Charm City [IC] Options

[Seth]

"All security comes at a price. The price of this is enormous. They cripple any possibility of doing 'normal work'" Angel explained. "For them to work at all inside, unless they need no access to the outside world... which means they aren't running a business ... they need to link to external systems. Imagine trying to do ... well ... anything... like that. You can get this kind of security in a black operation like the one I was in, because the value delivered by the pain of the security is high. Here... well ... it's simple to do. As is cutting off your arm. But you can't run a business like that."

"Ergo... is it 'just a club'?"

[Koekepan]

Tubesnake thinks to himself for a little bit.

"OK, so RFID shielding is effective from the street level, but anybody paranoid enough to coat a whole building almost certainly has listeners and relays. I'd better stay dead quiet out here."

He follows up this thought by trudging up the ladder again, safety harness on as per union rules, and a couple of annelids slung over his shoulder. Up in the scaffolding, he moves along until he can hook them to signal lines, and loop them physically into his controls. This all while his flatworkers slither along, brushing crud off lengths of steel.

Once the annelids are hooked in, he trudges back down to his van, checks all the signal links from the hardwired connection there, then pours himself a nice cold MatriCola and stands, leaning against the corner of the van, waiting for the others with a loose link cable ready to share some data.

And hey, why not, a little soothing music playing. A working man needs to take the edge off sometimes.

[Thanee]

Thinking about Angel's line of thought, Selina replies: "That is absolutely possible. Who knows for sure, what they are doing there. Maybe we will figure it out."

[pbangarth]

Bongo rings Tubesnake. <<Hey, buddy. You got anything interesting for us before we head out to do some reconnaissance inside?>>

[Koekepan]

Tubesnake takes the call, and while taking it wanders up the ladder again so that, what with the rumble of the city, he'd be well out of the way of any listener without a shotgun mic or similar aids.

<<Yes, sir. I think that I have a few points. I have yet to inspect the superstructure from the inside, but the baseline from the outside might interest you. The main structure appears to be freestanding, unless some part of it has been sublet. I can't verify that externally, of course. Only the top storey seems to have windows; four in total. The rest is either regular door exits, or vents, and not many of those. The vents have grates on them, which could maybe be removed, but probably not too quietly without some prep work. The scaffolding around and above the structure is Ares, of course, holding up the arcology, and the lights and cameras on it are well-maintained but there's a population of jauchekaefer living on the scaffolding, making a bit of a mess. Speaking of those, they've deteriorated some of the RF-blocking paint that covers the building on the roof, so if you want to park a node or a pet up top, they could drill their way in like a hungry whelk. If you want to get inside, this is just my idea, but I'd send the smooth operators in the front door, and get the sneaky ones into the scaffolding to make their way down to the roof. If you like, I can use pest control measures to keep the jauchekaefer at bay for the duration. I've already set up cables and tackle to ease movement up top. I think that intelligent planning would get people into the scaffolding so that anybody trying to look for them up there would be blinded by the floodlights, thereby keeping them out of public view. What else do you need, sir?>>

Tubesnake easily moves from a rather lazy, vaguely redneck drawl to clipped, specific information. There's evidently more to him than just a buttcrack handyman with an interest in rubbery things.

[Seth]

Angel continued to watch. There was little she could do to contribute at the moment, but perhaps that would change.

[pbangarth]

Bongo passes on the info from Tubesnake to the rest of the crew still at home. He links them in on the rest of the conversation.

<<Thanks, Tubesnake. Not sure we need to infiltrate full-bore yet, because we don't know who has the young woman. She might be here. She might be elsewhere. If we think she is being held in the club, and our other two teammates have joined us, we can make a full-strength infiltration. Does that make sense to folks?

<<I do wonder about the level of RF screening. I remember a club in Seattle that had rooms set aside for extremely private meetings. Maybe that goes on in this place?>>

[Seth]

"Sure they might have private booths. Cheap and easy. And small and isolated.Consensual and easy to leave"

"But why would they have all their systems isolated. How do they order more drinks? or more bar mats? How do they talk to their staff, when the staff are out of the building? How do they get social media coverage? How do they stop their patrons leaving when the patrons discover they can't talk to their friends? Or that their DocWagon sensors aren't working. How does the club they tell their security corp they have a problem? How do they get feeds of what's happening? How do they get updated bloom filters of 'known bad guys'?

