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

[JxJxA]

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

Gemeaux grins in absolute satisfaction as he sees his shot decimate the drone. Regardless of any situation, he always takes time to appreciate his art. The fact that this particular work makes shooting his enemies easier is merely a bonus. He slips La Reponse back into its concealed holster on his chameleon suit.

<<[Gemeaux]: Vivienne, be a dear and switch The Retort back to burst fire.>>

<<[Vivienne]: Of course, Gemeaux. Switching to burst fire, reconfiguring smartgun system to match selection. Targeting solutions coming online.>>

<<[Gemeaux]: As always, you have my thanks. I would be lost without you.>>

<<[Vivienne]: As always, I will take note of that and remind you of it when you are about to do something stupid like ignore my advice.>>

You cheeky devil, Gemeaux thinks to himself, always amazed at how well the programmer captured his first flame's personality.

The assassin whips up the assault rifle with skill only time, money, and augmentations can provide. He matches the sight up to the targeting solution with a marksman's accuracy, and squeezes the trigger. Three bullets blast out of the rifle and shriek towards their target...

[RdMarquis]

@E:Tribes / Travellers
[September 1, 2072 21:28 Senlis Residence, Bellevue]
SIN: Iwakura Lain, PAN: Active

Once more, she fell still and silent. But this time, it was on purpose. Morgan did not want to distract Sprogget. It was a somewhat delicate operation, especially under the circumstances. The implications of the tag had weighed so heavily on LeFey that she had barely noticed the removal. As if someone else was getting the impromptu surgery. She gingerly touches a hand to the bandage. The girl promised herself that one day, she would talk to her parents about it. For now, she would be satisfied with having one more connection to Ares Macrotechnology severed.

"Thank you."

What do you think?

About?

Aggression. Direct confrontation. Even outright conflict. Her paragon's enthusiasm did not sit well with her at all. It very much ran counter what she knew of the being's nature. Or had it been hiding this side all along?

Does it matter? It's something I will have to learn, and to live with. Next time, there might not be an chance to back away. They're my tribe now, and I can't let them down.

[Aria]

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]

Gemeaux & Mordred

The drone sparks and goes down under Gemeaux’s response and then his burst strikes the illusive figure at the top of the stairs thanks to the guidance of Tsubaki’s spirit…the figure topples down the companionway ladder to land with an audible crunch at the bottom…quite surreal as the chameleon coating and dense smoke blurs his visible form.

Seeing Gemeaux dispatch his target Mordred draws a bead on the remaining illuminated figure in cover at the head of the stairs. Another burst streaks out and wings the figure. Although he staggers under the onslaught he swings up a longarm, difficult to see as it too is cloaked, and lays down a curtain of fire across the equipment that Mordred and Gemeaux are sheltering behind. The deafening discharge of the weapon suggests a combat shotgun but the rounds that spall off the metal near you gives of a dull thud and then a crackle of electricity…

Tsubaki

As you set about looking for something to open the door Monsieur Collot stiffens and grabs your arm "Someone spoke to me…I don’t know them, they say there is a boat inside dere…I have a map…it could be a trap, non?"

[Aria]

@E:Tribes / Travellers
[September 1, 2072 21:** Somewhere in Bellevue, heading south]

In The Van

Gliding nonchalantly away from the scene of the accident you aren’t too surprised to see two unmarked patrol vehicles streak past you with blue lights flashing…so corp cops rather than the Knights…thankfully they do not seem interested in you, for now…

On The Monobike

Impromptu surgery over, and nobody seeming to pay you any mind, it is time to head back on the road and rendezvous with the others. You are slightly concerned that Alpha now seems to have dropped off the grid along with Glyph…

On The Scooter

Time to go! The others glide away and your little scooter putters along looking as innocent as you can…

[ChromeZephyr]

@E:Tribes; Scrapheap
September 1, 2072 21:29 Bellevue, heading south
PAN mode: Hidden | SIN displayed: Eric Jones

Scrapheap holds his breath unconsciously as the corp cops appear, then lets it out noisily as they go by without stopping. "You know any ways back home that don't involve tha highway, Tweak? 'Dem pigs'll be wantin' a piece of us for takin' that little bitch's 'link if nothin' else."

