2072: Game World, IC thread for 2072: Recruitment always open! Options

[SoyKaf Adict]

@Fortune's Forecast
[April 18th, 2072, 00:57:19; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Room 403]
PAN: Active - Erica Hallowford
PAN: Hidden - Vivian Leman

Adrian couldn't see her face, but she was sure he'd think her a psychotic for the look on it. Saint pulled her best forlorn puppy look, and in a similarly pouting tone, responded to his rebuke.

"But doctor, I don't remember accusing you of anything," she said with mock concern.

Leaving the statement open in the air, she expected a number of retorts. I don't know what you're talking about. You're crazy. I'll have you arrested. All were similarly vague responses that indicated something to hide, and she hoped it was something to that effect. Anything else would mean they were back to square one.

[Ears]

@Fortune's Forecast
[Monday, April 18th, 2072, 00:57:05; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Room 403]
PAN=Active, SIN: John Taylor, Edge: 5 / 6

So much for that. On the other hand, there is a way to telepathically communicate...

Hoping that half-turned away as he is, his actions are hidden from the doctor, Adrian taps out a short message to Saint

<<to:Saint from:Sport>dropit.xplain l8r>

Adrian turns back and takes a step towards Saint

Erica, I'm sure the doc is just gotten careful with all the str...strange people he's bound to see here in the middle of the night. Trying to emphasize the strange, Adrian highlights it with some twitching. You got your eye fixed, why don't we grab some grub or something?

He finishes with some more twitching in the hopes that this would give the doctor the correct wrong idea of what 'or something' might be.

[onlyghostdancesw...]

@Fortune's Forecast
[Monday, April 18th, 2072, 00:58:21; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Room 403]

The doctor simply glared at Saint and didn't reply until they were almost out of the room and had half-closed the door, "I DON'T kill and I always help everyone... everyone you understand me miss? Always."

Pressure came from the other side of the door and it slammed loudly against the frame even to the point of rattling the mostly broken glass that would have covered a fire extinguisher on the wall opposite the office had this been a private clinic.

[JxJxA]

@E:PL UK
[May 19th, 2072, 10:25:32; Knoll Road, Fleet, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

Gemeaux shrugs and scrunches his mouth to the side in thought.

"I suppose they must be the same group of police. They approached the chapel with weapons meant to subdue, announcing themselves as lawmen only after I had disposed of three of their number."

Would I have used less force? Hmm...that is a question best left unasked...

"Given the circumstances and their methods, I figured they were a corporate team coming to collect our friends here." He gestures to Oliver and Luc. Then he turns to Charlie.

"Perhaps you could enlighten us, Monsieur Charles?"

[SoyKaf Adict]

@Fortune's Forecast
[April 18th, 2072, 00:58:47; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Room 403]
PAN: Active - Erica Hallowford
PAN: Hidden - Vivian Leman

Coolly, Saint removed Adrian's hand from her arm, none-to-pleased he'd dragged her away. She monitored her countdown, it was dangerously close to the arrival time expected of Knight Errant anyway.

"We need to get outta here, soonish. After that, I have questions."

She didn't like being kept in the dark, and now they were once again without a lead. They'd have to pass by reception, and no doubt, the receptionist would be awaiting the other portion of her fee. This was a crappy start for any investigation.

[Ears]

@Fortune's Forecast
[Monday, April 18th, 2072, 00:58:52; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Room 403]
PAN=Active, SIN: John Taylor, Edge: 5 / 6

Back into the dilipated corridor, Adrian turns towards the elevator and sheepishly rubs his arms, not sure where to put them.

Sorry for, for rushing you out like that. I'll answer your questions the best I can. Elsewhere.

And maybe I'll think of something better than "Trust me, I'm a yogi."