"Basically how do they run their business?. Even the simplest interactions need the Matrix nowadays. Total isolation is what you do when you have secrets that are worth the enormous cost and impact. Putting radio absorbing material on your walls kills everything."

"Maybe you will find when you go in. Or maybe they are just retro and don't have important people coming to them? I can't imagine anyone with a DocWagon contract going to such a place."

[pbangarth]

"Good points, Angel, " Bongo admits. " Angel, in what you have gleaned from the establishment so far, do they have a dinner menu or do we have to eat elsewhere first? Maybe at a nearby restaurant where our old-style garb won't draw too much attention."

[Koekepan]

Tubesnake continues by, while others discuss their options and make up their minds, lowering the annelids like caterpillars on silken threads onto the roof. Once there, he uses the data cables to communicate directly with them, sending them wriggling down the pipes through the trash remains of the Jauchekaefer to map out whatever is reasonably feasible. Obviously he's a lot less interested in external gutters (largely obsoleted by the presence of the arcology above) than he is in systems such as ventilation shafts which should lead into the actual building proper.

[sunnyside]

(OOC: Advancing time for Tubesnake, others could be doing something else, or advance as well and arrive )

As the evening goes on, the crowds start building. Not just for Gatsby's, which starts building up guest list and non guest lists lines, but also the rest of the area. It would be more obvious to folks a little further out, but you start seeing people descending from uptown. Their cars lowering to the street on platforms, or elevators opening to Taxi's parked in from of them, hurrying inside while keeping a wary eye on any downtown sorts.

However in many cases they soon end up merged together underneath the arcology. Arguably rubbing shoulders with some of the worst Ork hive gangs coming in from a little further out in the butterfly. Presumably towers Orks are doing the same. Along with some tourists and Ares folks heading out. It becomes quickly apparent to Tubesnake that there might be quite a job market for imposing trolls providing escorts and security. In the distance he can hear what sounds a lot like a large fight breaking out, but no gunshots or explosions ring out. Tubesnake has largely excavated the area with the exposed paint, though his drones could expose it further than the bug activity. All the vents seem to have grates, but if he sends up a brisket with a tool he could get one open fast since they're held in with simple screws versus welds. Well, so long as those rusty screws turn. Smoke coming up indicates which is the kitchen at least.

Shortly before the club opens two things happen with Tubesnake roughly simultaniously. First a guy comes outside of Gatsby's, an Ork with a large mustache in a pinstripe suit that is tight around his fairly bulky arms and shoulders. He yells out to Tubesnake while making a shooing gesture with one arm "What you are doing here asshole?!? Move it! You can't be taking up space here now, people need to get in!"

Also the sound system kicks on in full thrum. Something Jazzy and heavily bass boosted. It's loud, but Tubesnake is used to loud. He might have thought the Jauchekaefer would be used to it too, but they seem suddenly quite agitated. Up until now they've been milling about, occasionally looking over the roof but mostly staying near their trash nests. Now they're looking around angrily and seem to be squaring up with the drones.

[Koekepan]

Tubesnake remains calm, and points to the union sticker on his helmet. ""Hey man, I'm just here on pest control. I can move the cables, but these vehicles over here aren't mine, I'm parked way over there. See the ladders? Anyway, if you like I can just leave you with the beetles but if I were you, I'd want to get rid of 'em."" He uses his projector to display a drone's eye view of the agitated Jauchekaefer, magnified so that everyone in the area gets a good TriD view of what a nest of Jauchekaefer above the club looks like. ""You know their secretions are toxic, right? I mean, I don't think they're insect shaman related, but just big and toxic.""

Tubesnake projects the calm certainty of a man whose mantra is: `Makes no difference to me, I get paid either way.'

[sunnyside]

The Ork looks suspiciously at the cables going up to the roof and the display. However the already agitated Jauchekaefer has had enough of being looked at and lunges at the drone.

The Ork had been doing his best to look tough, but the jumpscare got the best of him for a moment and he leaps back letting a "fuck" slip out. Then he rapidly hisses, "Shut that off and get in the ally!"