@Sprogget: The heat just blew past us, two guesses where they's headin'. If you know a way home that don't put us where they can find us easier it'd be a good time to say somethin'. Hope you got that little corp ho's 'link you swiped under wraps.

[Machine Ghost]

@E:Tribes, Sprogget
[September 1, 2072 21:38 Bellevue, near the Senlis residence
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden and Jammed; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Not getting a response, Sprogget quickly finishes closing the luggage pieces and gets in.  Buckling up he connects the 'only for show' cable from the commlink on his arm to the DR.  Relaxing his body, he then switches to VR and checks the jailbreakers direct connection information.
@self:Where'd Alpha get to?.  LeFey is right here, her TA is reaching Tweak's link.  Just barely from GPS info.  The stop to remove the tag is putting me behind.  Again.  There is Spring as well.  His link has the range to reach the TA, and Scrapheap is connected indirectly through Tweak's system.  But no Alpha or Glyph to be seen.  Glyph got sidetracked someplace before the rest of us got to Bellevue, but where'd Alpha Go?  He was right here.  Either he boosted out of here fast as soon as he finished with the CHN, or he as gone totally dark.  I thought the plan was to pick him up with the van on the way?

Whatever.  Can't wait to figure that out just now.

Oh drek, I need to get back legal until get out of Bellevue"!

Sprogget switches the 'Clip to active mode, setting it to also display the ID and license information from the DR, and verifies that wireless is still disabled for the monocycle.

CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

That done, he jumps into the DR node through the skinlink connection, and with a brief warning to LeFey heads out.

@LeFey: <<Here we go.>>

@Jailbreakers: <<On my way starting from the soykaf shop.  Ease up a bit, and I'll catch you shortly.>>

Traveling quickly to make up the distance, but keeping to legal speeds, and not doing anything flashy that might attract attention, Sprogget heads south after the others.

@Jailbreakers: <<I lost track of Alpha while I was offline there for a bit.  Did he make new travel plans?>>

[JxJxA]

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

Stick-n-shock? How bourgeouis of them.

<<[Gemeaux]: Mes amis, I recommend keeping your heads down. Our uninvited guests are using stick-n-shock ammunition, an effective tactic for those who lack both skill and talent. I shall try to neutralize the voyou using it.>>

Gemeaux reaches into his bag and flings another white phosphorous grenade at the gunman.

"Je peux sentir ta chatte, salope!"

[Machine Ghost]

@E:Tribes, Sprogget
[September 1, 2072 21:38 Bellevue, near the Senlis residence
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden and Jammed; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Pulling away from the curb, Sprogget sees the queued text message,

The heat just blew past us, two guesses where they's headin'.  If you know a way home that don't put us where they can find us easier it'd be a good time to say somethin'.  Hope you got that little corp ho's 'link you swiped under wraps.

@jailbreakers: <<Just got your text Scrapheap.  The tronics is powered off and sealed in a bag, but I was planning on handing it to Alpha, so it is not as buried as it could be.  If they get to that level of search, I'm already in trouble anyway.  I don't know this area any better then you, so the initial mapping information to get us here is the best I got.  LeFey, your work at the KE office wouldn't have happened to provide hints about routes they tend to skim over would it?  Or at least roads to avoid, cause they pay extra attention there?  It seems 'the man' finally got around to checking on that vehicle accident, and might be interested in chatting.>>

Paying strict attention to the traffic, Sprogget still can't help mulling over LeFey's reaction to the confrontation at the accident scene.  It did not seem that intense to him.  After poking it around in the back of his mind for awhile, he decides,
@self:It's all English, but I think it is still a language problem.  Maybe that is a place to start.

