[IP] Uncaring Stars Options

[Volker]

"If anyone of you carries an optic and/or acoustic sensor - cybereyes and ears, external commlink, smartgun, or such - they can share their feed with us. Also, why not just keep the group channel alive? That way, we're always in touch. If you have trodes or any other kind of DNI, you can even send voice or text messages without actually moving your jaws.
Also, I'd set a surveillance drone nearby to watch you."

[Gilga]

Anna shrugs "Fine... you can have a mark on my glasses and earbuds. "

[Thanee]

"Indeed, I see no reason why we cannot be in communication throughout," Nova agreed.

[SquirrelDude]

”Sounds great.

“What’s the plan if we loose communication in the middle of this because of the cops run interference or whatever?”

[Thanee]

Nova shrugged. "I guess, then it falls to Anna to use her magic to give you the go, in case we need the backup."

"We should, however, take a moment to think about what that backup would actually mean..."

[Crossbow]

"I would be fine with 'Come in shooting.'. You want to borrow my assault cannon?"

[Gilga]

Matrix communication plan A, Magic communication as a backup. It is more awkward to have a spirit tell you what happens than to see for yourself. About bailing us out, the right thing to do is have the car ready to pick us up if we need to escape. If we get arrested, I am not sure that the assault cannon is the way. It involves getting so hot that we cannot complete the mission and get paid. I'd say in that case, when they move us to another location try to rescue us, or get us a good lawyer and carry on without us.

[SquirrelDude]

"Appreciate the offer of your cannon, but I don't really know my way around firearms.

"I'll probably just walk in and say I have an appointment with some doctor cause I'm feeling pain or whatever, if security asks. Then make my way to you guys."

[Volker]

Yeah. If we realize things go south, Sharkboy will either distract them to give you a chance to flee, or go in. If we are cut off entirely, I will find a way to figure out what's up. They are not going to turn off all commlinks, cameras, smartguns, and so forth. Then we improvize a plan to get you out of there.
Not with a blood bath, though. We can't take a whole station of police officers all by ourselves.
Or can we?"

[Thanee]

"Technically, we wouldn't need to take on the whole station, just the ones between us and the exit," Nova commented.

"In that case, if it really comes down to that, we should know which exit we are headed, so Sharkboy can get to work on that one. So, as long as our communication is up, we should keep that in mind, so when it goes dark, we know what the rest will be doing. Even if that happens, I would consider violence not the first option, as an interruption to our communication might not even be related to us directly."

[Volker]

"Yeah, as I said, I'd be a chink of a decker if I would lose you in a fully operated semi-public building in the Sixth World. We'll do fine"

[Gilga]

Anna spends some time wondering about how terrible it might feel in mage cuffs, or dazed to the point of not posing a risk. Then she suppresses it all, and goes to seat in the car. Anxious to get going, and reluctant to make plans that involve excessive violence on the police. "So I leave a trail of dead people just to get buckets of money and expensive toys... I may be closer to the SINers than I realize." The bounded spirit just returns a serious look. As if, "just send me on a service or something". For an immortal being, Sophie does have a short fuse. Anna remarks.

[Jack_Spade]

The rented car arrives only 15 minutes after the team commits to the idea. True to her word, Eliza has taken care of getting you a luxurious armored limousine that has room enough for Taurus and a Valkyrie Module in the trunk.

[Volker]

"All right, then before we leave, let's sort out some matrix security issues.

First is slaving devices. I have acquired a 'link that is specifically tuned to be a professional master device. I can offer you to slave your important online gear.
Nova, your defense is quite decent. You have a couple of smartguns which you could either slave to your Transys or give them over to me.

[ Spoiler ]

(Only if her nanohive and/or auto-injector are online: )Same goes for your wifi augmentations.

Anna, the same is basically true for you. You have a high class 'link and from what I can tell from afar, the configuration is decent, too. I assume that you're going to wear specialized business clothing which might profit from being online. You, too, bring smartguns and agreed to go online with your earbuds and glasses. I assume that you'd take care of your matrix security yourself, as I can tell that you're perfectly capable of it. If you want, however, I can slave your 'link to mine to further improve its defense.

