Behind the Crown [IC], Behind the crown are shadows Options

[Foxx]

"""No, it is about your union though. Like i said, it's not something Im getting to out here.""" She ficuswd on where the movement was coming from. Just to be sure.

[Koekepan]

The moment turns from a shuffle to a thump - oh wait, the shuffling was probably bedding, and now he's walking.

Nope, not to the front door, he's stumbling to the drekker for a leak. Great.

He yawns mightily while fluid tinkles into fluid. """Look, if it's that fraggin' important, it'll come up in the general meeting and we can vote on it. Contract renegotiation's not up until next year, and my dues are fully paid up. So frag off and let me sleep, my shift starts in another four hours."""

[Foxx]

Heather let out a sigh. This being coy part was grating and it seem it was going to be another one that needed a cruel reality check. """Yeah about that, your company just got bought out by Mitsuhama and part of the acquisition was all the employees. I'm here to ensure you don't get recruited.""" She looked at her watch and waited for the heated reaction.

[Koekepan]

This new information has clearly had a galvanizing effect. There's a series of incoherent curses from the door's speaker, and Chuck flings it open.

He's not a prepossessing sight. Human, but Heather has seen more attractive orks. Ill-groomed, unkempt, unshaven are the least of it. His whole face is an asymmetric testament to what genetics can do for you - or not. The waft of body odours and alcohol does nothing to improve matters. He looks as if he could play Caliban without really trying.

And apparently, he sleeps nude. Wow. Dinner and a show. Without dinner, and it's not a great show.

"""Whaddya mean? They can't do that! I got rights! The union'll hear about this!"""

[Koekepan]

Vigo takes payment from Carlos, and scoots off with the quiet of electricity.

Carlos and Connor huddle together under a bus shelter, and ponder their next move in the light of the advertising display, that lights the drizzle around them as a sort of fog of commercialised light.

Connor's earlier concern about his lodge does suggest that he, at least, might head there soon in sheer self-preservation. Of course, Carlos's eye in the sky might verify activity around their respective dwellings, should they want an additional eye on things.

[Foxx]

+++Dagnabbit. I'm going to charge him double for this.+++

Heather kept her eyes on his, reaching up to put a hand on his chest to push Chuck back inside. First as a guiding gesture, then with a touch of force to get his attention and get him back inside and out of the hallway. She would follow him in and kick the door closed with her heel. """I don't like being the bearer of bad news, but your union isn't in a position to do squat about Mitsuhama. You know this. Right now they are sitting at your workplace waiting to scoop you up.""" She tried to effect a more empathic look on her face. She knew from experience that corps play dirty. This was another day in the big hustlers making lives difficult for the little people. Four out of a whole bunch more who were going to be getting ready for Orientation Day with Japanese salarymen who did not give a frag about them. Sometimes it made her wonder why she was so eager to join up with all that mess.

"""That's why Ah'm here. To make sure 'you' don't wind up with 'them'." Hopefully, he was not the suicidal type. She was worried about Cindy offering herself upon hearing her new forced employment opportunities. Angry she could handle; giving up deserve a slap upside the head.

[Koekepan]

Chuck apparently realises a couple of things. First, that he's naked. Second, that Heather is in fact ostensibly of the feminine persuasion, and third, that the air of the outdoors is both cold and moist.

This compounded set of realisations drives him not to resist her efforts to preserve his modesty, and instead he shuffles back inside without protest, and without much prompting. He makes a baffling, in its futility, attempt at modesty while shuffling back to the bedroom, saying all the while: """Fraggin' suits. Never shoulda trusted 'em. I ... frag 'em! Gonna burn their whole fraggin' building to the fraggin' ground.""" He continues his litany of felonious intent while pulling on clothing. """Just see how they like a coupla dozen kilo thermates turning it all into swiss cheese!"""

