[X] My Assistant

[JoelHalpern]

07Jan2071 0858 GMT Ministry of Defense Whitehall London United Kingdom
Seeing the large Troll walking over (even the oblivious notice DangerClose, which can be quite convenient) Tam looks up.

"Good morning. I am not sure one can ever be ready for this sort of thing, but I am at least prepared for it. You look a little worse for wear, but I imagine you have kept functioning under much worse conditions. Boredom is, after all, the soldier's common lot."

[DWC]

07Jan2071 0858 GMT Ministry of Defense Whitehall London United Kingdom

He points to the small scratches across his face and neck.

These are superficial, and will be closed up by afternoon tea. I stepped in front of a Great Dragon missile last month in northern China, and spent all weekend recovering from the punctured lung, ruptured spleen, and broken ribs. When you are this big, you have to be prepared to get shot with a lot of things that aren't meant to be used on metahumans. The boredom gives me time to read."

[Mickle5125]

<<Hey Guys and entertainment! Surviving a Great Dragon Missile or not, you really need to be careful. I can think of a half dozen diseases and poisons that could come through a small scratch like that that would kill even a big troll like you, DC. Once you enter the meeting room, be the last one in, will you DC? I need a ride in since flying in would cause problems...>>

Lilith sends as a text message from an unknown location.

[Dumori]

07Jan2071 0902 GMT Ministry of Defense Whitehall London United Kingdom
Dust walks in to thought the front doors as the alarm stars bleeping. His hand goes to his face and then he reaches slowing in to his coat pulls out his silvergun and two clips and deftly hands them to the guard. "Sorry 'bout that its licensed and I prefer not to risk my life walking in the rough parts of the sprawl. The guard stunned by this hands the gun to reception and watches as Dust walks up to DC and Tam.
"Sorry I'm a bit late I trust we are all ready. I was busy finishing some business with a guest."

[DWC]

<<"Toxins and infections are always something I pay attention to. Consider it a side effect of growing up in the VITAS and Kreiger strain capitol of the world. But I will do what I can to help you out, L.">>

DC nods to the three eyed elf.

"Eager to get going, Dust. The sooner we get this process started, the sooner we will be done. Anyone seen Abaddon?"

[crizh]

Slowly the pounding in his temples faded as the pain killers started to take effect. Nanites crawled through the burst vessels in his retinas knitting the ruptured tissue back together. His vision started to clear and he started to become aware of his surroundings.

Tools littered the workbenches around him and several large deadly weapons were lined up against the front wall. Abaddon furrowed his brow. At least two of the weapons Weaponsmyth had modded he didn't recognize. Artoo was sitting in a corner with a red completion ticket hangng from his tracks but one of Threepio's hip joints lay in pieces on the table in front of him.

<<Disengage. Let me out and then finish this other drone while I'm at the meet.>>

[ Spoiler ]

Task Spirit Modding Weapons - Rush Job - 3 Hours

Logic (12) + Armourer (12) + AR Plans (2) = 26 Dice = 32 Hits

6 Weapons Modified for Antarctic Operations.

Task Spirit Modding Vehicles - Rush Job - 9 Hours

Logic (12) + Automotive Mechanic (12) + AR Plans (2) = 26 Dice = 23 Hits

1 Drone Modified, 7 Hits towards second Drone, for Antarctic Operations.

He pulled the helmet off and used the expedient of slipping back into his natural form to extricate himself from the suit of battle armour. As soon as he was out the hollow shell put it's head back on and got on with retro-fitting the seals in the hip joint on the workbench.

07Jan2071 0902 GMT Ministry of Defense Whitehall London United Kingdom

He had slept through the taxi ride while Jean chatted to the driver about The Gunners and their chances in this years FA cup.

He 'iz 'ere DC but try not to wake 'im before the meeting gets started.

[DWC]

07Jan2071 0902 GMT Ministry of Defense Whitehall London United Kingdom

The troll’s voice drops in volume and pitch in response to the spirit’s request.

�Of course. Very convenient for him, being able to sleep while you walk his body around.

Lord knows I could use a nap.

The flashing clock icon from his commlink's organizer snaps him back to business quickly enough.

�It looks like we are running slightly late. We should get going. Where is this meeting, Dust?�

[Dumori]

"In a back briefing room. Please follow." Dust leads you though a maze of corridors you cant tell if he's been here more than a few times or is just following an AR map.
"Here we are. Now remember we are professionals. He glances at Seraph a tad longer with this comment.

