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

[AppliedCheese]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:07 [Perriang Golds - Bounty Hunter Bar]

Glass suspected Dave was trying to get her drunk...but that wasn't new...he'd been trying that for a while. No success yet, at least not what he was looking for. She peered down the bar and rolled the whiskey tumbler across the bar into the slowly growing puddle of...whatever that liquid was that formed in a pool on the bar. Funny how no one never thought to name it. It really should have a name. She was just about to ask the group for suggestions to that effect when Belvedere called.

Smooth name, wonder why I never thought of that before, smooth...funny...heh, it even fits with the bar music...and smooth whiskey...frag...focus....

Glass re-oriented her world to be a little more vertical and a little less horizontal. By the time everyone was more or less aligned in their proper geometric angles, a lot had happened. Putting together a cognizant reply file took a while longer, but it was much safer than actually talking given her current state..frag, what language was she supposed to be using anyhow...

<<Mr. Belvedere. As I'm sure you've heard, our team agrees your marks need killing. That you need to call us in clearly marks a sad state of affairs for the police to be sure. No doubt their corporate masters don't see the profit in it. Though if they knew you were offering this much, they might change their minds I think. It is very generous. Still, there are some items that need to be refined, contract wise, and we're probably going to need some special equipment if this first read looks right. We're not in the position to start talking equipment lists and such but lets talk what constitutes contract completion.>>

I can't believe the trodes could actually get that out straight...

[AppliedCheese]

@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:25:24 Parking Lot]

Dealer looks at Mr. Green and shakes his head in a simple negation.

"Very, very messy. Acquiring some beetle heads wouldn't be hard, and I'm sure you could program their burnt out minds to think they were on a mission from god if you really wanted to, and with some superb effort we may even be able to get them onto Vashon/Outremer. Actually controlling them tactically would be very difficult, especially synchronizing all the moving parts. They add a a huge random element to what is already going to be a very tight run. We'd be introducing Murphy for what could be achieved with other means. We'd really need to justify their effects as above and beyond what we could achieve with simpler plans.

Unless you're making them into full out bio-drones. I'm not tracking SOTA on that, but human bio-drone probably takes a bit to make, and facilities we don't have. Plus, there's all sorts of traceability issues..."

[JxJxA]

@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:25:24 Parking Lot]
[The Pixel Special, ID "Aubert Benoit"]

"When put that way, I believe mon ami is right. We are unfortunately running on a very tight timeline, and so a simpler plan with less variables might be more appropriate for the moment... Before you arrived, I had mentioned the possibility of planting a few ballista missile launcher backpacks within range of the mansion, subscribing them together in a node to respond to the same laser target designator, and firing them so that HardCore focuses on targets away from the mansion. Of course, we would need to acquire them, and we have this classic dilemma: if we had steak, we could have steak and pomme frites, if we had some pomme frites. Dealer mentioned a Humanis supplier, but...if you know of another, more accessable place to find the necessary materials, I believe we would all be grateful. If this too appears to be an unnecessarily complicated distraction, then perhaps we should look for another alternative..."

[Foxx]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:07 [Perriang Golds - Bounty Hunter Bar]

Jericho wonders if Stringer is drinking soycafe instead of booze after his overly excited outburst. He waves off the comment about this taking place on his birthday. It had to happen sometime, now was the best time as any.

"Don't worry, Herbal. We go in there to give'em their final helping of vitamin lead and get out. No collecting heads to shrink down as talismonster-er, talismonder, whatever.."

[JxJxA]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:07 [Perriang Golds - Bounty Hunter Bar]
[Erika Elite running Novatech Navi, ID "Robert Diggs"]

"Sounds like a plan, my man! Let's do the damn thing right now! We ready?" Stringer hops off of his bar stool and looks around at the rest of his crew. He frowns as he sees that everyone but Shrike seems pretty much crunk. He is a little woozy himself, but stayed away from the Awakened stuff after a particularly bad trip the last time Herbal offered the "peace pipe." Despite his attempts to stay clear of it, he thinks he might have a gotten a tiny bit of a contact high from Herbal's sticky icky. Sheeeeeeeeeeit...all y'all chummers can't hold your liquor...

"Or maybe later..."

[AppliedCheese]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
April 16th, 00:07 [Perriang Golds - Bounty Hunter Bar, Seattle]

Glass blinks a few times at Stringer steadying herself on the room to prevent the bar from spinning. The room impolitely reminds her that something that is only really a frame of reference will not actually catch your outstretched hands, and perhaps she should have tried the other way around. Only substantial muscle memory of how to sit on Dave's barstools prevents an ignominious crash to the floor.

