS doesn't like. The mayoral race is heating up and a few CAS Representatives are up for re-election. Saeder-Krupp is buying some land in the historic district around some museums and is planning to build an arcology.

Nothing really sticks out as Maggie's type of business.

1754: Rooster's Doss
The AR comes up with a message from Darren O'Mally.


When you get done with your work for the day, swing by the grill for a meal on me. I've got something that you might be interested in. Give the hostess, 12RB Fish, as the reservation code.

[ludomastro]

1825: The Club Mix

Smiley nods and says, "Son, you know that O'Mally doesn't allow any weapons in his restaurant, right? You don't have to worry about those that you meet with. If they can have the meet in his place, then you won't need anything. Matter o' fact, you be running the risk of tipppin off the NOPS, the Star, or KE. All those boys eat there along with the moms n pops with the kiddies."

[JDragon]

1825: The Club Mix

"Thanks for the heads up, chummer." Hack'ed smiles to himself and Smiley. Not like I really need my gun to take care of myself anyways.

[last_of_the_grea...]

After finishing his daily research Jack plays a commlink game for a couple of hours, then sacks out until 8pm. He gets up at 8, showers again, dresses and scarfs down a Nerps™ bar. Once he has all his gear gathered and in place he heads out to O'Malley's at about 9. Knowing public transit the way he does, it could take forever and a day to arrive. Will this be a solo job, he wonders, or will there be others? He'd not worked in teams much. Still, he was a professional. At least that was the reputation he hoped to build. Competant was not how he wanted to be known. He wanted to be GOOD! A good, solid, versatile team could only help him achieve his ends, namely getting rich.

When he arrived at O'Malley's he subscribed his link to the restaraunt, then checked his messages. He had it set on private. After all, he was here on biz, hopefully. He stepped inside the entrance and waited for the host or hostess to seat him. 12 RB fish, he thought to himself. What a strange password. He quickly surveyed the place while he waited.

[ Spoiler ]

Perception roll: 1 hit. That well and truly sucked. Only one "1" though. That sure coulda been worse.

[Smilin_Jack]

1900 Saint Philips Apartments

Sighing, Caz sets down her mugwhile thinking to herself "Well that's the last of the soykaf. Now I really gotta start lookin' for some biz." Smiling fainlty at the irony, she walks over to the AC unit and cranks it up to full blast. "Frag I'm tired of this 2 :nuyen: doss already, place makes me feel like a luddite with all these manual controls", she says as she walks into the bathroom. Catching a glimps of herself in the mirror, Caz. thinks to herself "Damn, I really look like crap. Better grab a quick shower before I head out."

Thirty minutes later, freshly showered and made up, Caz starts getting dressed in her normal attire. "Hmm...", she thinks "I haven't heard from the Prof or Ivan since I got down here - hope none of the splatter from that job landed on them. I should give them a call in a few days." Walking out into the living room Caz grabs her Hammerli and a couple of clips off the counter and holsters it in the concealed holster at her back. Thinking to herself "Wonder if I should take the Pred too just in case?" Laughing, she says "Nooo... I definately shouldn't do that, it might give some poor slob a heart attack to see little ol' me walkin' around with that much gun." Still laughing she scoops up her comm from the counter and checks it for messages.

[ Spoiler ]

Ivan = Cool Ivan
Prof = Archana Yu

[Nikoli]

"Now that sounds more like it." Rooster says cheerfully to no one in particular as he walks to the autocook and keys up some spicey gumbo. Giving the noisesome thing it's necessary time, he calls up the message to browse it while waiting for his food to finish being heated, lfavored and prepped.

[Kiedo]

Wes' Shower 1900

As he lathered up his hair, a slight hum emenated from all around Wes, the signal he'd programmed his commlink to give him when there was an incoming message. Still lathering the soap he gives a quick command to display on screen, and in the center of his field of vision the message was displayed.


>> ONE NEW MESSAGE: Darren O'Mally
>> How are you my friend? I hope that you are well and sober. If you are interested in an interview for some gainful employment, drop by for some dinner on me. Tell the hostess that you are in the Part Room and give her 12RB Fish as your reservation number.


Oooh, Darren always has impecible timing

"Yeah, always gets me right in the middle of something, at least this time I'm not with someone," he says with a slight chuckle. He opens up his messenger client and sends a reply.


