IC: Reclaiming the Void Options

[Redjack]

Leaving the edit program to loading the video, he initiates a data search to determine what their options are to get from here to home.

The stone still in his hand, he holds it out again towards Argent so they both can touch it to initiate the change. "You gotta see this."

As his vision snaps to the house, he reflexively bends his knees to lower his center of gravity; A benefit of martial arts training. Seeing the fire trucks, he opens another pan window sucking in video feeds from the security cameras he set up in the house. "Might not need to water those plants...."

[Redjack]

As the results from his matrix search begin to spool in, Papa stops as his paranoia kicks up. He activates his scan program and begins to map all wireless signals in their area using the two drones to triangulate and pinpoint the source locations.

[BishopMcQ]

Papa

Pulling up the video feeds from the cameras around the house, you see the inside of the house is covered in dirty dishes, towels and laundry are cast about. Switching to the external cameras, you see the firetrucks are focussed on a small fire on the side of the house. It appears that a trash can may have caught fire and caused some residual damage.

Rene and Etain are out front, sitting on the porch wrapped in blankets with a fireman standing over them shaking his head.

Back on the hill, you find two nodes spread several kilometers apart, a good distance from you.

[Buddha72]

D'zan flies back down circling the head of Papa his voice clear and excited.

"One of the things we're seeking is west and south into the city. I can sense the others but there are much further distant. And what do you mean he might not need to water the plants?"

[JxJxA]

"Yes, um, why might I not need to water the plants?"

If they burned the house down, are you going to be mad at me for saying it? asks Quauhtli somewhat hesitantly, because I did not actually think they would do it. I mean, I did not think Etain even knew how to use an oven... Oh dear...

[Fenris]

As Argent notices the tiny drones out hovering in various locations, and seeing the flow of data uploading to Papa's PiTO profile, a request to piggy-back on the newly created network ping's Papa Smurf's awareness from the shifter's commlink. He takes a deep breath, looking around with a broad smile on his face.

"Can you taste the smog, boys and girls? It's good to be home. So, look, as a general question...how're we getting home? I uh...I don't know if I've got enough for an air cab from here. Any thoughts? Besides...," he gives D'zan a glance, "...besides going through the metaplanes again."

[BishopMcQ]

Argent

The network recognizes the Access ID of your commlink and automatically meshes to provide a connection to the public matrix, though not the private network of communications.

//Welcome back!
//It has been 3 days, 17 hours, 19 minutes since your last connection.
//You have 273 new subscriber requests.
//Would you like to add all?

All
You hear a distant rumbling of a diesel engine, and a moment later a stripped down old dune buggy comes rolling over the top of the hill. The headlights are in your eyes, and make it difficult to see. It stops with a splash of dirt and loose rocks fifty meters away and a figure jumps out. He steps into the light and you see a NAN boy maybe sixteen.

"Neh he ma ha ih des ee... Umm, I mean... The wise woman said there'd be strangers near the cave. Do you need a ride to town?"

He has the accent of the anasazi boys who grow up out in the desert and come to town on weekends.

[Redjack]

Papa says, tilting his head while looking off to the distance, "I take that back, the plants most assuredly need watering after all. I thought that was getting taken of- " he turns to look at Uetz. "I was wrong."

At the sound of an approaching engine, Papa fears some sort of security or police forces. He is visibly relieved to see a local. "Ho Chummer! If a wise woman sent you, we're the guys."

[JxJxA]

"That's good," Uetz replies to Papa, "as I gave Etain and Rene explicit instructions not to do so. The last time I left my plants in their care, I ended up finding my Dahlias in the trash and their pots replanted with Deepweed."

"Haha," he laughs in relief, "so...why did you say that I did not need to water the plants in the first place?"

Turning his attention to the boy, he nods gratefully. "I believe I speak for us all when I say that we would appreciate a ride back home."