Starting somewhat tentatively, but picking up confidence as he gets to the more technical details, he voices his thoughts,
@LeFey: <<LeFey? .. I know it's not really accurate, but the media has us labeled as following streams.  According to them, I'm a dronomancer, cause of the way I interact with physical tech.  What stream would you follow?  I think you said when I passed tagget to you, that he was a type you did not know.  Again the media labels are only general guides, but he was a Tutor sprite.  There seem to be very few streams that can work with Tutor's, so that is not unexpected, but you said you could not summon his type.  For me it is more like building, ... creating, molding, ... finding the form I want in the resonance.  I guess something between a sculptor finding the final shape in the raw materials, then freeing it from the extra stuff that surrounds it, and a craftsman building a tool from available parts.  Would that mean you are a technoshaman?  Regardless, one of the tools we should have in common is a Data Sprite.  As far as I can tell all TM's can work with them.  Anyway, a Data Sprite can be customized ... summoned with the ability to do translations for a specific language, if you design .. ask? for it.  That is typically used to handle completely different languages, but I was thinking.  It might be possible to use that same ability to translate between street and corp versions of English, to get intent across both ways, without getting too hung up with the words being used.  So you politely but firmly saying someone has the wrong idea will come through with the appropriate ... force, and someone street rat telling you that that you are full of it, with 'artistic' thoroughness, will come back as polite disagreement.  Needs a bit of testing to verify that actually works.

If it does work, more would be needed to use it to learn that your self.  Directly using a linguasoft is useless for learning a language, but the sprite could be tasked with providing a running 'side' translation, so you hear both versions.  That would make a start on learning the differences.  What do you think?>>

[Aria]

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]

Like a carefully coordinated dance of a team of intimates Mordred squeezes off a snap burst at the shotgun toting wraith…as the rounds impact squarely the shotgun swings towards the immediate threat leaving the way clear for Gemeaux to hurl another fiery retribution at the intruder. Flames once more wreath the form and plunge the area above you into a nightmare of whirling smoke and white hot flame. The range is so close that the flames lick at the equipment that you are both crouching behind but whilst you feel the blast of hellish heat the insidious white phosphorous thankfully doesn’t connect.

Over the woosh of flame you can hear the baying of hounds outside…this just gets better and better!

Seemingly from nowhere you realise there is third attacker down here with you as a sharp burst off to your right indicates his approximate location some five or so meters beyond the stairs. In the smoke and darkness he is all but impossible to see other than by the distinctive muzzle flare of an assault weapon. Thankfully his aim is clearly as difficult as your own and the rounds careen off the equipment near Gemeaux’s cloaked form. You are further amazed as the attacker at the top of the stairs drops his weapon and, vaulting over the rail, hurtles down to your level like a blazing comet…

[JxJxA]

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

Now things are getting interesting. Interesting is getting a bit tiresome, though. Let us end this quickly!

"Merde!" bellows Gemeaux, embracing the battle cry of one of his revolutionary forefathers. He whips Le Repartie up to level with the incoming voyou. He takes a breath, aiming the gun for the center of his target, and suddenly notices that he favors his right leg. With a wicked grin concealed beneath the cowl of his chameleon suit, Gemeaux pulls the trigger and watches as his bullets fly towards their mark...

[Fairy]

@E:PL UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
PAN=Active; SIN:Nina Okada

"A map?" Tsubaki expects to be able to see this map Mr. Collot has obtained out of thin air. "We won't be able to use that boat with a wall of concrete between us and it..." Once she receives it, she moves onto her task. In the usual manner of her tradition, the mystic adept burns an ofuda, and a curious creature with multiple tails manifests before her.

Hai~?

"Kono doa ga watashi no tame ni hiraku hitsuyō ga arimasu, onegaishimasu."

Tsubaki extends her arm in front of the Collots and leads them aside. The spirit turns to face the door that has been welded shut, opens it's fanged jaws, takes a deep breath and exhales, putting forth the makings equivalent to a flamethrower or a blow torch to melt the welding upon the door...

Then, after considering the usefulness of the said map and the possible location of a water-vehicle of some kind, Tsubaki sends copies of of the information in AR to her fellow runners on the front line.