[Aria]

@E:PL UK
[May 19th, 2072, 10:25:32; Knoll Road, Fleet, UK]

As you huddle into the cramped confines of the estate car you allow yourselves a moment to breathe a sigh of relief at your narrow escape. There are plenty of questions about why the police were after you, and why if indeed it was a tactical unit, they came in such small numbers and with apparent lack of prep. Charlie woozily looks back at you from his management of the rudimentary autopilot…

“I dunno guv. I can’t think of a reason why the pigs would raid the church. Only fing going on was you lot” after a pause for you to digest that little gem of info… “so, were we going den? We can drive around all day but some time dat old fart is gonna notice his wheels ain’t dere!”

Monsieur Collot looks at you all in turn “The danger is for me and my son. I will understand if you want to leave us. I understand why my kind is hated but all I want to do is live in peace. These Clearwater people say they can do this, away from others. They offer me a future and for whatever reason, they will pay you to see me safely there…I am sorry that I cannot be more help to you, these powers are almost as much of a mystery to me as they are to you…”

[Aria]

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 8th, 2072, 20:17 PM; CZ, Chicago]

Joe/Jess

You move with a degree of speed, balanced by caution, through the crumbling stair well, avoiding the drop where the handrail has long since plummeted to the base of the stairs. Despite your efforts the structure creaks under your weight and you marvel that it hasn’t disintegrated long ago.

You hear the buzzing ahead again, and then you hear a chitinous scraping that sets your teeth on edge and perhaps you pause for a second to question the wisdom of your precipitous climb. A crash sounds and then flying away from the structure you see the heart stopping sight of a wasp spirit clutching something in its limbs.

Your elevation is such that a couple of blocks over, some two hundred meters away, you can see the bob and weave of someone climbing through the rubble on a course more or less parallel to your group…someones…

Copperhead

As you fling the last of the ferals into a bloody heap beside what passes for a road here something explodes out of the building to your left and you catch a glimpse of the yellow and black striped monstrosity before it is out of sight. Although thermally it is a patch of darkness against the dark night sky, whatever it was carrying looked to be alive, or shortly deceased.

Ælias

The signals are intermittent but definitely there…perhaps two hundred meters away to your right…

[Aria]

@Fortune's Forecast
[April 17th, 2072, 23:30:00, Doss, Loveland, Puyallup]

Scratch forcibly restrained herself from flinging the comm unit across the room. She felt the flickering of darkness at the back of her vision that warned of one of her attacks and she took a deep breath and steadied herself against the door jamb. She couldn’t fall apart now, surely Summer was okay, she had to be! That weird little minx Aria was probably watching over her and she’d become so wrapped up in whatever she was doing that she hadn’t been able to call in, right? Col, she didn’t have time now for his games, but if he could help her…

<<Col. Ok, I could do some biz, but I don’t want cash, I want you to look out for Summer for me, she’s gone off grid. I know you’ve got the eyes and ears all over the place, put them to work for me and I’ll do this biz for you. Maybe I’ll even owe you! Where and when?>>

She immediately felt better. Col was small time in many ways but he had a web of contacts, mostly set up by Ma, that rivalled some bigger time fixers. If he couldn’t find Summer he would likely know someone who could. Now, if she could just track down Aria maybe she would have some answers, problem was she didn’t really know where to start…

[Notsoevildm]

@E:PL/Chi Town / All
[July 8th, 2072, 20:17 PM; CZ, Chicago]
PAN: Hidden, SIN: Charlotte Church

Copperhead reflexively hugs Ælias tight against her as the 'thing' flies off into the night.

Bug! Bug! A real fragging wasp spirit. I thought they nuked this place to kill them off. Frag me! Snake protect us all.

She senses a faint hissing from her mentor, but knows that there is little the serpent can do to aid her here.

After a couple of moments, she realises she is still gripping onto the struggling Ælias and somewhat embarrased, releases him from her crushing embrace. She wonders what he is hearing as the bug spirit was clearly no drone.

And where the frag is Jess?

She pings a message out hoping that the strange woman is okay and still within comm range. She quickly pushes image of a fading aura being carried off into the night out of her thoughts.

<<Jess. You still with us?>>

[JxJxA]

@E:PL UK
[May 19th, 2072, 10:25:32; Knoll Road, Fleet, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

"Well," Gemeaux says to Charlie while rubbing his clean-shaven face in thought, "I suppose it is nice to know that we did not stumble into something else that would have brought the police down upon our heads."

