IC: Phoenix Rising, In Character thread for the campiagn. Options

[Coldhand Jake]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2330 ��" Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle��"

"Alright, it's getting close to go-time. Truth, are you picking up their PANs?" Jake reholsters the Ruger, and prepares to hack what he can through Truth's relays.

[DWC]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2330 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

<<"Wireless security is a joke. All the useful encryption can't protect dynamic data like communications traffic. Everyone, us and them, might as well be screaming at each other with megaphones. We picked up their PANs before we even got here. I'd have intercepted their wireless traffic sooner, but I've been busy stalking Dr. Cummings.">>

Truth continues digging through the intercepted bundles of wireless data, looking for sensory data for a tactical AR network, and some indication that someone else in the UCAS military is in contact with the soldiers' commlinks.

Suddenly he stops, and begins digging through a seperate section of the mess of intercepted wireless traffic.

<<"You don't put in an alarm system like this without giving it a way to notify the guards that doesn't involve a giant horn and flashing lights. This system has to be connected to the matrix somehow, unless they're all walking around dragging 500 foot data cables. Gecko, what do you see on the underside of the pier? There should be some sort of maintenance access to get under there, and fiberoptic cable running to all the sensors. Is there anything infrastructure looking that goes out into the ground of the island?">>

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2330 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Gecko could feel his own heartbeat pounding in his temple. Long moments passed, the tension palpable, until Truth's decrypted comm's traffic brought it to an end.

Relief flooded through Gecko as he nudged the little drone into life.

Lil'Gecko climbed up the inside of the wall, it's little low-light camera sending ghostly images back to the team through the fibre-optic lifeline it dragged behind it. It climbed the three feet to the top of the wall and swung it's camera from side to side looking for any evidence of control cables for the sensors only a few feet above it. It followed the corner Westwards until it was directly below one of the sensors above and then began to make it's way along the roof towards the centre of the building above.

[ Spoiler ]

Observe in Detail: 6 Hits.

[Coldhand Jake]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2330 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Jake whispers softly. "I am so glad I brought these two guys along. They really have managed to shine. I might actually have to make it a habit to call them on later jobs."<<Good job so far, folks.>>

[bmcoomes]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2330 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Lil'Gecko works it way in scanning as it goes. It picks up nothing, there is no cables or wires of any type under the compound. The whole space is empty.

For those of you search for other nodes and wireless communications you find a Nexus that is centered at the emplacement. Under further looking to can see that the sensors and lights are hardwired through the fence piping to this nexus.

[deadman]

april 11,2070,


<<teamchat>>

<< let us know we are ready just a bit on edge.>>

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2330 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Satisfied that it was safe Gecko had the little drone start a systematic search of the underside of the building. He climbed back up to the hole and established a link to the drone with a directional antenna which allowed it to release the fiber-optic cable and thus have a little more freedom to explore.

He twiddled with his sensors and carefully watched Lil'Gecko's video feed for some sort of access or inspection hatch, drain or sewage pipes, electrical junction boxes, structural ventilation blocks, any way the tiny drone might gain access to the structure above.

<<sat-channel-1-encrypted>>

Ralph, are you still with me? Do you see anything useful?

[bmcoomes]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Data Theft Team

After a few minutes of the little drone searching the underside of the building it does find sawage pipes, and a conduit for the power feed line coming into the building. Nothing esle is found.

[deadman]

april 11,2070,2335 seatle


<<teamchat

<<Etaile,Winstion,

where is she now exactly and how long do you estamate she will be there>>

this wateing is driving me nuts,not used to working with others its nice not haveing to watch your own back all the time,but the presure comes from the fact that if I get something wrong it could get one of them hurt or killed not just me.

[Fuchs]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

DD keeps monitoring the Comm/Tac net, and being ready to support whatever team needs some matrix support.

Team Chat Channel:
<<Could we create another "Merrow" incident somewhere else, and lure the guards there?>>

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

<<sat-channel-1-encrypted>>

Looks like we have two potential points of ingress here for the drone but unless somebody has a Dragonfly Hunter-Killer I'm going to have to get in there myself to cut an access hole into the power conduit. Widening the hole probably won't make much noise now that I've weakened it somewhat but it's still a risk.

The Merrow idea isn't half shabby. Maybe somebody 'local' could call in a sighting to the local radio station or some sort of Critter-watch Matrix site? I'd bet if they've had trouble before that those are exactly the sort of data-feeds they are monitoring.