<Right now, I'm working on an exit route on my side, but there appears to be a means of transport down below beneath this station...>

[RdMarquis]

@E:Tribes / Travellers
[September 1, 2072 21:38 Bellevue, heading south]
SIN: Iwakura Lain, PAN: Active

"More than hints. Whenever they can, the staff send their busywork to me. Including reports. I could tell you quite a few stories about joyriding teens who didn't get off so easy." She smiled. "But their priorities will be adjusted based on the current situation with the virus. So, take what I say with a grain of salt."

Morgan glanced around the wheel of the vehicle. "Patrols will always make a pass through the border between here and the Barrens. Keeping...our ilk from getting into Bellevue is one of their more important (though unspoken) duties." She hadn't been quite sure how to phrase that. In truth, she felt a sense of belonging to both groups, all things considered. "There is a focus on the most populated areas. People want to feel safe and know their taxpayer dollars are at work. Seeing the Knights on patrol helps." She steeples her fingers. "If there is a crisis on their hands, I'd imagine they would actually place more emphasis on "essentials" like these. The point is maintaining control."

LeFey turns to look at Sprogget when he brings up streams. She hadn't imagined another technomancer could be so very different. Morgan supposed he had a more practical, utilitarian view of the Resonance. Though, she shouldn't have been so surprised. Just about anyone could be a technomancer, couldn't they? There could be enormous diversity in how they viewed their powers. "In my eyes, the Resonance is alive. As are its sprites and AI. What is code but DNA in a digital medium instead of a biochemical one? I don't compile a sprite, exactly (though that is the term people use). I only prepare a means for it to manifest. The spark of life and intelligence comes from realms deep within the matrix. And once we've "met", I only need to call the sprite by its name to summon it again." She smiles self consciously. "So, yes. Technoshaman."

She seems interested in the idea of the improvised translator. "Anything that helps me be a little less unprepared would help, thanks. If I can't hold a conversation with the locals, there are going to be problems."

[Notsoevildm]

@E:PL/Chi Town/Copperhead [July 8th, 2072, 23:43; Decaying building, somewhere north of Blackwater, CZ, Chicago]

Requiem gestures to you and carefully moving close, whispers to you "This isn’t going to end well unless we can get them off our trail. You want Stitch and I to distract them? Those two are your cargo after all…"

Copperhead places her left hand on the elf's shoulder.

"Tanks but no tanks. Snake kicked my hoop fer a reason. Keep dem kids safe and finds a ways outta here. I'll handle da distraction."

As she speaks she draws the tainted mana into herself, She feels she could draw more if it wasn't so polluted, but in any case it's about as much as she could normally handle before.

At least if my spirits attract a bug, there are no innocents this time.

Ah, you can learn! My gift of knowledge wass not wassted.

She turns back to the open space and pulls a smoke grenade from her webbing, tossing it into the middle of the space even as she begins singing. It bounces off into a corner, but she pays it no heed instead focusing on the music and her magic.

"hmmm, hmmm,
waiting, waiting,

just an accident,
waiting ta happen..."

The first spirit responds, a smoky air spirit.

"Causse misschief and mayhem to my enemiess."

Yess, good. You can do it. Now again.

Slowly backing out of the open space, she draws on the mana again. This time a beast spirit responds, although not without a fight. The tainted thing hisses at her, jaws dripping with venom. She repeats her command.

Ignore the pain. Again.

The third spirit is a lizardman. It scoops up a rock from the floor and zips off as if keen to do her bidding.

One more. You can do it.

The fourth spirit resists, but finally an earthen colored serpent emerges from the floor. Her head pounding from the effort, she commands the earth spirit to join its brethren in covering their escape.

Then she turns and runs, heading after 'her team'. As she goes, she gives one last mental command to the spirits.

My brethren, there are tainted sspiritss in thiss place. If thesse inssects come, you are freed from your tasskss.