>> TO: Darren O'Malley
>> MESSAGE:
>> "I'm well. Probably sober by the time I get there, I've got a little hang over now.


Finish up and lets get on the road, compadre

"Yeah yeah," he says washing the soap out of his hair.

After finishing his shower, he walks quietly to his sorry excuse for a dresser and digs out a pair of jeans with more holes in them than the plot of a bad trid movie, a grey shirt with the words "look busy Jesus is coming" written on it in thick white block letters, and gets dressed.

Satisfied that he looked at least somewhat presentable, after all it was only Darren, even if he did have a potential job, he puts on his lined coat, which seemed stupid with the heat outside, grabbed his pair of 620S's, loaded with EXEX, and put them into the concealable holsters. He stood infront of the mirror, making sure he looked ok, and checking to see if he noticed the guns, he felt satified on both fronts and left the house, walking to O'Malley's place. It wasn't too far away, and he liked the evening air.

O'Malley's Bar and Grill 1930

He had, for the most part, sobered up on the way over, having only a slight trace of a hang over. He knew, that O'Malley didn't like guns in his place, and he'd hand them over, if they noticed them.

He walked up to the hostess, "I've got a reservation, 12RB Fish." He slides a Fifty over the hostess stand, he didn't know why really, he was just playing a hunch.

[Whizbang]

A job offer dropped right in her lap. She smiled as she pocketed the scroll "Ah...I knew you'd be looking out for me, no matter where in the world I happen to be. How's things back in Seattle?"

[JDragon]

2050 Coffin Motel

After cleaning up a little Hack'ed prep's for the meeting. He stores his Warhawk in the storage under the bed along with a few other items he will not need tonight. He puts his foci in there pouches and puts on his leather jacket. No way I'm leaving these her for someone to take. He takes hi lined coat along as well just in case something comes up while he's out. He loads his fake SIN, Dr. Jones a professor of History in to his comm, and makes sure it has enough funds to get through the night.

Once packed he heads back out side and down the street. Damn, its after 8 o'clock and its frakin' hot. This almost makes me miss the rain. Hack'ed makes the quick trek to the corner. Seeing that he's early and his ride is not there yet he steps in to the Stuffer Shack to grab a couple NERP's bars so his stomach doesn't scare someone when it growls. He then wanders back outside to wait for his ride.


2150 Outside O'Malley's

"Thanks for the ride chief." Hack'ed beams the taxi driver his fare plus a decent tip since the guy was on time and got him there with out any unneeded detours. Ok, so lets see whats going on here before I head in." Hack'ed will perceive Astrally for several minutes to see if anything out of the ordinary is going on before going in.

[ Spoiler ]

Astral Perception Check - 6 dice - 3 hits - http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=460663

[ludomastro]

2130: O'Mally's
A tall thin man walks over to Jack and asks, "Good evening, my name is Mordred, how may I help you this evening? Perhpas you have a reservation for one of our many party rooms, sir?"

[ Spoiler ]

Jack does not notice anything that seems out of the ordinary. The quantity and variety of people in the restaurant is impressive. The decor tonight is decidedly that of New Orleans. The smells of gumbo and other seafood dishes wash through the area. Off to the right a family of orks is enjoying some Po'boys while a group of what appear to be KE security guards are watching one of their number try to doen straight hot sauce off to the left.

Mordred requests your code and after receiving it motions for you to follow him to the party room.

1930: O'Mally's
As Wes walks throught the door of O'Mally's, Mordred nods to him and says, I'm glad that you are not carrying tonight Mr. Spire. I assume that Mr. O'Mally has provided you with his typical literary reference/code for the party room? If you would, please follow me. He then starts toward one of the "party rooms" in the back pausing only to ensure that Wes actually has a code for the room. After receiving the code, Mordred seats Wes at a table set for nine and ask, "What would you like for dinner this evening? I must confess that I have been given instructions not to serve you any alcohol and so has the bartender so please stick to your secondary drink of choice."

[ Spoiler ]

Aside from Mordred's near perfect attire being wrinkled and his socks not matching, you notice that there is a heavy presence of KE and Star cops in O'Mally's tonight. Also there is a short, balding man next to the bar keeping a steady conversation with the bartender. From his attitude, he is definately not a regular.