"Ah so Dust and his team finally arrive. the rough and battle scarred dwarf at with a motley crew of a Orc, Human and elf.
"Shut it Reaver. we are only 3 minutes late and it looks like our host is behind us.
As if on que the door at the back of the room opens an three government suites walk though a hollo-projector flickers on in the center of the room displaying a monochromatic globe in pale blue.
I am in charge of this research project and its safety as such I will be your employer for this contract. You may call me Peterson. I guess Dust has informed you on our basic situation. Am I correct? A curt nod form Dust makes Peterson continue. "Right then a eco terror group "Earths Fury" have threatened to destroy our joint venture with Seder-Kurp to build a multipurpose research base on Antarctica. While this base is and will be almost completely run by S-K who will be paying us for the right to use that land and will supply our military with S-K ordnance. This threat warrants then sending of men to represent our own interests in this project. This is where you come in Reaver's team although reliable is not geared or trained for a mission like this they are much more aimed towards sabotage missions. However they recommended you Dust. Apparently you are good at outdoor opps and have a competent team with you." Peterson points towards the globe witch begins to zoom in and gain colour. "The base is here a few 100 kicks in land the coastal base will be your closest link to the out side world in the early construction stages until the hangers and underground areas are built and the base can begin to function independently. Until then all we have on the ground so far is a basic warehouse and the scaffolds for the main building. By the time you get there the main building should be under way and a few upper level barracks in place along with a second warehouse. You are being hired to defend the base until the automated defenses and on site guards are in place and fulling functional. Even after that you will still have to wiped out and threats to the base still in the area. Any questions on the mission we'll discuss payment later?"

[Mickle5125]

<<Dust, if we aren't talking money yet, I need to know about any provided supplies they might have, as well as what security gear (cameras, automated turrents, electronic locks, etc) they have already there. See if you can find out if they have a Spider already there, or if we'll be responsible for that part of the security as well. Oh, also, will we be the only ones there, or will there be additional teams providing security?>>

[DWC]

DangerClose waits for Dust, Tam, and Seraph to enter the room before stepping in from the hallway. Instinctively, he ducks as he enters, just barely avoiding catching a polished horn on the door frame. Just inside, reasonably confident that the group already in the room are paying far more attention to Seraph than to him, he pauses to allow time for Lilith to slip in. Once he’s received some indication that she is inside, he pulls the door shut.

After a quick look around the room, he nods in appreciation to Dust, drapes his overcoat of the back of the troll sized chair clearly provided specifically for him, and sits. He has barely had time to set his coffee down on the table when the trio of government officials as they arrive at the meeting. Meaty fingers steepled, he listens to their overview of the operation, making mental notes of his questions at the speed of thought.

When the government official completes his initial presentation, the troll starts at the top and begins reading his list of questions.

“My questions are primarily contractual and operational details. What will Saeder-Krupp be providing in the way of logistical support for us? Will they be supplying munitions, food, spare parts, and the other consumable goods necessary to support a 24/7 heightened readiness in the harshest environment on earth? Will the construction crew’s support staff be available to us? What is the contruction crew’s head count? Are we responsible for their safety, or just the protection of the facility itself? Are the facility’s solar panels and supplementary generators on line? If so, does the site have permanent matrix access? How sizable of a perimeter does the site have, and will we be required to secure the entirety of it? How frequently will we be resupplied? What is the projected construction schedule, including the handover of the site to the permanent staff? Will anyone present at the facility actually be United Kingdom supplied other than ourselves? Will our mission involve training of the site security staff in polar survival and polar warfare techniques? Will we be involved in the commissioning of the security systems? Is the coastal installation a permanent one, or was it constructed as a temporary supply point for this one? Once contractual details have been settled, how soon will you be transporting us to the facility, and by what method? I understand that we will be representing the United Kingdom’s interests on the site. Will we be presented to your partners as British military personnel, or do you want them to be aware that we are independently contracted professional soldiers?�

The list of operational and logistics questions continues for what seems like an eternity, sprinkled with questions about addressing the political situation of the joint venture. Something in his body language and his aura twitches slightly when he changes the subject to the terrorist threat to the site.