[Machine Ghost]

@E:Tribes, Sprogget
[September 1, 2072 21:38 Bellevue, heading South
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden and Jammed; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

@Jailbreakers: <<Eyes on the barrens border?  Sounds familiar.  {drolly} Got to keep the gutterpunk out.  Hope that is where they keep most of their attention, since we're heading south across Renton.  Populated areas too.  Mentioning tax dollars, I assume you probably mean areas with people that pay the most taxes.  Of course there are no 'real' slums in Bellevue, but that is a place to start.  I have a mapsoft on the 'Clip {access link}.  Could you highlight the areas you remember getting the most attention, and add both a population and tax overlay on that for us?  Oh, and places they won't be going, because it is other corp extraterritorial.  As a guess, they probably keep an eye on those corp borders too?  Careful using the 'Clip.  It's set public, so a potential target for that virus.  I have it walled off from the monocycle node.>>

Feeling the DR shift, and seeing LeFey lean over to look ahead, Sprogget does a mental face Palm.
@self:Just because the DR can see, does not mean the passengers can.
@LeFey: <<{Link to DR and PAN sensor feeds}.  Sorry about forgetting to give you a window view.  My excuse is that I am not used to carrying passengers.  I've got all the usual wireless access disabled for security, so that is a mirror of what I get accessing through skinlink.>>

Closing with the others, the tacnet feeds start providing extra information about the surroundings, making navigation easier, and effectively extending the range of the sensors.
@self:Better!

After Lefey gives some perspective on her stream.
@LeFey: <<Alive?  {uncertainly} Well maybe.  The way air is alive.  It's there, and it supports and connects everything.  Sprites are ... an aspect of the ... soul? .. of the machines, the matrix nodes they are created from.

However it 'really' works, one thing I know, is I want to learn to be better at communicating and working with it.>>

[Notsoevildm]

@Virtual Scream / Gossamer
[September 1, 2072, 12:18, Argent's kid's school node]
PAN: N/A, SIN: None, Response *, Signal *, System (5), Firewall (4), (Analyze, Scan, Decrypt, Exploit [5, inherent], Stealth [6, inherent], Armour, Browse, Encrypt, Medic [6, ergo, optzd])

<<@Argent[Gossamer]: Thank you! I am reluctant to encounter the virus again, even indirectly and whilst it is dormant, until I have bolstered my defences further. Can you arrange for a clean link on site that I can occupy while we investigate my body? Can I urge caution when you reactivate me? Whilst I have no reason to believe the virus has been able to compromise the motor functions I wouldn’t want to hurt anyone!>>

<<@Gossamer[Argent]: Good point! We'll hook your chassis up to the pod but won't put the power core back in until we're sure the virus is dormant. My commlink is a scream-free zone, if that works for you. Give me a moment to shut down my agent and a few programs to make some space for you. Is user access sufficient or do you need a security or admin account?>>

[Notsoevildm]

@Virtual Scream/Cipher
[September 1, 2072, 15:15; Downtown, Seattle]

"Hospital. Fast, please Boney."

The skeletal icon turns and blinks it's one eye, an eye that Cipher is pretty sure wasn't there before. But then, he is pretty unsure of anything at the moment.

The cab takes off at an impressive clip, weaving through traffic with apparent ease despite the continuing gridlock. It takes it under 15 minutes to make it from the car park to the emergency entrance of Ares Macrotechnology Seattle General Hospital.

Most of the people in the waiting room seem to be Ares employees, wearing a range of cheap suits and Ares tagged work uniforms. For a moment they are replaced by an image of a boardroom meeting but as you jerk back the scene reverts to the hospital waiting rooom.

As you make your way to the reception, a bored looking girl looks up and through you, not even bothering to take her eyes off her AR.

"What is the nature of your emergency?"

[Notsoevildm]

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 2, 2072, 12:30; Dennis' Drones
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

"Hey, Harvey, can you hear me?"

As Alex frees the dwarf from the duct tape holding him to the chair, he gives a groan, opens one eye and launches into a bloody, spittle filled tirade.