He turns his attention to Monsieur Collot when he addresses the group. After the man says his piece, he gives Oliver a reassuring smile.

"Do not worry, mon compatriote. I can speak for myself and say that I shall stay with you. What sort of professional would I be if I left a job half-done? No, my friend, I am with you to the end.

"But we will have to find another place to hide and another ride to take. As much as I enjoy the luxury of driving in an antique, this particular car is rife with la puanteur d'un vieil homme." He wrinkles his nose in disgust to emphasize his point.

"I am unfamiliar with this country, so does anyone else have an idea of where to hide? If not, I could attempt to contact my dear Lianne to see if she knows someone in this place."

[SoyKaf Adict]

@Fortune's Forecast
[April 18th, 2072, 01:00:15; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Room 403]
PAN: Active - Erica Hallowford
PAN: Hidden - Vivian Leman

"Agreed," she said simply.

She took the same elevator down, waiting for Sport to shuffle in after her. All of a sudden he was a lost puppy. He'd have to toughen up if he wanted to make it in this world, or maybe it was what she'd already gone through that made her think that way.

The elevator doors finally slid open, though the notifying bell had probably long since faltered in disrepair. She moved past the desk, hoping the receptionist would be too busy. She kept an eye out for KE, as they were sure to arrive soon.

[Trigger]

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 8th, 2072, 20:17 PM; CZ, Chicago]

Ælias was so startled by the signal in the distance that it stopped him in his tracks. They had been out here in the CZ for a bit now, and the lack of connection was starting to get to him. The signal was like a cigarette lighter in the distance on a moonless night, but he could sense it, and that was all that mattered.

Once he felt the signal, that was all that mattered. He needed to know what it was. He reached out to whatever resonance he could find, calling out to the spirit of Alias, the shadow in the Resonance bound to his core. He called, stretching his mind, and then he felt it, the most subtle response, but it was there and it was just enough for him to dig into. A moment later a hole seamed to appear in the virtual world around him, the area created by his own biological node. The Crack seemed to shimmer in his vision, pulsing with his own heartbeat.

<Ælias: Hey buddy, thanks for showing up! Can go find that little signal out there and figure out what it is for me? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) >

The sprite seemed to waiver in positive response, it's link with Ælias transmitting signs of agreement as well as subtle tones of confusion and almost disgust for the lack of network around them, but off it went anyways.

With a sigh, Ælias finally returned his attention to world around him and nearly jumped in surprise. Copperhead had her big, metallic, arms around him, and he was squeezed up against her muscular, and surprisingly comfortable, torso. He didn't realized how distant he had become in the last few moments, falling completely into the little bit of Resonance he had found. He hadn't realized his AIPS would respond this badly to the lack of signal, it was disconcerting, and something he needed to pay attention to from now on.

He took a moment to look around the wasteland and then he noticed the dead bodies in front of them. Then he remembered what was happening before the signal caught his attention. These three were coming at them, but it looks like Copperhead had taken care of them.

Wasn't there someone else with us?

[RdMarquis]

@E:PL UK
[May 19th, 2072, 10:21:11; Church of Our Lady, 2 Connaught Road, Fleet, UK]
SIN: Spencer Lovett, PAN: Active

I understand why my kind are hated. Mordred tried not to hold Collot's words against him. He had seen firsthand the consequences of the second Crash. The witch hunts. The accusations. It wasn't surprising that some technomancers would view their abilities as a curse. But this talk of understanding... As if he and those like him deserved to be treated like monsters. The adept thought of the infant, and of his half sibling. Could Collot understand why they, too, would be hated?

This is no time for sentimentality. The deep voice of his mentor spirit admonished him.

Inwardly, Mordred was angry. But he knew the dragon was right. No. No, it isn't. The adept unclenched a fist and reached for his other commlink. Better to get busy before he said something he would regret. Yet, he could not stop himself from replying. "Just a while ago, you helped us to elude the police. Don't be so quick to judge yourself useless." With that, he turned his thoughts to their current situation.