Things are less ideal for Sharkboy and Taurus.
Shark, I am not sure whether your bow has something like a smartgun system or not

[ Spoiler ]

assuming he hasn't turned it on in the garage

or whether you use any grenades you want to have online. You might want your armor to profit form wifi perks when we get there. Apart from that, there's your commlink, of course, which is quite easy to hack. I offer you to slave all your vital devices to my commlink. Note that this does not allow me any access to your gear, it just adds a layer of protection.

Same goes for you, Taurus. I can tell that your eyes are cyber. If you need them to be online, please slave them to my device. You, too, seem to use smartguns and I assume that you will want to have some kind of armor that's gonna be online. Please don't leave any of these unprotected. With "unprotected" I mean also "slaved to your commlink" which really isn't much more than a phone and a camera. So, anything remotely important, give it to me.

Second is surveillance. I can offer constantly check for intruders, and let my agent assist me. Of course, the more attention is divided, the less attention each peace of gear gets. That's why I would suggest that I focus on Nova's and Anna's commlinks. If anyone of you has an agent program, now would be a good time to mention it.

Third is threat-highlighting software.
I will run some analysis programs and share the feed with you. If you keep an eye on this AR feed, we can work together to fend off intruders. I can share this with all of you, as the programs will run in the background. You only have to accept the request and keep the feed monitored.

Any questions?"

[Gilga]

Anna says "I am not bringing a gun, just clothes and glasses/earbuds, and link. I'll slave to you if you prefer, but I think it may expose you, where I prefer you to stay hidden as our snake in the grass."

[Volker]

"Fine by me, your defense is decent enough."

[Gilga]

*Great so I get to keep my private files private* Anna grins for herself. She strokes the ring in her pocket and draws confidence from it. While strapped in, Anna says "I'll go have a quick look at that place. Back shortly." closing her eyes, the young mage forms the mental patterns for enhanced senses, and then endures a moment of extreme sensation as her mind disengages from her body. She hates it, magic rarely is pleasant to do. Yet, once the separation is done, her mind is quite happy to be free. Anna moves within the speed of thought toward the police station and casually inspects the building. She would not sneak past wards but would notice their force and tradition if she can.

[ Spoiler ]

Anna casts improve intuition, (no power focus) buys 4 hits and sustains it with the sustaining focus. (keeping the charisma spell for now.
Assensing: 16d6t5 5
drain: 15d6t5 9

[Volker]

The rented car arrives only 15 minutes after the team commits to the idea. True to her word, Eliza has taken care of getting you a luxurious armored limousine that has room enough for Taurus and a Valkyrie Module in the trunk.

When the limo arrives, bnc gawks. Despite the fortunes she made (and spent almost immediately), she never granted herself what other people might consider a luxury. She whistles softly. "Carajo! That beats a public bus a thousand times, chummers...

Simultaneously, James gets up and walks over to the limo, and bnc passes him and lays down on her cot.

[Jack_Spade]

The car, a Mitsubishi Nightsky, displays Eliza's face on the small holoprojector on the dashboard.
<<Jump in. This baby is supposed to be back in two hours at the deep cleaning service where I got it. Afterward all traces of you will be gone - provided we get it back in time.
Satellite image shows the coast is clear at the hospital.
Shark, there is a chauffeurs cap in the glove compartment - should you want to look like one.>>

[ Spoiler ]

if there is anything you want to do before you go, now is the time to write about it.
Please state in a spoiler what you have with you when you enter the station - and if you are trying to hide it, and if yes where and with what modifier

[Thanee]

[ Spoiler ]

Before heading to the station, Nova would like to buy an Ares Predator V (725¥) and a Concealable Holster (150¥) with Regular Ammo (60¥), including one Spare Clip (5¥). Probably via Eliza, if she can get that in time, so the gun isn't registered to some gun store where a scan would reveal that it was bought just a few hours ago. It would seem out of place, if we are not carrying guns at all, I assume. She will hand it over, when they get in, of course. It is always good, if they do find something.

Nova is wearing her Zoé Executive Suite with the Form-Fitting Body Armor (Half Suit) underneath as part of her disguise.

