The Found Arcana - Chapter 12 [IC] Options

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby replied: <<Agreed, time is ticking.>>


Unceremoniously, he bundled the little reptile up in the hacker's clothes and stowed it in his lap.

[Gilga]

"At least we have something to show for... " AM says, feeling a bit skeptic. She physically deactivates the deck and ship it over with over with the decker.

[Thanee]

<<Tuesday Evening - 19:13 - May 16, 2079 - Horse Trot Ranch, Brighton, Denver>>

After everything is stowed away, the team drives back to the ranch to hand over the decker and his equipment to Falcone and Hafiz.

While the time pressure with the ransom seems to be off. The question remains, where is Jonathan Belenkiy? If it was, after all, an extraction (if so, it sure does not look like he was coming willingly), the Black Cats might still have to hold him for a while to make further arrangements. Maybe there is still a chance to catch up to them. Or, at least, negotiate that meeting with Captain Razak. Of course, all of that requires to actually get to them. And the most promising lead to that end still remains the Hardpan.


<<Tuesday Evening - 19:51 - May 16, 2079 - Hardpan, Thornton, Denver>>

With the burden of what to do with the decker transfered to Falcone and his assistant, you are free to continue your way to the bar.

You have been here twice, already, so you know what to expect. This time, however, the bar is filled with patrons, every single one of them being Sioux Amerindian. The beat of heavy bass reverberates through the building's walls. A bunch of four-by-four jeeps and trucks are in the parking lot. A few bikes as well.

[Tecumseh]

"Alright, let's figure out a plan.

"Tamarind, you want to stay behind the wheel?

"AM, overwatch? Maybe plug yourself into the system and be prepared to kill the lights if things go sideways.

"Bobby, should we tag-team this? Let's start off with the recruitment olive branch, saying we want to hire the Black Cats. It has a kernel of truth, given Razak's interest.

"If and when someone breaks a chair over you back or tries to shank me with a broken bottle, we'll respond accordingly. But send them to the hospital, not the morgue! These are just folks enjoying a drink at their local. If they get territorial, well, I can't say I blame them.

"Alright, should be good fun. Ready for a show?"

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby nodded: "Sounds about right. We'll have to be careful though - few people enjoy getting recruited by Razak.
I'll try to be gentle when the altercation starts."

Bobby made sure his rip-away sweatpants and shirt sat nice and propper, before following Mato into the bar, making a beeline for the proprietor.

[Tecumseh]

Mato gets out of the Gopher. He's been in places like the Hard Pan before, as part of his 'training' by the Wild Cats who were actively milking his inheritance from him. But with his nephritic screen he doesn't get anything out of drinking, so he doesn't spend a lot of time in bars.

He settles into his armor jacket, hoping it won't look too out-of-place. There was little chance of them blending in; Mato and Bobby had the hair and the facial features, but not the clothes. Bobby's rip-away sweatpants would never pass muster at a cowboy bar, and they didn't have hats or boots. (Mato privately laments that Bobby Ray's place in San Angelo didn't sell boots. He resolves to find a pair, maybe even before they head back to Seattle. Real cowhide, if I can find it. Full grain.)

His plan is to head toward the bartender. If they get there without generating any friction, he'll order a shot of Old Redeye with a back of Orkstaff’s XXX. If they don't have hurlg then he'll try to pick something local. He wants to gently break the ice before making discreet inquiries about Susan Johnson, also known as Banshee.

[Gilga]

"Either that, or I go there being all decker which they are missing in their team, female which seems to be their thing, and awakened which they like. I'll say I am new in town, and I heard they are the best in the biz, say I want to join. How can they not be intrigued? " I unbutton a single button in my shirt and makes myself a bit more presentable as I exit the car.

[Tecumseh]

"Yeah, but you don't look Sioux," Mato points out. "You are Sioux, but you look like your mother.

"Haven't you told us about all the discrimination you felt from the so-called 'native' Sioux when you were growing up? Well imagine that getting ramped up to 11 in there." He points to the Hardpan.

Mato looks her up and down.

"You can cast that spell that masks your appearance, neh? Can you go full Sioux? I think it will eliminate a lot of friction."

[Gilga]

"I can change the way that I look... I am not sure if I can make myself classix sioux, but I can make my skin a few shades darker, color my head black, and make my clothing a little more... in line. I also speak Lakota, and sioux sign language and have some killer Sioux folk tells... I think I can look Sioux. If any, I think me taking so much after my mother is one of Iktomi's jests..." I say confidently...