"Nyet. ..Err...Nein..mm..Hai?...I mean..no...right...no. Ready. No. Not ready so much right now. Besides. Karaoke. Song is in two. If we go for bounties now, miss the song. You all said you were singing back-up. You don't get out of it because of a...job..."

[Friendbot2000]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:07 [Perriang Golds - Bounty Hunter Bar]

Belvedere cleared his throat <<My dear Glass, you are refreshing as always with your direct approach. Contract completion depends on a number of factors. First the gang's leadership must be terminated. Second, their operations must be shut down permanently, how you choose to do that is up to you. Lethality is only my concern for their membership, not their business partners. This gang must be taken apart piece by piece and the final blow will be the destruction of their compound. I have attached what my contact had obtained about their operations in the file you are browsing. Unfortunately he was killed before he could make a full report. You will have to pick up from where he left off. Mind you that the leadership of this gang is heavily guarded and they will not be easy to take out, but I am sure you can handle it. Your team IS one of my favorites, which is why I chose you. Once the contract is completed I will wire over to each of your accounts 65,000 nuyen. I am giving you an allowance of 15,000 nuyen for any equipment you need to acquire for this assignment. Any extra left over you may keep. I will mention that you all have a great advantage in that these mongrels have no magic support and they are less than interested in complex matrix security. They feel that they are untouchable and that no one will oppose them. Teach them that pride comes before a fall will you? Cheerio, I have important things that must be attended to.>>

[pbangarth]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:07 [Perriang Golds - Bounty Hunter Bar]

Yazata couldn't remember the last time he had felt quite so woozy. Maybe the first time he rode a camel. Fortunately, his accent still managed to hide the worst of it from his teammates.

"Dis is magfinicent amount of paying. Should be tough servants of evil, no? Why am I thinking is strange dey have no magic, no matrix? Is one-dimension of talent they have. But, is spy of Belvedere get caught. Dey no push-it-overs. We need," *elbow slips off table* "be careful." He looks at his elbow as if he is seeing it for the first time.

[Notsoevildm]

@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:25:24 Parking Lot]
[The Pixel Special, ID "Marylin Monroe"]

Copperhead gives a short snort, then sits up suddenly. She licks at her lips, tasting the air with a forked tongue. While her eyes are still closed, the glowing serpent eyes of her shamanic mask glare around at the rest of the team.

"Mundane foolss! The sscircle hass provided you with the toolss you need. The sspirit of man can open the way. SSilence will sserve you better than missilesss. Ssend my sservant and the empty one to recover the sssecretss. The one called Demon can provide cover with hiss sssniper rifle and the druid can protect from the asstral.

Glowing eyes turn on Mr. Green.

"Your domain iss the digital. Protect the othersss from disscovery and recover thiss Teague'sss ssecretss for uss.

The speech over she curls back up on the floor of the van, snoring softly.

[Seth]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:08AM [Perrigan Golds - Bounty Hunting Bar]

"I and I is heading to the temple to Babylon. I be overstanding that these bad guys have little magical support. Well I be minded to take a jander over there and explore. I be smooth, chilled and real careful. Yazata, my man, be you coming along too?"

The toy Mogwai appears to be deep in thought.

"If the wrath of the rightous men is to descend upon these agents of terror, those of you that grok electrons need to get a grokking."

"The love of Jah be with you"

The toy slumped, and Mogwai headed off in the spirit world towards the compound.

[Aria]

@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:25:24 Parking Lot]

Ember looked across at Copperhead, perhaps less surprised by her outburst than the others...Snake had provided the sound beginnings of a plan, one less fraught with complications than the chip heads, if perhaps less inventive.

He went back to studying the ogam stone that the aerial drone had dropped off moments before. He turned it over in his palms - it was old, surprisingly so, how the Circle had come across something like this in this forsaken New World was a mystery that would probably never be answered but he was thankful for the power it would offer him. He traced the runic script inscribed in the granite pebble and began to focus his mind on attuning it...

[Aria]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:07 [Perriang Golds - Bounty Hunter Bar]

As soon as the message came in Shrike cancelled the subroutine that permitted her to simulate some of the effects of inebriation. Suddenly the actions of her colleagues came into focus and she forced a frown off her face; drunk people were always less amusing when you were sober.