She is carrying
- The Ares Predator V (see above; Smartlink and wireless on)
- Backup Commlink (Transys Avalon) with the fake ID/license that we hopefully prepared (wireless on)
- Credstick (Silver) with 2,000¥
- Contacts (wireless on)
- Glasses (wireless on)
- Ear Buds (wireless on)
- Biomonitor (wireless off)
- Medkit 3 (wireless on)

Cyber Holster (assuming it cannot be scanned easily; see OOC)
- Savalette Guardian (Smartlink and wireless off) with APDS Ammo
- One Clip with Stick-n-Shock Ammo

Smuggling Compartment
- Primary Commlink (Transys Avalon; wireless off)
- Credstick (Platinum) with her remaining Nuyen
- Shock Gloves
- Lockpick Set

In the car
- Ares Desert Strike (broken down in a briefcase; Smartlink and wireless off) with APDS Ammo
- One clip with APDS Ammo
- Ares Alpha (broken down in a briefcase; Smartlink and wireless off) with EX-Explosive Ammo & HE Minigrenades
- One clip with EX-Explosive Ammo
- Two clips with APDS Ammo
- Securetech PPP Arms Kit
- Securetech PPP Legs Kit
- Securetech PPP Vitals Kit
- Ballistic Mask
- Gecko Tape Gloves
- Survival Kit
- Medkit 6 (wireless off)

Her remaining gear is in the garage along with her bike.

[Crossbow]

Taurus quickly makes the adjustments necessary to give controls to bnc. He is used to corporate deckers covering him in this manner. He is already dressed professionally for the work to be done, so that part was easy too. His only real worry is one of the two women doing something that sets off the security contingent at the hospital.

"Follow my lead as best you can, one person should be doing the talking. I may not be able to charm anyone, but I know how this is supposed to go. If the orders are good there should be no surprises. The goal is the data, so let's make sure we get it."

[Jack_Spade]

Anna found the hospital after a bit of searching in the astral. The building was warded with a moderately high ward, as was to be expected of a security building and a hospital.
Two watchers of middling power flew about outside, tirelessly looking for intruders. Not impossible to get through, but also not a certain thing without getting caught.

There was no trace of any spirits to be seen.

[ Spoiler ]

Ward is F5
Two watchers at F4

[Volker]

"Ah, Nova, I just recalled. I have something that might at least be a cover-up. Maybe you could acutally need it, dunno. I still have the Lazarus Combo, from back then. The set contains Hemosynth, a nanite container with a savior medkit, a stim patch and a dose of each Crash and Kamikaze, respectively. Don't use the latter on Rabe, though, unless you really are prepared for it."
She grins and winks, handing over the Lazarus Combo to Nova, if she wants it.

Before bnc goes VR, she arranges several aerosol cans with nanites around her body. She makes sure that her auto-injector is filled with Overdrive. James is wearing his Sleeping Tiger and makes sure the Savalette is filled with gel. Apart from a set of plasteel restraints just in case he doesn't bring anything.

bnc slaves all sensitive devices of Sharkboy and Taurus to her Fairlight Caliban (which is running a diagnosis app that covers also all of its slaves), provides the whole team with the feed of her threat-highlighting system and instructs her agent to constantly check Taurus's, Nova's and Anna's commlink for marks.
Then, she leans back, watching the show and supporting her agent by checking on commlinks and smartguns.

[Gilga]

Anna reports, "Astral security is workable. Nothing that got me too worried." She looks at Taurus and say "I don't mind following your lead, but were you the one to do the talking in Ares? Won't it be strange that you do now? I mean, I can just shut up and look annoyed that they took me on a field trip where I could have studied counterspelling."

[Crossbow]

"If my charge wasn't present, and they had sent me on the errand, yes I did the talking. If another corporate executive was being addressed, it was obviously deferential. But with other security personnel, I have found that being the most imposing person in the room keeps the chitchat to a minimum." Taurus draws himself up to his full height to emphasize the point.

"If you or Nova feel like you are better suited to being the primary I can defer, it was a guess on my part that I had the most corporate experience."