I then muse a bit I don't think me not looking Sioux started to effect me until I presented myself as a Sioux shaman. This is the kind of magic I learned what I knew, but some people still saw it as offensive as if I am appropriating their culture or making fun of it. Even if well my entire life are a dialogue with Iktomi... "

[Tecumseh]

"Yeah, well, people are gonks," Mato says to AM. "There's a reason none of us are still living in the motherland, neh?"

He nods at her description of what she can do.

"Sounds perfect. Yes, that Iktomi!" Mato shakes his head, knowing that Iktomi's web clings to him as well.

[Gilga]

Alright here goes, AM changes slightly the tone of her clothes to be darker, she wanted to do more but the fabric resisted, and she also made her hair black, her skin tone a bit darker, and her fingernails polished with the makeover spell that has much more accuracy, making her appear more of a mixed heritage than a straight up anglo or at least this is the look she was going for, a second fashion spell puts it more when she wants to go, something dark red with vouge of black that symbolize the various spirits of the Wakan Tanaka to the keen eyed, but may look just like a fashion choice to the uninitiated. "Sioux enough?" She she asks with a plain face.

[ Spoiler ]

Makeover, Fashion: 2#17d6t5 7 4
Drain: 2#11d6t5 6 3
Fashion resist: 6d6t5 3
drain: 11d6t5 6
Fashion resist: 6d6t5 2
Fashion: 17d6t5 5

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby shook his head in amazement: "You look like that one model, peddling fake butter to white people - so pretty much perfect."

[Gilga]

Alright... let's see if I got what it takes to be a cat." I say as I exit the car seat alone by the bar, ordering a drink and absorbing myself in the atmosphere, and asking politely about our contact in the hardpan.

[ Spoiler ]

I didn't remember the name.]

[Thanee]

<<Tuesday Evening - 20:06 - May 16, 2079 - Hardpan, Thornton, Denver>>

As you enter the bar, you see Susan Johnson behind the counter. The owner of the Hardpan also tends the bar. You cannot see any waitstaff, seems to be just her. She is a tough woman, tall and quite athletic, fitting in pretty well with the general crowd that frequents the local watering hole.

Eyes follow your steps, since you are new. But that's pretty much it. You fit in well enough, although the bar is mostly visited by local regulars. Most of the patrons are blue-collar workers. Apex Plasmids is the biggest employer in this part of Thornton, and it seems likely, that the majority of the patrons are working there. Overall, things are pretty relaxed and you can overhear talk about what happened at work lately, people staying current on sports and other entertainment. The occasional family drama. Some whispers about the big, tough ork at the counter feel more like appreciation than prejudice. Metahuman prejudice is almost non-existant in the Sioux Nation, and its people, after all, one thing that Daniel Howling Coyote left as his legacy within the NAN. Of course, there is plenty other prejudice to fill the void, but tribal concerns don't seem to play much of a role around here. A few orks are also among the mostly human clientele. Unlike many places in Seattle, they are mixed in and do not keep to themselves.

Mato orders his drinks, and the owner acknowledges his choice with a quick smile. "Sure. Coming right up." She then turns her attention to Bobby. "And what do you drink?"

AM gets a little more attention, even a whistle from somewhere in the back, which quickly dies down and is replaced by a sheepish grin on the face of a young Amerindian as Susan Johnson turns her attention to him with a quick scolding glance. After taking Mato's and Bobby's order, she heads over to her. "Sorry about that! They typically see pretty girls like you only in the trid. What can I get you?"

[Jack_Spade]

"A coke please - real sugar if you have it. Say, are you the owner of this bar? Really nice. Reminds me of the bar my dad took me for my first drink."

Bobby replied with a friendly smile, waiting for AM to order, before going in for the negotiations.

[Gilga]

AM rolls her eyes, a faint smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "I’m used to it by now..." she says, her tone steady, almost amused, as she tilts her head slightly. "Had a lot worse than that in the past." she adds with a hint of wry humor.

When asked about her order, she leans lightly against the bar, her posture relaxed but deliberate. Her eyes meet Susan Johnson's with unwavering sharpness, holding her gaze with quiet intensity. "I actually came for a job interview." she says, her voice soft yet carrying a weight that commands attention. "I have some... special talents." The deliberate pause and measured confidence in her tone make it clear she isn’t referring to washing glasses or serving drinks.

Her expression softens, and her tone shifts to something more neutral. "But a beer would do just as well, dark lager if you have any" she says with a casual shrug, as if to downplay the earlier statement. "I know it’s a long shot... but I’m new in town and don’t know much about the local talent." she adds, her voice tinged with a hint of apology. The subtle shift in her demeanor leaves room for Susan to dismiss the comment altogether, should she choose not to pursue the conversation further.