"Fragging amateur fraggers. Shoulda made sure the fragging dwarf was fragging dead. Hah, fragging platelet factory, damage compensators and internal air tank for the fragging win. I'll fragging kill em for fragging with me."

He grunts and settles down a little, gasping for breath. His eyes seem to focus more on Alex.

"Bianchi, thank the frag. I got eyes on them but she's running low on juice. They got my computer, my commlink and your link too. You up for a bit of street justice? Got a piece? If you take the van, I'll even send Charlie with you."

"Don't worry about me, I'll live. At least that's what my biomonitor says. Hurts like hell though. There's a medkit under the passenger seat in the van. I'd appreciate it if you brought it here before you go."

"You do this for me and I'll owe you one. And cleaning your link will be on the house."

[Notsoevildm]

@Virtual Scream / Dante
[September 2, 2072, 12:30, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]
PAN: hidden, Response 1, Signal 3, System 2, Firewall 1

<Chinese>"No idea yet how to get rid of it. Say, you seem like a wiz girl. Grandma Fuk said some good things about you. Tell you what, what kind of 'link you got? I could replace it for you."

Jenny's face falls when Dante says he doesn't know how to get rid of it, but her eyes light up when he mentions that he could replace it for her.

"You would? That would be awe..."

Realising she was speaking English, she glances around nervously and switches back to her badly accented Chinese.

"<Chinese>That would be most kind. There are some files on it that I need for my first aid class. And some personal stuff. Do you think you could recover them too?"

She gives him her best doe-eyed, pretty please look.

<Chinese>"And if you know anyone else who has the virus, I could try to help them as well."

"<Chinese>Well, everyone at the clinic was talking about the virus. They said it was what caused their accidents. And we also treated a couple of people for hearing problems caused by it. So yes, I think there are plenty of people who might need your help. Look, my shift here finishes at six and I start at the clinic at eight. It's not far from here. Why don't you meet me there?"

[RdMarquis]

@E:Tribes / Travellers
[September 1, 2072 21:38 Bellevue, heading south]
SIN: Iwakura Lain, PAN: Active

"What do you think I'm doing out here?" She laughs lightly. Then Morgan busies herself editing the mapsoft. Major residential areas are highlighted in red, while corporate facilities are marked with their rating (AA or AAA). She continues talking as she works. "Staying behind this wall and developing my powers would be impossible. I'd never grow without being able to use them freely or seeking the help of others like me." She finishes by adding "x's" to half a dozen streets. "Hacker thrill gangs. Kids like me who can afford top of the line commlinks. They all end up using them to become nuisances or actual threats to people. They're fairly high on the priority list, too." The faster the issue could be nipped in the bud, the faster it could be swept under the rug by their parents and employers.

[ChromeZephyr]

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 2, 2072, 12:31; Dennis' Drones
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

Alex shook his head minutely. "I'm not doubting you're a tough sonofabitch, Harvey, but I'm gonna make sure you ain't gonna cack before I go running after those goons. I'll be right back with the medkit."

Alex jogged out to the van and dug the 'kit out from under the seat. Back in Harvey's office he sat it down next to the mauled halfer and began setting it up as efficiently as he could. They'd had training on the force with the automated systems, which he was glad now that he hadn't slept through. While he looked at readouts and checked IVs as the machine directed he looked over at his "patient".

"Who's Charlie, boss?"

[JxJxA]

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

<<[Gemeaux]: Good to hear, my dear, but please work quickly. I enjoy challenges, but this quickly getting increasingly expensive and out of hand.>>

Monsieur Hill, I shall be sending you a bill for my expenses, and I plan to collect in person...

[Notsoevildm]

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 2, 2072, 12:33; Dennis' Drones
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

Harvey smiles a crooked grin.

"Always the cop, Bianchi. Well, let's just say I got a few secrets too. Ouch, easy with that."