[OOC: The Jauchekaefer is going on initative 8. Tubesnake was aware they were getting worked up and doesn't need to roll for surprise]

As the bug and drone start tussling some folks in the crowed start to loudly wonder what that drek is all about. The bouncers somehow get clued in and start letting the lines in right quick.

[Koekepan]

Tubesnake shrugs cheerfully. ""Sure thing, chief. Doing that right now.""

He turns off the TriD projector, directs the drone to back off as long as it can - if the Jauchekaefer wrecks it, he'll have some repair work to do. Then he disconnects the control cable that he used at street level and lets the auto-reel pull it back up to the scaffolding level.

Once he gets back to the van, he enters it, locks it, and then heads back up out of the hatch, to the ladder that he had set up, and goes up the ladder into the scaffolding to clean up the mess and find out whether the shankworm survived.

[sunnyside]

After getting into the ally Tubesnake sees his Shankworm has retreated over the edge of the wall and is with him in the ally. Detecting the aggressive bugs and not having commands the other drones have also automatically backed off.

Reviewing the footage he would see his drone hustling backwards while threatening the flying bug with his spike preventing those antler like manadables from getting into the shankworms soft sides. A lucky swipe sends the bug spinning into the sludge on the roof. Eventually the camera pans upwards as the drones suction feet engage the masonry and it goes over the side. The Jauchekaefer lands at the edge, along with one of it's fellows who has joined it. They are strong climbers and can fly, and must sometimes come out to get garbage, but they don't seem to want to leave the roof and step back away from the edge. Other drones could see them lying in wait a little ways back, apparently waiting to see if the shankworm heads back up.

[OOC: The drone rolled a higher initative than the bug. While full defense while moving away would seem the obvious pilot choice given the instructions, without the relevant skill full defense just doesn't work and the drones don't have autosofts. So it attempted a vehicle maneuver to exceed its normal "running" acceleration rate and got no hits. The bug then manages to get no hits on 5 dice to attack. The drone has 3 initative passes, so it tries to stab the bug in part to avoid intercept tests (2 hits on attack but bug rolls a luck 4 on defense). The drone then uses its remaining passes to actually get some hits on its vehicle tests in the slowest chase in Shadowrun history as both the drone and bug are shockingly slow. The bug takes flight and manages a single hit sprinting which is enough to make the drone have to fight while retreating, but doesn't let the bug properly attack that turn since it doesn't have a second initiative pass. One of the drone attacks actually hits the bug for 3 damage (I'm treating the spike as a survival knife, we never really discussed that). That causes a knockdown. Despite the low speeds there isn't a whole lot of roof and the drone then backs over the side before the bug can get in another proper attack or its friend can close the distance.]

[Seth]

Angel 316 didn't really know how she could contribute as there was no matrix connection. Still she had at least got passes. Mostly she waited for the more experienced people to explain what was going to happen

[pbangarth]

Bongo suggests to Selina, "The club will be open now. Let's go and set up inside. See what we can find as point persons."

[Thanee]

"Yeah, sounds good! At the very least, we will have some more information about what it does look on the inside, which might help putting a plan together," Selina agrees.

[Koekepan]

Paul collects things and consolidates, closing up the van so that the only way open from it is the roof hatch leading up to the ladders hooked onto the scaffolding, a block away from the club. He pauses inside the van to evaluate the shankworm, but connects back to the rest of the drones to marshal them in the scaffolding above a corner of the club. He could certainly have his drones engage them in combat, but he has some uglier tricks up his sleeve, should it come to that. In the mean time, from their elevated position above the club, his drones should be able to either rappel down to address vents, or serve as relays above the gap in shielding on the roof.

[pbangarth]

Bongo's Rover might not be the most luxurious vehicle in town, but it does afford more protection and privacy for the two 'cosplaying' investigators than a motorbike. Bongo looks for a good parking spot close to the club. Once parked, the two of them approach the front door and find out if Angel's tech run worked.

[Koekepan]

Paul looks around and realises that there's a key degree of coordination that is failing to happen. He climbs back up the ladder leading from the hatch of his van to the scaffolding, and perches up high. Then he calls Bongo back.