[Tecumseh]

Mato is a bit tense. He's not worried about a confrontation - even one that spirals into physical violence - but being in the bar thrusts him back in time. Even when he was infirm - or perhaps especially when he was infirm - Mato was a great observer of men. He's aware that the Sioux took all the worst parts of the old U.S. hyper-patriotism, broke it up between twenty tribes, and dumped it all in the flames of militaristic jingoism. Prejudice and outright hostility based on tribal affiliation is seen as perfectly understandable. It's a powder keg where no matter how well you fit in, you never actually do. He felt it before, and now that he's been in Seattle for nine months - physically removed from the motherland - the feeling is even more accentuated.

He waits for Ms. Johnson's response to AM's inquiries. With the time pressure of the ransom off, Mato would have played it a bit differently. He would have settled in, spent some time fitting in, maybe play some darts. Get the lay of the land. But AM is direct - at least, more direct than Mato would be - so they'll play it that way. Mato is well aware that AM is far more accomplished in social settings that he is. Perhaps she picked up on something that said this was the way to go. Or maybe they're all puppets on Iktomi's strings, dancing for Iktomi's amusement and pleasure. Who could say.

[Thanee]

Bobby gets his drink, and a quick answer. "Yep, that would be me. Susan Johnson. But, Susan is fine. Took this place over from the previous owner quite a few years ago."

Then she turns her attention back to AM, though. "One Lager, sure, coming right up."

A moment later, AM as well has a drink in front of her. "So, a job interview? Are you meeting someone here? Anyone I would know?"

"If you... want some pointers, I can probably give you some, but I would need to hear a little more about what those talents of yours are."

Mato just watches the conversation for now. He does notice that his obvious cyberware (what is visible, anyways) gets a few curious looks from some of the patrons.

[Tecumseh]

Mato doesn't mind the obvious stares. He debates whether to leave his armor jacket on. It's May so it's not freezing, and socially one might be expected to take their jacket off indoors. But he's still wary of a brawl, and knows that the jacket will be hard to put back on if and when the skirmish starts.

Leaving his jacket on for now, he puts his cyberears to work. Specifically, he activates the select sound filter to sweep around the room looking for any concerning chatter.

Now that he's inside, he triggers his radar sensors again to see if they can pick up on anything that was out-of-range when he was outside.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby frowned a bit at AM's approach - he had mentally prepared for the Razak pitch and now had to redo all his considerations.

So instead, he just smiled and nodded toward AM:
"Yeah, our girl here is interested in becoming a part of this all girl band. The one you are managing, Ms. Johnson..."

[ Spoiler ]

teamwork etiquette: 6d6t5 2

[Gilga]

AM nods at Bobby, and speaks softly, her voice carrying a calm confidence that doesn’t overreach. "I’m a Sioux shaman, trained in the traditional ways, and a decker. You could call me a problem solver—a mix of magic and tech." she explains, her words deliberate, as though revealing only what’s necessary. She pauses for a beat, her eyes flicking around the bar before returning to the woman. "And I am looking to connect with like-minded people. People that can value my talents, to see if we click. My friends pointed me in this direction." Her fingers tighten briefly around the cold glass of beer, the chill grounding her as she takes a small sip. AM's gaze remains cautious, and relaxed. There is a quiet intensity in her green eyes.

[Thanee]

Mato does not see anything else on his sensors, that they hadn't seen before. The building is not so large, that there were any considerable blind spots.

"Susan, please... we are not quite as formal around here." She looks at Bobby, then over to AM, and back. "Alright. You obviously know who I am. Can't say that I have seen you guys around before. So, let's cut to the chase. You three go together? If she is looking for work, what exactly is your angle then?" With that, she addresses both Mato and Bobby.

Focusing on AM again, Susan says: "Hmm... there is always use for people with special talents such as yours. I can probably find something small to see how that goes."

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby grinned sheepishly:

"We'd ask for a job ourselves, but we probably don't fit the dynamic of that particularly team. But we heard your band does at times hire auxiliaries. Also, we are taking care that our shaman is save.
Is there any way to talk directly with the team lead?"

[Gilga]

"Thanks Susan I won't let you down" AM says confidently.

[Thanee]

"Great," Susan says to AM. "Then why don't you give me your contact information - a name would be nice, too, by the way - and I will see, if I can hook you up in the near future."

She turns back to Bobby. "Not sure, what you heard, but I have no problem with your gender. Quite the opposite, actually. So, if you are interested, the same goes for you two. That is... I would need to know a little more about you, and a name and contact information. And, since you all work together, already, I see no reason to rip that apart. You will surely function better as a unit. Don't you agree?"

"As for that other thing you are hinting at, I'm afraid, but I don't think that is going to be possible. They are not looking for additional members."