<<The terms seem acceptable. The removal of this group from existence will balance some karmic scale somewhere I am sure. Society could certainly do with less of their kind!>>

[Aria]

@ I'm on a boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:56:18 SS Henry VIII 3750 meters off shore, Puget Sound]

After the Captain had been unceremoniously shoved through the hole in the door Silk moved ahead once more, with the tiny hover drone preceding her to check for surprises. Her ruthenium suit rippled with colour and then she faded into the background. Her synthesised voice whispered back to them

“I have point. Don’t worry Captain, we know where we are going…”

<<Nine: Do you have access to the security server? Wiping out our presence might be a good idea, let’s not leave any breadcrumbs for anyone to follow. Can we jam their comms from there? I don’t fancy their spotters relaying our course to the authorities…I will handle jamming our ride once we are on board until we can make the rendezvous point>>

[JxJxA]

@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot]
[The Pixel Special, ID "Aubert Benoit"]

Demon opens his mouth to speak to "Copperhead", but closes it once he thinks better of it. When she goes back to sleep, he glances at her, then at the group, and then back at the slumbering troll.

"Perhaps we should listen to our herpetologically influenced sorcière. At the very least, it is much cheaper than anything else we have discussed so far... Simply allow me to purchase a few more APDS bullets for my rifle, and I should be ready for battle once more."

[pbangarth]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:08AM [Perrigan Golds - Bounty Hunting Bar]

"Is good idea." Yazata settles into a booth near the back and opens his mind to the astral. the swarms of emotions and memories in the bar colour the astral environment in a rainbow of hues and textures. He looses himself from the bonds of his material form and shoots after Mogwai, leaving the cacophony behind.

Good to be free of the effects of the alcohol on my body. I will have to be more careful. The attractions and vices of that world are eager to trap the unwary.

[onlyghostdancesw...]

@Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot]

Jacob grows visibly unsettled at the obviously unconscious Copperhead's speech and casts about for something to hold onto. "Erm... ok... ahem....uh... have one small problem with that... the records are likely to... ah... be off matrix and requiring physical meat presence...ahm... Yeah, look at me..." With a hasty and awkward gesture Jacob motions to his very lanky and gangly physique, "I'm not exactly a professional at infiltrating or well anything besides matrix. I mean if I could get some chips for my wires sure, I'm wiz on the chip but uhm... hmm yeah... maybe I need to buy a few... I mean, I like the plan and all, but the getting shot... and the being in the meat part...uh I dunno, I'll go after the matrix overwatch null sheen but ummm....you mages got anything to keep them from putting holes in my delicate bits? Oh and keep those jammers the frag away from me, they do as much to me as the enemy..."

[Foxx]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:09AM [Perrigan Golds - Bounty Hunting Bar]


Two memebers had already left to check out the compound. If the information was good, they 'shouldn't have too much trouble. That left Jericho nursing the bodies and the other drunks on the team. He pours himself a half glass of rye and downs it before turning to the bar tender and signaling for a pot of coffee; oh he also put his sock and boot back on his recently reunited toy and foot. "Looks like we're going to get an early start tonight."

He looks at those still staggering around trying to decide rather to stand or fall over. "Git hoops back ina' chair before ya' fall over."

[AppliedCheese]

@Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:25:00 Parking Lot]

As "Copperhead" starts her speech, Dealer reflexively moves towards his holstered Predator, wires buzzing silently beneath his skin. By the time he can mentally overridden his instinctive response, his hand is locked around the butt of the weapon and the safety has been flicked off with a subconscious mental command. The gun never slides more than a millimeter out of its hip holster before he very deliberately lets it go and shows an open palm, but it was definitely a close run thing.

FRAG THAT. goes to show you. Never. Ever. Ever. Trust. A. Mage. Just got done complimenting this one and she goes and freaking gives up her free will as a conduit for one more magical manipulator.

After his jaw muscles unlock themselves he begins to speak.

"Ok, so we go in with this...spirit...helping us. Is it going to beat the laser trips? The motion sensors? The automated alarms that don't have a deceivable metahuman mind in the loop? I'm willing to try quiet on the way in, but we need to be prepared to go hard, fast, and loud the moment the magic fails. "

As Mr. Green chips in about his physique and preference for staying out of harm's way, Dealer makes a cut with his hand, duplicating the "stand" signal for a blackjack table.

"Don't worry about dragging yourself in. If this goes hot, you're going to be a liability in a fight that close, and so long as we have a way in, we can leave it open for transmissions out to you from a physical tap. You're much more valuable shutting down all the commo and what you can of the security systems from a safe perch, preferably near Demon. We're going in via window or roof anyhow, so we'll have opened a hole in the wifi inhibition..worst case I can laser link it out. Hackers who are behind rapidly disintegrating cover usually don't hack well, especially if any of the bullets make it through...