While Chuck prepares himself to face the world, with or without a criminal SIN to his name, Heather sees that his living space appears to be a sort of bizarrely frou-frou wonderland of lace and velvet and tapestries and finely-turned wood and porcelain and ... dollhouses. One dollhouse, the size of a small refrigerator, appears to have actual, individually crocheted doilies for each coffee table. If he did the joinery in it (and the tools scattered around his living room suggest that he did) then he does the most exquisite imaginable work. There's a tapestry smaller than a pocket square, depicting in minute detail a needlepainting of a hunt. There's a porcelain doll in a velvet dress on a chaise longue. An upholstered chaise longue. Holding a wine glass the size of a medicine capsule.

Chuck is either in the wrong career, or the wrong reality.

[pbangarth]

"""Carlos, I have to get back to my place to collect some lodge materials. I want to make sure Mitsuhama doesn't have a link to trace me more easily. I don't think I will ever be able to go back there again."""

Connor gives him the address of his home. """If you can spare a drone to scout ahead to see if my place is staked out, that would be helpful. Once I get close, I'll summon a spirit to do the same. If necessary, I could tell it to destroy my active Lodge. Let me know where you end up going. We should meet up later."""

Then he heads out. Summoning a taxi with his fake SIN, he directs the ride to get him close to his home, but not in direct sight of it in case a stakeout is present.

+++Damn, some sleep would go well, now.+++

[Koekepan]

Connor is on his way, mere minutes later, when a message comes through from Carlos saying:

<<<As near as I can tell, the coast is clear for now. But who knows how long? I'm going to clear out my place.>>>

Not much later, Carlos sends a message to Heather, reading:

<<<Tell me where and when. Anywhere in the 'plex should be fine.>>>

[pbangarth]

As Connor approaches his digs, Carlos' message brings him some comfort. +++I may actually get away with this.+++

He contemplates the cryptic messages they both got. Someone says they are trying to help. Is it a ploy by Mitsuhama? Connor decides to follow Carlos's example. He stops at a shop on the way and picks up a cheap burner phone. As he continues home, he sends a message through it to the unknown entity.

<<<I'm one of your potential clients. I'm interested. What is your plan?>>>

[Koekepan]

Connor gets to his place without apparent drama. Maybe he got lucky and Mitsuhama just decided that he didn't want to hang around for a meeting after his shift, and had bugged out early, so they'd get him later. Maybe they were just not moving as fast as he was. Maybe they didn't want to get rough yet.

No matter, the door opens, there's nobody there to hassle him, and the closest thing to a demand on him is a reminder that the Matrix access account is trickling money away from him. Nothing new there.

[Koekepan]

Heather's system vibrates to let her know that the unknown number that's Connor's new burner sent her a message.

It also sends her an automated message letting her know that the contact officially recorded as being Cindy in her electronic address book, has filed a formal notice to the effect that that person is now dead.

It's very tasteful. It adds a black border and an R.I.P. comment to that communication chain. Who said the Matrix was soulless?

[pbangarth]

No reply immediately from the unknown caller, so Connor gets busy. He dumps the duffel bag he used on that abortive camping trip with Laura. Good memories of her, but the trip scotched any chance for the two of them to be a couple.

After dis-Lodging his set-up Lodge materials, he packs them gingerly into the bag, along with the spare set of materials and the formulae, all of the previous well padded with clothing necessities. Next the cyberterminal. A towel around that. Then bathroom supplies (including toilet paper!). Then on top the armor clothing. finally the Predator and ammunition.

He put on the secure long coat and the fake SIN credstick inside it. Oh, and the one-off spell sheets in inside pockets, too. Then he stops for a moment ... and looks around his home.

+++ Not any more. What am I doing? Where the hell am I supposed to go? It would be so easy to just call in to work and be done with all this running. +++

"""Yeah? Fuck that! """

Connor walks out the door into his future. Look up and down the hallway. Look around out the door. Down the street and around a few corners. Hail a cab and get to somewhere far away and wait for a call. Carlos, Unknown Helper. Whatever.