There could be no doubt the police were still looking for them, and that they had been judged to be dangerous criminals. It was possible roadblocks had been set up in order to trap them on the roads. The best move would be finding a route not being patrolled by the police. "Charlie. Is there any part of the city that the cops avoid? Somewhere your local government has given up on as a hive of scum and villainy?" Mordred hadn't been in the UK since he was five years old. It was no longer home to him, and besides, he had lived in Cornwall. This was an unfamiliar city. But if Fleet was like any other in the Sixth World, it probably included a divide a place for the criminals and poor to hole up, away from law abiding citizens.

"We could take a route out of town involving a rough neighborhood," he suggested, consulting his mapsoft.

[Ears]

@Fortune's Forecast
[Monday, April 18th, 2072, 01:01:17; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Reception Area]
PAN=Active, SIN: John Taylor, Edge: 5 / 6

Letting what he had just seen pass before his inner eye once more, Adrian follows Saint into the elevator and - once they have reached the ground floor - back towards the reception area without speaking.

Walking through the door, he automatically turns towards the nurse who had given them their passes, hesitates as he notices that Saint went into another direction and takes a few quick steps to catch back up to her.

Even if it's a bribe, we promised to pay it...

He sighs.

A woman whose head blew up shortly after she left my car, me lying, bribing and now stealing; and this night isn't even over yet.

Another sigh. This one turns into a yawn halfway through, though.

[JxJxA]

@E:PL UK
[May 19th, 2072, 10:25:32; Knoll Road, Fleet, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

"A 'rough neighborhood' would be fine with me. It would at least give us a crowd to blend in with, as well as a place to ditch this car and find another." Gemeaux looks at the others.

"Would that be all right with the rest of you?"

[onlyghostdancesw...]

@Fortune's Forecast
[April 17th, 2072, 23:31:00, Doss, Loveland, Puyallup]


Col's reply came back to Scratch much more quickly than she had expected and a combination of anxiety and suspicion filled her as she read the message that showed up almost as soon as she had received confirmation:

<<Yeah I figured that might be the case, listen sis... that's what I wanted to talk to you about actually. I don't know much but what I do I'll be glad to share... my cherize is missing as well as a few others. More than the usual missing for home sweet home neh? Anyways, Haines Wharf, the abandoned one across from the park, 76th Pl W in Everett, 1 hr - Col>>

[onlyghostdancesw...]

@Fortune's Forecast
[Monday, April 18th, 2072, 01:01:20; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Reception Area]

Saint's stormy mood was not helped at all by the sight of Knight Errant Officers crowding around the area where the young ork had been sitting; had been because there was now a body on the floor and past experience had taught her that not even the biggest troll could produce that much blood on the floor by himself. Before she got halfway past the nurse at the reception desk she abruptly stopped as she saw the nurse eying her from across the counter. The nurse looked very calm if a little put out and merely gave her a meaningful look before rubbing her fingers together in the universal hand sign for "money".

[onlyghostdancesw...]

@Fortune's Forecast
[Monday, April 18th, 2072, 01:01:20; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Reception Area]

Adrian was so disraught with the course of the night that he nearly bowled Saint over as she stopped dead in her tracks with him close on her heels. A moment of hesitation to the point of almost yelling at her brought him to realize what had caused the stoppage; there were half a dozen burly Knight Errant officers blocking their exit, feet surrounded by a now congealing pool of deep crimson blood. I never knew blood was so red and yet so... black at the same time!Added onto the strain from what he had seen in the doctor's office Adrian felt a deep sense of foreboding which reached to core of his being and almost prompted him to run. The calm if slightly breathy posture of Saint, still engrossed in the scene and the sight of the nurse at the desk looking him over as if wondering if he was worth anything while quietly and pointedly rubbing her fingers together for money brought a semblance of composure to the young yogi.