[Zaranthan]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

<<I've heard about something like this before. Let me think for a moment.>>

[ Spoiler ]

Logic + Knowledge (Parazoology) to recall what merrows are (5d6.hits(5)=3)
Intuition + Knowledge (Current Events) to recall what merrows have done recently (6d6.hits(5)=4)

Not committing to this course of action, just exploring its potential.

[Oenone]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2330 - Renton - Winstons Car--

"Relax Noowan, she is 'aving dinner still. Just stay focused, perhaps you could tell me what methods you 'ave to deal with the spirit if it is alerted to us?"

Team Chat - Encrypted <<Can we tell what course she is on? If they 'ave ordered desert will we 'ave to prepare to move out.>>

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--


<<sat-channel-1-encrypted>>

OK, I'm going in. Feel free to report Merrow activity if you like if this draws any attention.

He places the flats of his hands on the roof above him and hangs straight down for a moment. Pointing his toes he starts to swing backwards and forwards. On the third back-swing he suddenly jackknifes and thrusts his legs straight out in front of him as he swings forward. His feet strike the wall a foot apart and a foot below the original hole.

[ Spoiler ]

Infiltration to reduce noise: 7 Hits.

Unarmed Strike on Wall : 8 Hits.

Modified DV: (Base DV: 9) + Hits (8) = DV 17

Barrier's Damage Resist: Armour x 2 = 24 Dice = 9 Hits.

Final Damage: 8 Boxes.

The wall cracks in a triangular pattern and starts to deform inwards but does not collapse. Gecko swings back and repeats the procedure, this time with his feet together and barely an inch below the original hole.

[ Spoiler ]

Unarmed Strike on Wall : 11 Hits.

Modified DV: (Base DV: 9) + Hits (11) = DV 20.

Wall resists: 9 Hits.

Final Damage: 11 Boxes.

The wall finally gives, two large chunks of Plascrete slide noiselessly into the sea. Gecko allows his momentum to carry his legs through the hole, he releases his grip on the roof and twists as his torso slides through the newly created gap. In the blink of an eye he is on the far side of the wall hanging on to the edge of the hole with his fingertips.

[bmcoomes]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Data Theft Team

With two silent impacts on the wall Gecko vanishes under the compound.

[ Spoiler ]

Soliders Perception Roll (1) 4d6= 1 hit, (2) 4d6 = 0 hits, (3) 4d6 = 1 hit

None of the soldiers seam to response to the impact nor is there any radio traffic.

As you hang there you see that the ground is just below and that you can almost hang there and touch the ground.
There before you is a large space with pillars in rows at the far end is sewer pips and electrical conduit running into the building above and out to island.

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--


<<sat-channel-1-encrypted>>

OK, I'm in. Any reaction from the guards?

He carefully brushes the edge of the hole clean of debris before placing a waveguide and aiming it at the little drone where it sits on the shrouding of the buildings power cables. He pings it with the directional antenna to make sure it is connected to the LASER link.

Effortlessly he launches himself off the wall and sails four meters through the air to one of the nearby supports. He grabs it with one hand, slingshots around it and sails another four meters to the support that is nearest to the power conduit. He slips a short length of rope around it, clips it to his climbing harness and leans back until he is in the perfect position to start work.

Unzipping his jumpsuit Gecko reveals the tools strapped to the chest of his form-fitting body-armour. Studying the RADAR and millimetre wave scans of the conduit for anti-tamper circuits he selects the best place and carefully cuts a hole large enough for the micro-drone in the skin of the conduit.

[ Spoiler ]

Observe in Detail: 3 Hits.

Safely cut a hole: 3 Hits.

[bmcoomes]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Data Theft Team
From your interments and inspection there seams to be no anti-tamper circuits on the conduit. You find a thin walled section and cut there. You open up the conduit with no problem, there in the conduit is the main power line running Medium Voltage (30 kV [30,000 volts]) and information lines to the facility.

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--


<<sat-channel-1-encrypted>>

Jackpot.

What we have here are is the facilities fiberoptic trunk.

He pulls a Optical tap from a pocket and clips it onto a length of fiber he carefully teases from the bundle with an insulated plastic hook.

[ Spoiler ]

Placing an Optical Tap (Hardware + Logic (2)): 6 Hits.

Christ, I wish my RL dice were that good....

Alright then.

<<sat-channel-1-encrypted>>

OK DD you're good to go here.