[Redjack]

Papa looks back at Uetz, "I thought the firemen might have watered them, but I was mistaken... And the dishes could use a good hosing down as well."

[JxJxA]

"Oh dear," Uetz says when he hears about the dishes, "I hope this is not 'Earth Day' all over again..."

[Buddha72]

"I swear to all the little gods and goddesses if my place went up in smoke I am going to find out exactly how ouch fresh organs go for on the black market." D'zan flies towards the vehicle and rests on the roof - cross-legged and smiling.

"HOME!"

[BishopMcQ]

Papa

That same warm breeze blows through your mind as numbers fill your head. Between 4,000 and 70,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) depending on quality and donor. Possibly more if a rare phenotype.

All

The young boy seems to take the generally positive vibe from your crew well and jumps back into the buggy. The front seats are sized for humans, but the back seat is a wide bench that could fit a troll without much problem. Once everyone climbs in, he begins rolling down the hill. After a few seconds, he pops the clutch and the engine revs to life. "Starter's busted, but I'm the only one my age in the tribe who knows how to drive."

You drive down the hill, across a park, and out into LA traffic. Without a matrix connection, its easy to guess it's around two in the morning. That's the only time traffic is light enough to not require gridguide and partner to lay down cover fire while you change lanes. The boy asks for directions as he drives, turning wherever you say to.

By the time you get across town, the firetrucks are gone, but the scent of smoke is still there.

[Redjack]

Papa snickers. I think I like this. He recalls his drones and climbs into the buggy before answering D'zan. "Could fetch as much as 70k (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) . What can you tell me about the donor?"

[Fenris]

Argent's mouth turns down in a rueful mue when as he listens to Papa. "Firetrucks? Again?"

As the car pulls up to the scene, he tosses the boy a handful of Horizon scrip. "Consider it a tip!" he says with a wink, clambering out of the vehicle to review the damage to the place most of them had come to call home.

[Buddha72]

"Two eco-hippies with the collective IQ of a turnip." D'zan replies with acid dripping from his voice as he flies from the vehicle and makes his way to the access point in the ceiling that leads to his room to see the damage done.

"Don't let him bother you - he's just feeling the irritation of being back here in the mundane world again. He'll be alright in a bit." Leo smiles reassuringly at Uetz. "We should see if your friends are alright - I suspect we have have been gone for far longer than it seemed. Time does strange things in the metaplanes and we moved between two locations, increasing the odds we have lost time here." He flies after his companion to their rooms.

[BishopMcQ]

Saturday -- July 16, 2072
All
The young boy gives a wave and drives off, with a pocket full of scrip.

Surveying the house, it looks like a go-gang, two sororities and a frat house all had a three day long party in your living room. Clothes, dishes, and fast food cartons are everywhere. The kitchen looks the same, with two pony kegs tipped over and a puddle forming beneath them. Outside, you can see one of the trash cans appears to have caught fire. There is superficial damage to the house itself--singed roof supports and smoke stains along the stucco.

D'zan
Your private area seems to have been saved from the walking tornado of mess in the public part of the house. Smoke from the fire seeped in, and there is the smell of garbage and human waste lit on fire, mixed with the chemical scent of fire suppression systems.

In the living room

Rene and Etain are sitting wrapped in the floor rug. The dryad is weeping, and a rash seems to have broken out across her cheek and neck. She looks up with accusing eyes at Uetz, from beneath the troll's comforting arm.

"Where have you been? It's been, like, four days. We didn't know what had happened. Rene's new band came over, and the music was good so I like, didn't worry. And then...then, your girlfriend came over and said that you were moving in with her, and that we had to leave. I thought we were going to be able to stay with you. I thought we mattered to you....do you really wish that we were dead? That's like what she said, that....that you hated Rene's music!"