“Earth’s Fury. How soon can we expect complete access to the intelligence that you have collected on them, including your existing analysis of that intelligence, particularly focused on their capacity to strike deep into the Antarctic? Will we be permitted to review all information collected on each person present at the site? Will pursuing leads uncovered during operations against the group in Antarctica be part of this contract, or will that be turned over to your intelligence services? Will we be handling the interrogation of any detained terrorsts, or will they be surrendered to Saeder-Krupp, or someone else?�

[Muspellsheimr]

Confidant DangerClose is covering everything they need, Seraph leans back slightly. Posturing, movement, breathing - everything she does has a sexual undertone. Focusing on the Johnson, she begins her subtle gestures to draw his attention.

Noticing Dusts annoyed glance, she sends a message to the team.
<<Pay attention to the Johnson, what he does & says. Distracted men make mistakes, let things slip. Anything he forgets to mention we can obtain after.>>

[ Spoiler ]

Seduction focused on Johnson, but affecting everyone in the room, at Dumori's discretion. Matrix reminders to pay attention sent to any of our team appearing a little to distracted.

(22 = 4 Charisma + 2 Con + 2 Specialization + 3 Kinesics + 3 Tailored Pheromones + 6 Empathy; Social Modifiers [SR4 p.122] not included)
5 Hits
Edge to re-roll failures:
4 Hits
9 Hits

[Dumori]

“Right then let me see what I can answer now. First off you will SK will be aware that you are independently contracted professional soldiers. There are a few sec opps guys of ours down there however there only two a intelligence operative and a training officer how will be training the SK guys in Antarctic combat. They are trained in interrogations however if your guys are more capable then they have permission to ask them for infomation. Our intel on Eath's Fury is sadly lacking. However any info we get will be forwarded to the base ASAP. The construction crew is about 50 men strong plus drones. This is to speed up the frist stages as we want that base running independently. You wont be alone on this the SK force will be there but as most are still in training for there new rolls yous need to work on your own until there operational. Resupplying will be few after the base is running however until then they will be quite frequent however the bases nanoforges can make ammo and replacement parts. SK will be supplying the majority of the food and base equipment we will cover operational costs and expediter in the contract up to a point. The projected schedule is sketchy at most however we hope to have a stable base by end of summer even if its not 100% complete. You might be request to help train the staff and any input you can supply to selecting security device will be appreciated. The coastal base is the base this one will be replace once fully running as such lab staff and lab gear is stored there for now. After construction the coastal base will act as a port for the base and a secondary landing zone. Temporary solar panes are up as of now so is matrix access these will be be moved to permanent locations as the main building is completed. You wont need to follow leads off Antartica however you will be requested to halt any operations Earth's Fury are running on the conternet if passable. Transport to the base with your gear and will be with the next suple shipment in 3 weeks you will be flown to the coastal base via a suborbital.� Peterson look quite agast at the number of questions thrown at him.

[JoelHalpern]

After several hours of discussion, triggered by DCs question, Tam adds a few:
"What sort of satellite or widespread aerial surveillance do/will you have in place? Given how large the field is, we need to plan our efforts to complement yours. If you want a clean sweep at the end, that will require plenty of observations. If we know where they are, I am sure we can do the cleanup."

[DWC]

Existing recon elements. Good point. I knew I shouldn’t have skipped breakfast. I’m starving.

DangerClose takes a moment off from noting Peterson’s answers to his first barrage of questions to send a quick note to the rest of the group.

<<Almost forgot. Where’s my gift?>>

More questions follow as the troll hones in on the political situation.

“What, if any, are our Rules of Engagement? Is the installation considered British soil, or extraterritorial corporate property? Will Saeder-Krupp expect any oversight of our operations, or have any authority over us? Beyond the obvious tactical command in case of attack, do we have any contractual authority over their staff? While we are deployed, do we report to your intelligence agent, or directly to you? How often will we be required to submit situation reports?�

He pauses to let Peterson digest the next volley of questions, before raising Lilith’s concern about spiders.