All that leaves is exfil. Does anyone know how the hell we're getting out of dodge? Also, I asusme we're crossing the ferry at 19:45 or so..."

[AppliedCheese]

@ I'm on a boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:56:18 SS Henry VIII 3750 meters off shore, Puget Sound]

The Captain seems to be getting a little nervous, but shrugs non-chalantly.

"Alright miss, lead on...don't say I didn't offer."

[AppliedCheese]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
April 16th, 00:07 [Perriang Golds - Bounty Hunter Bar, Seattle]

As Glass struggled to remember what song she had volunteered the group foron the karaoke machine, a stray thought, somewhat more professional, slipped into her mind:

I wonder if we can get paid twice for these guys. Just cause Belvedere wants them dead doesn't mean he's the only one who does. Lets see what's out in public.

Three dozen mental flicks later, which is about two dozen more than it would usually take, she is perusing the KE "Auxiliary Contract Support - Personnel of Interest" bulletins.

[JxJxA]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:08AM [Perrigan Golds - Bounty Hunting Bar]
[Erika Elite running Novatech Navi, ID "Robert Diggs"]

Stringer lets out a loud beer-tainted belch, smirks at Glass and flips a thumb in Herbal's and Yazata's direction.

"Deal was that we ALL sang the song, and I ain't acting a fool up in here 'less Smoky and Shorty come back." Stringer hops out of his chair and is about to launch into another rendition of why "bitches be trippin'," but it is at that exact moment that he remembers that he is very drunk and that the world is a very dangerous and nauseating place away from the safe perch of his bar stool. Instead, he makes a beeline for the bathroom, using both hands to hold in what his stomach so desperately wants to throw up.

After about 5 minutes of a very loud and profanity laced "episode," there is a minute of silence. He staggers back into the bar and leans against the doorway for support. He looks at his host, his face steeped in sheepish embarrassment.

"Uh...Dave, I'm real sorry 'bout the bathroom... I tried to clean it best I could, honest..."

[onlyghostdancesw...]

@Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:26:00 Parking Lot]

Deale's comments spark a tiny bit of memory somewhere deep in Jacob's mind about an article concerning the metroplex's budgetary issues with resupplying Vashon and the other outlying islands that had come up during the first part of the elections. Tossing his conscious into a Browse CF it is only seconds before the needed information returns to him and with the new information in hand a solution comes into view. "You know... I don't like that ferry business but I did a tiny bit of searching and I think I have something we can leverage for infil AND exfil....Ingram's barges (no relationship to the gun) is run by a dad and two sons. They have a chronic history of run-ins with the law ... all of them have been held for drunk and disorderly behavior. At the moment the youngest is being held as the family doesn't have enough for a bail bond... with the oldest son having spent two years in a penitentiary for BTL smuggling money is a bit tight. Maybe we can bribe them to be their cargo for the day? They do night runs every day between 1900 and 2330. A total of 4 runs to be exact..."

[Friendbot2000]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:08AM [Perrigan Golds - Bounty Hunting Bar]

@Stringer

Dave rolled his eyes, "Goddammit Stringer, alright, I ain't cleaning up your mess this time or any other time, here take this and clean it up" Dave tosses Stringer a mop and a bucket, glaring at him the whole time.


Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:08AM [Astral Plane]

@Herbal Thought and Yazata

You head to the approximate coordinates given to you by Belvedere; the compound is relatively easy to spot; the Astral Plane is tinted a dull gray due to the violence and murder that most likely goes on here yet despite the discoloration something is off about this place. You can't quite explain it, but you know something is not quite right. Inside the dull gray astral haze you see spots of inky black, auras tainted with violence and evil emotions, scattered amongst them are regular aura's most likely animals. They very between the size of a dog and the size of a small rodent, perhaps they could provide better eyes on this den of evil than you can see from Astral Space.

[JxJxA]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:08AM [Perrigan Golds - Bounty Hunting Bar]
[Erika Elite running Novatech Navi, ID "Robert Diggs"]

With his head hung low, Stringer takes the mop and bucket and sets off to try and clean up the chunks he blew all over the men's room---from which now emanates the faint but definite sour smell of liquor mixed with gastral juices. He uses the mop for support as he stumbles back in and gets to work. About five minutes later, he comes out and tosses the mop and thankfully empty bucket back at Dave.

"Bathroom's clean, boss. Do y'have any tylenol or aspirin? My head's killin' me..."

[pbangarth]

Hunter's Pursuit 2072
12:08AM [Astral Plane]

My friend, I am a little worried about the aura around here. I'll see if I can figure it out.

Yazata focuses on the ambient aura and tries to discern why it feels 'off'.