So what's up with Fastjack? Options

[Pepsi Jedi]

Warning, if you haven't read the new books this might have some spoilers.

Been reading through some of the newer books lately and... well, something is up with Fastjack. There are side mentions to him being a bit under the weather but things seem to be happening on Jackpoint that have me wondering. More than once he's posted something that seems out of character and then posted afterwards to the tune of "Wow I must be tired, I don't even remember posting that" Or the like. It's not constant, but it comes up once or twice a book.

Anyone know what's up with him? I haven't read every word of every book so if I've missed something can some one tell me where to find it/what it is?

Also, it seems to be spreading, or affecting others. I think Netcat had a post that she 'replied' to herself that she didn't post, and figured it must be Fastjack trying to remind her to change her password more often.

It's like someone's either personally hacking Fastjack himself, or Jackpoint and Fastjack can't figure it out. If he can't figure it out, he might keep it to himself.

Anyway, if anyone's got the 411, let me know.

[SIN]

I don't think anything beyond the little snippets of suggestions that something is up has been revealed so far. Anyone else know differently?

Personally, I think it would be most affecting if FastJack genuinely was just getting old. A legend of the shadows making it to old old age (incredibly rare) through his wits and mental prowess and then slipping away into senility, watching his marbles roll away... Handled correctly, it could be the saddest thing in Shadowrun lore ever.

I imagine it'll turn out to be some techno guff about the resonance however.

[Shortstraw]

I'm fairly sure FJ can afford a Leonization or two.

[hermit]

I don't think anything beyond the little snippets of suggestions that something is up has been revealed so far. Anyone else know differently?

Something in the shdowruntabletop.com Minigame hints to him becoming possessed in some way. there a line to the effect of "Jack, when he is himself" will do something. Might be the "Erase, Rewrite" thing hinted at in the Scott Schletz Jackpoint post at Shadowrun.com.

But all that really is only speculation. There will probably be something in Stormfront, though.

And yeah, there's Léonisation, which easily extends a human lifespan into several centuries, if they have the wealth necessary.

[Lionhearted]

Like someone that weathered would trust any clinic enough to even let them trim his nails, let alone rearrange his genetic code.

[Pepsi Jedi]

I don't know, it's just weird, and there's enough of it in the books that it's not just a hand wave thing. -something- is going on. I mean, he messed up the CM to Inch conversion. (( Not a typo. SlammO asked what an inch was and in his explanation Fastjack missed a decimal point and it was commented on in the book itself)). Said 25cm in an inch.

Might seem small and if it was some of the others, no big deal. Ha ha. but it's Fastjack. Coupled with the other handfull of things... somethings up. I just hope it's not a bug thing. if he's turning into a bug or possessed by a bug... ugg. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) yuck. Thing is, the way I sporadically read, other than the Cm thing in Dirty tricks, I can't point out a list of things. I've just noticed them as I've read the past few days. lol. Like I said, it's been enough to where it's standing out.

It'd be interesting of that net ghost of Captain Chaos might be trying to talk through him, but there's nothing really to point to that.

[Lionhearted]

Maybe he's just fine and the shadows are getting to you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

[SpellBinder]

.... there a line to the effect of "Jack, when he is himself" will do something. ...

Maybe running personafixes now for whatever reason?

[hermit]

I'm thinking this may be happening to Jack.

[Pepsi Jedi]

I'm thinking this may be happening to Jack.

I hope not... that'd truly suck. Imagine how much damage he could do to the Runner community.

And you just know he'd start with Devgrrl. And I actually like her.

[Bull]

*grabs popcorn and sits down to watch the thread*

[BishopMcQ]

If it is Captain Chaos talking through him, do we get a hand over hand hacking scene, with some Unchained Melody playing on synthguitars?

[_Pax._]

Right.

So this is how they're going to do away with hacking via commlink - not some kind of mega security thing, just making it generally a really bad idea to go into the matrix via SimSense, without some pretty beefy protection between your brain and these ..... "e-Shedim", or whatever they wind up being called.

Instead, you're going to need to have a largely hardware filter between your brain, and the matrix - which means a larger physical device. Going Hot VR, maybe going VR at all, is going to be given some of the same risks that going Astral while unguarded: "Something Bad™ could move in while you're not at home".

...