�Will we be responsible for matrix security at the site during construction, or will Saeder-Krupp be handling that? If they are handling matrix security, will their specialists be on site or working remotely from another office via the satellite link?�

[Mickle5125]

<<DC, I didn't like it, so I sent it back. Wasn't pink enough. Worry about it after we get done milking the government of every last nuyen they'll pay. By the by, if we find out where Earth's Fury's located, anyone up for a preemptive strike?>>

[DWC]

<<It's tempting. Would turn our time down on the ice into an extremely well paid, very cold vacation. Have any of you heard of this group?>>

[Dumori]

<<That it is however it could be hard to strike at a newly discovered terrorist group which could be operating any place on earth. About the gift my contacts being a bit slow but they'll be here in 1 week or less.>>

[Mickle5125]

<<Pfft... a few tactical nukes can fix any problem! Except insect spirits. They don't die. Ever. They're sorta annoying like that.>>

[DWC]

<<A whole week? Patience is not one of my virtues. Call it a side effect of knowing I'm going to die of old age at 40. But we've got three weeks to find them. Between the Ministry's near infinite matrix resources, Abaddon's near infinite arcane power, and our willingness to go on highly destructive wild goose chases for nothing more than the sport of it, we might be able to pull it off. That reminds me of one more thing.>>

Suppressing his smirk, DangerClose speaks again.

"Oh, and what exactly was the nature of Earth's Fury's threat against this project? Was it delivered via the matrix? How long ago was it received? Is their vendetta with Saeder-Krupp, the crown, or with anyone who builds in the Antarctic?>>

[Dumori]

<<Yes up to a whole week. If we can get the info at least we might be able to ambush them when they land on Antarctica if we cant hit them before.>>

Peterson begins to answer the next volley of questions.
"Questions, questions, questions. You are an inquisitive fellow Donald Chutzi. Earth's Fury posted there threat on the matrix about a week ago. We know they are likely to act on it as they have posted repeated threats. We assume that Earth's Fury are angled against Saeder-Krupp. Rules of engagement are standard for things like this limit collateral damage and rendering areas unsafe and limit our accountability other than that they're lacking. As to S-Ks matrix security as of now I believe that have off site spiders on hand. The installation is considered British soil. Contractual authority over their staff is up to Saeder-Krupp's commander however I you will not be under their direct command. You will report to our intelligence agent as he will be our eyes and ears. If he becomes unenviable for any reason your will have to contact the MoD and a new root of communication will be set up. On the intelligence side of things Tam our satellite give hourly updates and one can be requested to mointer the area on a live vid feed if needed. However this is expensive to keep running and will take a few hours to re-sync its orbit. We understand that a clean sweep will take a lot of observations and that is some thign you will be tasked with on the ground. Lucky even the light snow cover will allow for easy tracking and images and signal sniffing should help you track them down. You will be work to defend the base as well as you can. Millitray units can be made available if needed in case of a large mobilization of hostile forces and S-K has some thing similar but these units could take days to arrive. In this case your job is to minimize the damage to the installation.

[Mickle5125]

<<What supplies are they providing? IE: cold suits, ammunition, food, medical supplies, etc.>>

[DWC]

<<It sounded as though Saeder-Krupp will be providing food and medical support, and we will have access to their nanoforges for our ammunition and spare parts needs. I fully intend to charge them for any costs incurred in cold weather modifications, just like I am for all my time in London.>>

"I do, and I would guess that my colleagues are quite sick of me running my mouth. Just the same, the more I know about the situation, the better I can serve your interests in it."

[Dumori]

"Is that all your questions? If so we shall start discussing your payment."


<<That's how I heard it DC. So are we ready for the long part? Hum.. Any one want to brake for lunch first? I only need my one meal but I know you other like a bit more to eat.>>

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ooc.gif)

[ Spoiler ]

I'm going to swap all your dessert adaptations for free however they will still take game time to do just a little gift due to a polar swap in environment I pulled at the last min. (pun intended)

[crizh]

Unless there is something unusual about the site's Astral Environment I'm good to go.

The little Mage's voice sounded fatigued and he was leaning on the arm of his chair to prop his head up with his hand.

Per'aps some strong coffee would be in order, non? As to payment, we 'ave found it profitable to negotiate a 'shits and giggles' clause stipulating a 25% bonus for each tactically pertinent omission on the part of the client and for each 'unexpected complication' that occurs. If you plan to eliminate the terror group I would certainly hope to receive a substantial bonus for doing so. Also I only 'ave a limited supply of Binding Materials and a Nanoforge will not be able to replace them.

[JoelHalpern]

<<They appear to have little or no intel on this group. In my experience it takes time to develop teh information to actually counter a determined terrorist cell, and elimination requires luck or sloppiness on their part. Conversely, we better try to get as much inof as we can. We need to know whether their primary fpcus is likely to be a physical assault, matrix manipulation, or a magical / spiritual assault. If they can afford to fly over and drop bombs, we have a different problem.>>