[Foxx]

At least these jobs allow Heather to meet the most interesting people. """Yeah, pardner, before you start blowing stuff up we might want to lay low for a while.""" Honestly, she was really impressed with the detail. She had a dollhouse once upon a time. After a while of disinterest, it wound up collecting dust in the attic. There were so many more fun things to do outside then stay inside playing with little doll people. She hopes to the almighty this was his hobby and not some weird fetish.

While she waits for Chuck to get dressed she checks her messages. Her blood runs cold concerning Cindy's message. Either the girl decided to off herself or she decided to scorch her I.D. and go into hiding. It was reminiscent of Heather's circumstances, only she just dropped off the information grid instead of leaving bodies behind. """Dammnit girl, you better have done it...."""

She hits Carlos and Conner on their burners with the same request: <<<Give me an address and I'll pick you up both up. Pack light and leave unnessacary electronics that can be tracked behind or turned off.>>> She stressed left behind and turned off. She did not want Mitsuhama picking up their trail because someone left their favorite gaming device turned on linked to a wireless connection.

[pbangarth]

Connor just about sends the address of a good little sushi place not far from where he lives lived. Caution overrides taste, and he has the cab pull over in front of one of those greasy spoon diners he has avoided all his life. That address he sends, with the request to ask him inside if he is "Mr. Smith".

A moment later and he is in a booth with a cracked vinyl bench and a clear view of the front door as well as of the way to the kitchen. """Soykaf, black, and a piece of that apple pie in the display case, please," he says to the server.

+++ Let's see who comes for me. +++

A powerbolt scrip and the improved invisibility scrip are closest to hand inside his coat.

[Koekepan]

Chuck throws on his clothes, and then, apparently still fuddled from interrupted sleep calls to Heather: """So hang on, what did you want me to do? What do you mean by "laying low", exactly? We going by union hall?"""

He doesn't show any sign of trying to pack up the dollhouses, just grabs a jacket and some kind of fanny pack, and looks roughly ready to go. Maybe he just travels light.

But he does grab a small keg, and slings it over his shoulder.

Cindy's present condition is evidently unknown - at any rate, nothing more from her is immediately forthcoming.

Carlos sends Heather the address of a street corner. It's right by a park of sorts, where kids like to race their drones. Lots of fairly anonymous, loud, chaotic activity. It's in South Tacoma, not that far from where she's wrangling Chuck. Of course, Cindy's place is a little further away, if Heather feels inclined to go feel for a pulse.

[pbangarth]

Maybe it's the late morning, maybe it's the stress of the new reality, but Connor finds the soykaf and pie appealing. He orders another round. As he waits for that to come, he decides to add another layer of defense here, and summons a Hearth spirit of this place.

+++ I wonder what this will look like. +++

[ Spoiler ]

Force 2 spirit, Conjuring 5 = 5 dice , target 2 +2 (daytime): 3 successes

Drain : CHA 4 target 4(L): 4 successes ==> no Drain.

Sooner or later I'm gonna pay for these rolls. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[Koekepan]

In response to Conner's call, she (it's impossible not to think of her as female) drifts into view.

She wouldn't have seemed out of place in a diner in 1957, complete with knee-length skirt, apron, pen stuck in her hair, low heels, and a figure that suggested that she really enjoys taste-testing the baked goods.

She snaps her gum and says: :::What's yer order, honey?::: From the front pocket of her apron she extracts a notebook, and stands poised with her other hand on her hip.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Half a city away, Heather notices that Chuck has a somewhat old-school 'link on his belt, the way that many tradesmen carry theirs. It's not a bad hands-free solution, but of course, it's a security hole.

He wears boots, speed-laced up his ankles, and looks generally like a shaved mutant chimp who lost a fight but is ready for the next.