[Fenris]

Argent groans as he surveys the damage, and he's just about to cast an accusing eye over at Uetz when the dryad starts in with the wailing. With an arched brow, he leaves the young druid...er, whatever he called himself, and headed into the kitchen and the rest of the house, wading through the collected trash and debris strewn around the room.

If even one of my suits are ruined...

[JxJxA]

"Thank you," Uetz says to Leo gratefully. "I am sure that once Etain has a chance to say that she is sorry they will feel better. That is usually what happens with everyone else. It is a dryad thing, I guess."

Looking over the damage to the house, Uetz breathes a quick prayer of thanks to the Feathered Serpent for sparing the house from another "Earth Day" disaster.

I should have suspected that they would have failed to burn the house down, quips Quauhtli, as they have a tendency to fail at almost everything. Still...I will never again mention the possibility again, just in case doing so tempts fate...

When he gets inside, Uetz starts taking mental notes of all of the damage. He resigns himself to the bitter fact that he will have to help with the clean-up, but he intends to have Etain and Rene do their fair share of work as well. When he sees his two friends wrapped up in a dirty floor rug, he feels a strange mix of humor and concern at their sorry appearance. Before he can say or do anything, Etain starts speaking.

Girlfriend??? Uetz and Quauhtli mentally say to each other the moment Etain finishes.

You are not keeping secrets from me, are you? asks Quauhtli

I did not think that was even possible, replies Uetz, but I should probably deal with the first things first. Let me try to heal and comfort them and then figure out what is going on.

"Hermanita," Uetz says apologetically, "I am sorry for being gone so long. I followed my friends through a strange rift into the metaplanes. What has been days for you has only been a few hours for me, and if I could have come back sooner then I would have done so. However, it looks like you are hurt. Let me tend to that rash, and then we will discuss how you and Rene are going to help me clean up this mess.

"As for this 'girlfriend,'" he continues as he searches his pocket for his power focus, "I can assure you that I have not found a novia during my time here. Can you tell me anything about her? What did she look like?"

[BishopMcQ]

Argent

There are several dirty handprints on your door, and what your nose tells you is saliva from someone licking the keypad. Otherwise, it appears that the basic lock you put on the door was sufficient to keep the neanderthals at bay. Within your room, the air is stale and laced with smoke and chemicals from the fire, but there are no signs of any other damage.

Uetz

The dryad looks up at you with her large blue eyes, still glistening with tears.

"She was pretty, prettier than me. Long dark hair and eyes, with perfect skin. She wore a little locket around her neck that had a picture of you and her inside it. How could she have that if you aren't dating?"

Rene looks at you and shakes his head. "Man, I know you miss home. A smoking hot chica comes along, it's a guy thing, I get that, but to throw us out on our ass... It's just cold. I thought you were different from the other scum, but looks like the 'life' finally got to you. Now you're thinking you're a cold hard killer, all pro, and everything. But I think you're a dick. Maybe we should go, and just leave you to live your little life with your new chica and these guys who are more important than us."

With the last comment, Rene sweeps his hand to gesture at Papa and the rest of the team, who have retreated to their rooms.

[JxJxA]

"I certainly do not have a girlfriend. Locket? Pictures of me and her? And who is saying that you are getting kicked out?" Uetz crinkles his brow in frustration, gently touching Etain's rash while casting a heal spell. He starts to feel frustrated that he finds himself on the defensive, thinking that he is the one who should be getting mad based on what Etain and Rene had done to the house. If anyone should be making accusations here, it's me he thinks to himself.

Shhh, this is a good thing! They just offered to leave! How often will that happen? Quauhtli says, halfway sarcastic and halfway sincere.

Uetz ignores her for the time being, pinching the bridge of his nose as the tell-tale sinus pains of a headache begin to set in. All of this junk in the air is making it even harder for me to think. After taking a moment to compose himself, Uetz starts talking again.