[Aria]

@Fortune's Forecast
[April 18th, 2072, 00:29:00, Abandoned Wharf, 76th Pl W, Everett]


Why the hell did Col want to meet her all the way out here? It had taken her the full hour to make it this far...it was so far off the beaten track it was ridiculous. Nervous and feeling out of her comfort zone, Scratch checked the massive Manhunter at the small of her back and the two lighter pistols in their shoulder rig. Her lowlight glasses made the world into an eerie green underwater scene that would hopefully enable her to spot danger before it was too close but did little to help her feeling of exposure on the edge of the water like this.

Stashing her bike a way off she headed back on foot keeping a wary eye out for lights on the wharf or any other signs of life. It seemed ridiculous in some ways but it was too green here, she needed the comfort and concealment of the grey ash wastes...

[Aria]

@E:PL/Chi Town / Ælias
[July 8th, 2072, 20:21 PM; CZ, Chicago]

Your sprite returns after what seems like an agonising wait. It is spitting in disgust now at the tortuous path it has had to take to get back to you and helps to confirm your guess that whoever they are they are using low powered directional antennas and you are only getting your signal when they happen to point your way.

<<I have this for you master>>

And it dumps a load of code into your mental picture of the matrix. The apparant gibberish is clearly the work of a sophisticated encryption algorithm which hopefully, given time, you will be able to unravel.

In the meantime there is still the matter of your missing comrade and the task at hand...

[Ears]

@Fortune's Forecast
[Monday, April 18th, 2072, 01:01:23; Everett, Everett Medical Center, Reception Area]
PAN=Active, SIN: John Taylor, Edge: 5 / 6

Hey, watch... Stopping in mid-sentence, it took Adrian a moment to understand the scene in front of him. Blood, Knights Errant, more blood, more Knights Errant, even more blood, a greedy nurse and much, much more blood.

I never knew blood was so red and yet so... black at the same time!

As is on auto pilot, his body seems ready to run, his eyes looking for escape routes, his breathing becoming hard as if he had already bolted.

Calm down, whatever happened to this poor soul - or these poor souls -, its's over, it's not coming for you.

Repeating a calming mantra under his breath, he slowly gets a grip on himself again. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum. Om Mani Padme Hum.

Having found an excuse to turn away from the shocking sight, he asks Saint for her pass and walks over to the nurse, puts the passes on her counter and transmits her 500 nuyen.

His curiosity getting the better of him once more... What's, what's happened here?

[mister__joshua]

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 8th, 2072, 20:21 PM; CZ, Chicago]

Jess let's the wasp fly by, seeming almost uncaring of the plight of the poor soul in it's clutches. Instead she focuses her enhanced vision at the figures down the street, making sure she is concealed while trying to decide who they are and what they are doing.

[Aria]

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 8th, 2072, 20:21 PM; CZ, Chicago]

Jess

As you hone your sight on the struggling figures in the distance you can see that they are a group of three working their way south. They appear to move in bursts, classic leapfrogging movements and hand signals that speak of military training. As far as you can tell they are all human, or perhaps orc and elven, certainly no trolls. Glimpses suggest they are heavily armed and armoured but beyond that there’s not much more you can determine. They don’t seem to be interested in you…at least as far as you can tell…

Ælias

Although you briefly consider finding another sprite to help you break the encryption on your paydata, a quick query to the Refugees via the glacial satlink lets you know that there’s someone you trust to take the task off your hands, allowing you to focus on trying to establish where the other group is, and perhaps where they are going…

Copperhead

Everything has gone eerily quiet after the disturbance…only the gurgling of one of your victims before you finally silence him. Ælias is still staring off into the distance, but at least he has acknowledged your presence now…

[Aria]

@E:PL UK
[May 19th, 2072, 10:31:20; Heading towards Reading, UK]

The car rumbles north, heading for the outskirts of Reading after some deliberation amongst yourselves. Liane has come up trumps and given you the details of a chop shop on the outskirts which should deal with heathen furriners! Where you go from there will have to be determined, perhaps Argent can help you in your predicament - after all she has something invested in the success of this run and it would be nice to have someone on your side…