The bugger of it is, even if I just guessed EXACTLY correct, and even if I swore up and down, 'till I was blue in the face ... folks like Bull who're "in the know", won't tell me before 5E happens. Damn you all! ;D

(NOTE: if it actually goes down that way, just remember ... I called it first. ^_^ )

[ShadowDragon8685]

(NOTE: if it actually goes down that way, just remember ... I called it first. ^_^ )

If it actually goes that way, I'm going to have to vomit and scream "RUINED FOREVER!" Because that's retarded.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

Kinda with Shadowdragon on this one.

[Patrick Goodman]

If it is Captain Chaos talking through him, do we get a hand over hand hacking scene, with some Unchained Melody playing on synthguitars?

Thanks for that image, Stephen...and I was all set to join Bull with the popcorn and a nice cold beverage until you trotted that one out.

[nylanfs]

Could be some Snowcrash type of lingui-hacking

[Pepsi Jedi]

Thanks for that image, Stephen...and I was all set to join Bull with the popcorn and a nice cold beverage until you trotted that one out.

So here's the thing. You and Bull clearly know the answer.

How long till --we-- know the answer? (Roughly)

[BishopMcQ]

Thanks for that image, Stephen...and I was all set to join Bull with the popcorn and a nice cold beverage until you trotted that one out.

Somebody had to do it...I just got here first.

[Patrick Goodman]

So here's the thing. You and Bull clearly know the answer.

How long till --we-- know the answer? (Roughly)

Soonish. I wish I had a more definitive answer for you, but at the moment that's the best that I've got.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Soonish. I wish I had a more definitive answer for you, but at the moment that's the best that I've got.

That's about the best I could hope for. "Soonish" is much better than "Not too soon" or "A long while off"

Thanks man.

[_Pax._]

If it actually goes that way, I'm going to have to vomit and scream "RUINED FOREVER!" Because that's retarded.

Why ... because it makes hacking/decking more dangerous in itself, even while probing cautiously and quietly, for anyone too stubborn to buy the newly-requisite hardware? *shrug*

[Jaid]

Why ... because it makes hacking/decking more dangerous in itself, even while probing cautiously and quietly, for anyone too stubborn to buy the newly-requisite hardware? *shrug*

i don't think it has anything to do with making hacking more dangerous (incidentally, hacking is plenty dangerous if you are hacking something important enough), or suddenly needing new gear.

i suspect it has a *lot* more to do with the fact that it sounds really dumb, at least from what i've seen of it so far.

i'm hoping it's not as stupid as it is starting to look. i would really, really, really like for it to actually make sense, and be something interesting instead of something that makes me cringe every time i think about it.

but... right now, that's not what it's looking like. right now, it's looking like someone was like "hey, you know what would be awesome?!?! MATRIX GHOSTS!!!! they should totally, like, steal people's bodies, just because they can and they're super-duper-mega angry and vengeful! this totally makes sense and doesn't come off as complete BS in any way whatsoever!"... and then everyone else somehow agreed with that person.

(like i said, i really hope what it looks like to me is not an accurate portrayal of what's going on... please, please, please prove me wrong. i really would love to be wrong about this one).

[hermit]

but... right now, that's not what it's looking like. right now, it's looking like someone was like "hey, you know what would be awesome?!?! MATRIX GHOSTS!!!! they should totally, like, steal people's bodies, just because they can and they're super-duper-mega angry and vengeful! this totally makes sense and doesn't come off as complete BS in any way whatsoever!"... and then everyone else somehow agreed with that person.

I'm sorta afraid of that, too.

[Smirnov]

Something in the shdowruntabletop.com Minigame hints to him becoming possessed in some way. there a line to the effect of "Jack, when he is himself" will do something. Might be the "Erase, Rewrite" thing hinted at in the Scott Schletz Jackpoint post at Shadowrun.com.

I thought it was more about him going senile.
As far as I understand, Leonization fixes your body, but not your mind.

I don't know, it's just weird, and there's enough of it in the books that it's not just a hand wave thing. -something- is going on. I mean, he messed up the CM to Inch conversion. (( Not a typo. SlammO asked what an inch was and in his explanation Fastjack missed a decimal point and it was commented on in the book itself)). Said 25cm in an inch.

After Riser used phrase 'Street Rage and his crew' four times in one comment, I'm ready to accept anything as a plain typo or poor speech on jackpointers' side. After all, all these conversations they have are supposed to be voice, no?