[pbangarth]

Connor goes with the flow. :::I'd like an order of vigilance, please. Let me know if anything on the astral enters the confines of this building. :::

[Koekepan]

The hearth spirit nods, and calls to the back of the diner: :::One watch-and-tell on table three!::: then she turns back to Connor and smiles sweetly. :::Anything else, honey? We got pecan, key lime, cherry and strawberry, and coffee of course. Or wouldja like our strawberry lemonade?:::

Once Connor has finished ordering, and returns his senses to this side of reality, he can settle back with his actual order and watch the trid stations that play in the upper corners of the room. It's the usual stuff that you would see with coffee; the news never changes in some ways. Lone Star is vehemently denying improprieties with respect to their contract with the 'plex, claiming that it's a smear campaign from rivals who are in league with criminals to fabricate evidence undermining faith in governing structures. Urban Brawl leagues are in debates about a reorganisation, with team members proposing a more free-flowing structure. Mitsuhama is offering a reward for information leading to the safe return of some of their citizens. The latest craze in suburbia is AR gardens, with virtual lizards and insects crawling around hermetically-sealed automated aeroponic environments. Unauthorised simsense recordings of Callia Menegucci having sex with her boyfriend, Torvin Ingmarsson, have hit the 'trix.

Not bad soykaf. Pretty decent pie.

[pbangarth]

Connor perks up at the mention of Mitsuhama. He listens carefully to hear what the reward is. +++ What do they think I'm worth, and how likely is someone to rush to turn me in? +++

[Koekepan]

Mitsuhama appears to have a sliding scale, depending on the citizen in question.

Marissa Devereaux (16), a lovely young lady with bountiful assets, the treasured daughter of Mitsuhama executives, is worth a cool NY 25,000 for her safe return. This is paired with an excerpt from a tearful plea from horrified parents (might have been much longer, but trid stations go for the money shots).

And then, four people who may or may not be in Marissa's company, and may or may not know where she is, and may or may not be armed. Chuck's deformed, hideous face is right there in full 3D. NY 2,500. Can anyone look upon that face and not imagine what hideous indignities he might have visited on her hapless, tender flesh? Cindy's face appears on the trid. NY 4,000. She looks cool, haughty - sadistic? Obviously jealous of young Marissa's looks. Carlos, too, is worth NY 4,000, and something about the trid image makes him look street tough. Mean. Pitiless. Would he ever have hesitated to grab poor girls and stuff them in the back of his van? You be the judge. And Connor. Well, dwarves all look alike, don't they? But he's still worth NY 10,000.

There's some muttered stuff about terms and conditions applying, but really, who pays attention to the small stuff?

[pbangarth]

+++ A bounty on my head? Suggesting I might have had something to do with the disappearance and abuse of a child? Logical ploy, but you bastards! The day will come when you will want to pay a lot more than NY 10,000 for my head. +++

A hard little grain of anger and resolve forms deep in Connor's heart. And the need to remake his appearance to be different from the image they show comes to mind. NY 10,000 is a lot of money to a lot of people. He heads to the bathroom to find an empty stall, averting his face from any in the diner who might have seen the trideo. Time to change his appearance.

[Foxx]

Heather takes her eyes off the miniature houses and looks at Chuch, """I mean we're going to find a hole in the wall and hide out there till this blows over. The people I work for are interested in you NOT joining Mitsuhauma. Before you ask, the people I work for don't have names, but they don't work for the Japanese.""" At least she thinks her friend doesn't work for them; not her problem. """So that means turn off your 'link and don't try to respond to any messages from friends or family for the next few days."""

While she is talking she goes about checking the windows, carefully peeking outside to ensure no one new had appeared. """I got three others I need to scope up before we disappear into the background.""" Looking back over to Chuck. """You got everything?"""

[Koekepan]

Now at last, Chuck pauses long enough to have a thought enter his brain and actually tarry on its way.

"""Who 'xactly you working for? What's this all about?"""

On the other hand, while asking, he's moving in the right direction and does take his 'link off his belt to thumb it off. It gives a sort of sad chime. """Uh, yeah, 'm good.""" On the way out, he slaps the 'link back on his belt, then uses his free hand to pull the door shut.

Four doors down the passageway, between them and the staircase, a door pops open. Someone pops their head out, looks down the passage, sees Chuck and Heather, and their eyes open like a collapsible satellite dish. The head pops back in, and the door slams shut.