"Charlie's the call-sign for one of my babies. The van's Alpha. Bravo is the rotodrone tailing the fraggers who did this. And Charlie, well that's Charlie"

He points over Alex's shoulder to the Doberman drone that has slipped quietly in behind them. Even standing up on its treads, it's less than a meter tall. But that's not what gets Alex's attention. The pair of hypervelocity SMGs pointing his way, that gets his attention. He remembers seeing a demo trid of one of these things suppressing a riot. Brutally effective even just using gel rounds, they were eventually deemed too dangerous and taken out of commission. He wonders how Harvey got his hands on one.

"Charlie, this is Det...this is Jimmy. Do what he tells you."

The SMGs on the drone turn to 'look' at Harvey then back to Alex. They move up and down in the rough approximation of a nod.

Harvey taps his head.

"Jimmy, my backup link doesn't have simsense so I can't remote rig him. I'll do what I can in AR but he'll follow any verbal commands you give just as long as they are clear. He's got an upgraded pilot and gunnery soft and is quiet as a mouse at normal walking pace. Try not to break him. And by the way, only the left is loaded with gel. The right is loaded with APDS. So it's your call whether you bring them in dead or alive."

[ChromeZephyr]

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 2, 2072, 12:34; Dennis' Drones
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

Alex nods as the dwarf lays out the specs of the drone, though the cop in him twitches at the mention of the magazine loaded with APDS. Holy Mary, mother of Jesus. That's practically a war-crime on treads.

"Let's hope I don't even have to think about using Righty, then." Alex looks at the medkit's readouts again, then gets to his feet. "Looks like you'll live, though I'd get whoever your doc is to look at that knock on the back of your head sooner rather than later."

He takes the Manhunter out of it's holster, checks that the magazine is seated and that the "chambered round" indicator is up, then reholsters it. "Charlie, go get into Alpha. We've got some thieves to run down." After the Doberman situates itself, Alex starts the van and drives it out of the shop, following the signal of the trailing rotodrone.

[Aria]

@E:PL UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]

Tsubaki

Whilst your companion sets to work on the door seals, melting through the crude welds, you estimate that it will be a couple of minutes before the door is clear. In the timescale of a firefight that can be an age! It does give you a couple of seconds to study the map that Collot has received from out of thin air from some mysterious benefactor.

The AR map is a three dimensional model of the complex and the first thing that strikes you is how extensive it is, stretching back into the side of the valley hundreds of meters with multiple chambers, interconnecting tunnels, and, to your relief, at least a couple of other exits apart from the chamber marked as containing the boat…

Gemeaux

With brutal efficiency you target the now all too visible attacker, wreathed in burning phosphor, who is lurching towards you. His fancy armour only slows the vicious assault from Le Repartie and he succumbs to his injuries, collapsing on the other side of the pump housing that you are crouched behind…it is just as well, if he had closed with you, you too might have been doused in that nasty chemical!

Mordred

Seeing Gemeaux dispatch your visible assailant you turn your attention to the other lurker. Moments ago you saw his muzzle flash but now the nightmarish combination of flames, smoke and chameleon suits. As he fires again you swing your pistol round but you can’t tell if your bullets strike home or not…

Gemeaux is not so lucky as the gel rounds catch him in the side knocking the breath from his body, it may be non-lethal tech but it still hurts like a bitch!

[phlapjack77]

@Virtual Scream / Dante
[September 2, 2072, 12:30, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]
PAN: hidden, Response 1, Signal 3, System 2, Firewall 1

"Sure. For a pretty chica like you. Just let me see your link and I'll work on getting you a loaner until I can fix up yours."

After studying Jenny's commlink and noting specifics, Dante sat back in his chair.

"Ok, got it. I'll just wait around until your shift finishes, then I can give you a lift to the clinic."

With that decided, he ordered a beer for himself and looked around for anyone playing cards or mahjong. He needed something to occupy his mind while he waited, or the thought of the possibilities would keep circling around and around in his brain and drive him crazy. Usually when something like this happened he could put his mind at ease by working with his hands, fixing little things here and there. Lately he found that working on his truck or helping Toro out at his shop did the trick.

Taking a swig from his lukewarm beer, Dante settled in to wait.