<<Hey there, mister. Look, I'm up here getting ready to clear the decks, pest control style, but if we're getting anybody in line to work with the opening, they should maybe get in touch, yeah? I can hoist up machinery, no problem, I can do all the maintenance access stuff that we need, but if I open the gate and nobody walks through, what's the point? Oh, and by the way, mind yer manners. The bouncers in front are itching to show who's boss.>>

[pbangarth]

Bongo replies, << Got it. Selena and I are heading there now. Angel is back at base waiting to be able to link through your setup. Thanks for the heads up on the doorman. >>

[Koekepan]

<<Oh yeah? Well, pass the word to her I got a drone parked ready to play relay, or if she has a node or something she wants me to hold in position, can do, but until then I'll be squishing physical bugs the size of truck wheels to justify my presence.>>

[sunnyside]

(OOC: I'm pretty busy until sometime in October, but to keep this moving I'll let Selina be assumed to follow Bongo, since Thanee seemed to be agreeing to go. She can open with posts about if the cats hanging out in the car or whatnot. )

Bongo is pretty sure he spotted the bouncer Tubesnake was talking about outside the club waving away any car trying to park too close to the club as opposed to just dropping people off, with an array of foul language and threatening gestures.

However thanks again to the uptowners ceasing to use downtown parking there are spots in the garage across the street.

The bouncers at the front door are starting to slow how enthusiastic they are about getting people in, now that those talking about bugs are off the street. However they emptied out the line of folks on the list, allowing Bongo and Selina to breeze through, after a brief moment for their faces to register in the door man's AR shades. He gestures you to walk to the right as you go in. Instead of paying you go past a dispenser that automatically slides two of the clubs mason jars with a double of "moonshine" to get the night started.

The inside of the club is trying to make the most of their very limited floorspace. The first floor has not tables or chairs at all. It's mostly dance floor with craps and roulette tables, actual physical ones, in the corners. There's a long bar on both sides, handing out moonshine cheap and quickly, or for a bit more folks are doing the absinthe ritual. On the far side from the entrance a band is set up on a small stage. They're going for a big band sound, but they aren't a big band, just three young skinny humans in period clothing. One guy is "playing" a cyberdeck he's plugged into, retro enough these days. The other guy has a trumpet, and the woman, presumably a singer by the old style mic nearby, is just dancing as they're covering "Charleston" by Enoch Light. Although Bongo is quickly suspicious if the trumped player is actually in the mix going over the speakers. They seem to be having quite a time and the crowd is too. Since the club is still filling, they actually have room to let their arms and legs fly a little. The crowd seems to be having a good time, and while someone looking out for trouble will notice body guards near certain people, and others a little rougher and hanging together like a gang, and Selina can definitely tell different degrees of fashion the fact people are all in costume wear to an extent makes them relatively blur together.

Probably the biggest differentiator is those who have paid for a table. The first floor ceiling is a good twenty feet up making enough space for the outer wall to have half tables in little booths, reachable from above, allowing people to sit there and see and be seen from the first floor. The picture was of one of those, however no one in the picture is in any of them now.

The center of the room has an exceedingly wide spiral staircase going up to the second floor with gold gilded bars around it like a cage. Folks move up in the center, but the outside by the bars lets show offs dance where they can be seen.

Also something most folks wouldn't even notice, is that Selina's and Bongo's commlinks are still connected to the matrix. But they'd heard about the paint, so there must be an internal network with some connection to the outside.
--------------------

Outside Tubesnake has four of the bugs to deal with, one of them wounded, all of them upset now. Usually his Shankworms get to, well, shank critters, without them being overly aware of the danger of the slow moving things. So far the bugs haven't paid much attention to your airborne drone in all of this.

[Koekepan]

Tubesnake retrieves his drones, while setting up sprayers for the flatworkers to which he attaches cans full of pyrethrins. ""Awright, boys, let's see you you like some arthropod neurotoxins."" Then he sends them crawling up the scaffolding again, this time with a couple of shankworms following behind. The flyer he checks for a full charge, and then just parks it on a wire well back from the chemical warfare zone, but still over the paint gap.