"Okay, clearly there is a mistake here. I mean, anyone can shop a photo on the Matrix nowadays. Did she leave a--- Sabeis que---I mean, you know what? Let us get back to the main issue here. You are both welcome to stay here as long as you like so long as you help me clean this unholy mess up. As long as there is junk in the air, there is no way I am going to be able to think clearly enough to figure all of this out. Once we finish cleaning up, then we are going to talk about this supposed 'girlfriend' of mine."

[Redjack]

"Wow. This place looks worse than...." He stops and focuses for a moment. realizing he's mostly talking to him, he continues anyway. "..than anyplace I've ever seen." As he walks through, he begins searching the historic security video to catalog the party go'ers. D'zan would probably pay for such a list....

When Rene gives his little speech, ending in the flamboyant wave, Papa just cocks his head to the side and continues to watch the exchange. He focuses his search on the details given by Etain.

[BishopMcQ]

Uetz

The spell sinks into Etain's flesh but does not change the redness. Seeing you care, the two finally seem to hear the words that you are saying. Rene stands up, leaving the dryad under the rug, and begrudgingly heads into the kitchen to get some trash bags. He comes back with a handful of trash bags and several red plastic cups of beer.

"May as well drink it, it's starting to get warm and isn't any good then." He puts the cups in front of you, Papa and Etain. Slowly, with the air of someone who would rather be doing anything but this, he begins putting trash into the bags.

Papa

Scanning through the footage, you see that for the first few hours, both of the "children" seemed to not even notice that any thing was out of place. Then, they began walking around the house shouting and realized they were alone. Shortly, a group of people arrived with improvised musical instruments--trashcans, large rusted saws and what looks to have once been the radiator of a car, strung with cords.

The band practiced for several hours, then more people showed up, then more people...Somewhere leading into the twenty-four hour mark, alcohol began flowing freely rather than just from hip flasks. The party continued until about six hours ago, when a woman walked in. As soon as she came in, all eyes were immediately on her and conversations stopped. She is beautiful as described, wearing a very tight short black dress and stilleto heels. The woman appears to be hispanic or Aztlaner, with long black hair pulled back. There is a golden locket around her neck.

As she talks, most of the people immediately find somewhere else to be, until it is only Rene and Etain in the room. She talks to them, opening the locket and then leaves. Both of them sit unmoving for almost an hour, and then go outside. A few minutes later, the flickering lights of flames begin and they come running inside and grab household objects and cleaners to start throwing at the fire. It is obvious they are grabbing large containers of liquid, but never seem to go for the sink or a hose.

[JxJxA]

Uetz grabs a bag and a red cup. He offers the cup to Etain.

"I am sorry, but it looks like it is that kind of rash again. My magic can do nothing. Oye, tomala. Drink this and try to calm down a bit, as that should at least keep it from getting worse. After we finish cleaning and talk, I will take you to the drug store to get some lotion to treat it. Depending on the condition of my plants, we can try putting aloe on it in the meantime. I have some pruning shears in my room. If you cut off a leaf, I will apply it for you."

He grabs one cup for himself and chugs down the near-tepid beer, now realizing how thirsty he had been after not having anything to drink for hours. A moment later, he also remembers that beer is not the best thing to drink on an empty stomach. However, he ignores the rumbling of his digestive system and chucks the empty cup in the bag. He joins Rene in picking up trash.

"It looks like you had one hell of a party," he says in an attempt to lighten the mood, "and I am sorry I missed the new band. Do you have a name for it yet?"

[Redjack]

As the video races by at high speed in an AR window, Papa gulps down the beer. He heads in for another about the time he reaches the party in the footage. A second beer and he stops in the middle of the kitchen. "Oh hell"

Papa paused both his game of Rambo XVII: Dragon Hunter and both P2.0 feeds he was tracking in order to focus on the woman and her locket. He captures and enhances a still of the locket and begins a web search while he finishes watching her interact with the duo. He makes his way back to Etain and Rene to determine if a bit of scrutiny with his new vision will provide him any insight.