[Shalimar]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

<<Team Chat>>
<<The only way for us to get passed the spirits without alerting their master is to hit them with orgasm's so strong that they lose themselves in it. With Spirits as strong as they are, the only way to do that without one of them getting off a mental warning to their master would be to take them by surprise. If they notice something, or an alert sounds they are going to have time to use their link to their summoner.>>

<<If I can get Dancing Eyes to soften the second one up with a stun bolt to weaken it while I do the first we should be able to pull it off. If we catch them by surprise we should be able to disable them without the guards ever knowing something happened. So...should I do it or should we hold off and hope we aren't found? Risks either way. Maybe we should check out what Gecko was able to hook into first?>>

[Little Johnson]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

<<Team Chat>>
<<Tom>> ok Keep cool we are in it seems. No need to do anythng unless Gek is noticed..>>

[deadman]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2330 - Renton - Winstons Car--

"Relax Noowan, she is 'aving dinner still. Just stay focused, perhaps you could tell me what methods you 'ave to deal with the spirit if it is alerted to us?"

"well sir got a few sprits my self that will distract the the one 3 to be exact,and if I can get in the right spot and time it corectly her sprit wont even know I am there"

[Fuchs]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Team Chat Channel
<<Gotcha. Let me see what I can sniff out through the tap...>>

DD focuses on the link to the wire tap Gecko installed, the other feeds she is monitoring shrinking in size in her field of view in the matrix, and starts to check the data traffic passing through the line.

[ Spoiler ]

Decrypting turn 1: Electronic Warfare 3 + decrypt 3 + Math SPU 2 + VR 2 (10d6.hits(5)=2)
Decrypting turn 2: Electronic Warfare 3 + decrypt 3 + Math SPU 2 + VR 2 (10d6.hits(5)=1)
Decrypting turn 3: Electronic Warfare 3 + decrypt 3 + Math SPU 2 + VR 2 (10d6.hits(5)=3)
Decrypting turn 3: Electronic Warfare 3 + decrypt 3 + Math SPU 2 + VR 2 (10d6.hits(5)=2)
Decrypting turn 5: Electronic Warfare 3 + decrypt 3 + Math SPU 2 + VR 2 (10d6.hits(5)=3)

Intercepting traffic: Hacking 5 + Sniffer 3 + VR 2 (10d6.hits(5)=5)

[bmcoomes]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Data Theft Team

DD upstream is the Facility Nexus, a sculpted Node in the form of the Mech the is being developed. Downstream is a Military Nexus with a chock point, which is also sculpted. The chock points looks like a military check point with guards and emplacements beyond that is an ominous fortress.

Wetworks Team
From the video feeds and surveillance drone the doctor is eating dinner and drinking with her company.

[Fuchs]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

DD takes a deep breath.

Ok... time to earn the nuyen.
Team Chat Channel:
<<Ok, you might not like this, but we need a bit more time to infiltrate the facility node. Hacking on the fly is too risky - too easy to get detected. So, get comfortable, and be a bit patient, and thank you for using our data services.>>

Firing up her stealth and exploit programs, DD starts probing the node with Jake at her back. Her neon green icon darkens, her curvy form getting rougher, and less distinct, until it ressembles a ghillie suit as she is trying to worm her way into the facility node.

Team Chat Channel:
<<If anyone wants to analyze the traffic pattern we're sniffing, do so, so we have got a leg up if we need to insert fake alerts as a distraction... >>>

Suddenly, DD, already probing the node for exploits, has an idea.

It's crazy but it might work.

Team Chat Channel:
<<Oh, if they use this line to move the data in an emergency then even if we trigger an alert we might get the files we're after, so keep copying and sifting the data we sniff. It's a slim chance, but better than none.>>

[ Spoiler ]

Probing the facility node try 1: Hacking 5, exploit spec 2, Exploit Program 5, VR 2, Jake help 2 (16d6.hits(5)=6)
Probing the facility node try 2: Hacking 5, exploit spec 2, Exploit Program 5, VR 2, Jake help 2 (16d6.hits(5)=6)

After an hour of digital hide and seek, DD finally finds a small bug, a weak spot in the sculpted mech's armor. Grinning, she "goes for the eyes and groin".

Showtime!

[crizh]

--Friday April 11th, 2070 at 2335 – Eagledale, Bainbridge Island, Seattle--

Heeding DD's warning, Gecko leaned back on the rope holding him to the pillar, stretched and made himself comfortable.

He listened in to the guards radio chatter, munched his way through an MRE and rehearsed his exfil mentally.

And waited.