IC: Trails of Reflection Options

[TinkerGnome]

Raton nods and slides over to the terminal and clicks a cable into his converter as he sinks down beside it. Reclining, he jacks in, letting the Matrix rezz around him.

Knowing that his jackpoint is vulnerable, he does a quick "round the world" before getting to the task at hand. Checking his email. And right after that, he starts looking for information about this seeming fortress in Snohomish.

[tisoz]

Token says, "I might be able to cast animate on the weapons platforms and curl their barrels. Might be able to use it on the wall to make it do some interesting things, too. Like curl around and sequester the security, or move it so it provides us cover right up to the door.

"I wonder if the bullet proof glass on the guard houses is tinted?"

[Nikoli]

"You can almost garuntee that Token. Moving the walls is not a good idea, once they get around to the opening, they just follow the path, that's bad for us. Now, animating the monowire to keep them at bay might prove fruitful."

[tisoz]

"I was thinking of moving the walls on either side of the gate right up to the back door. It would cut off the paracritters and their handlers. It would provide cover and a barrier from those gun emplacements on the corners of the building. And we could get to the door of the guard house because it would be sitting by a useless gate. I could animate the door open on the guard house and we could toss in some concussion grenades. Hopefully, Raton could cut off their communications.

"All this is kind of in the brainstorming stage anyway. I don't know that we want to be so overt about assailing the target.

"More realistically, I think while I astral project and take out the paracritters, since they are dual natured and subject to astral attack, someone can snipe their handlers. We need to neutralize the motion sensors for the sniper, or have him positioned outside their range.

"That lake and wooded area has me slightly worried about domains for spirits, so we need to be on guard for them.

"Back to a plan. Once the roving patrols are out of commission, Raton cuts communications from the guard houses, and controls or subverts the sensors. I can animate the guard house door to open and we neutralize those guards. The assault team goes in invisible and concealed so they don't get hit by the gun emplacements on the corners of the building. If Raton can get control of those guns, fine. If not, we animate or freeze foam them out of commission.

If there is spirit opposition, hopefully Lee, my spirits and I can handle them. We may want to get a hold of some shock weapons just in case.

"Be nice to have a rigger in case this stuff is on a CCSS. We could get him access to the network in a few places."

[tisoz]

"Anyone want to go take a first hand look at the compound?" Token asks. "I'd like to do some astral recon and maybe set up some surveillance. It could be helpful to know when guards change shifts. Who the security is, if it's in house or contracted security. If they have any service providers or regular deliveries.

[Bearclaw]

"So, does anyone know what we're after yet? Shouldn't the target be in the data they gave us? I can get in and out of there myself, without leaving a giant pile of bodies to show I was there. No bodies is always a good idea. There's no older brother of the guy who was "just doing his job" gunning for you next week that way. I thought you guys knew that. If they wanted a frontal assault, they would have spent less money on a bigger, better armed merc team."

[Nikoli]

"True, but who said anything about leaving bodies? But we definitely need to know what we are extracting."

[Bearclaw]

"My point is, we're not a mercenary team, we're Shadowrunners. We are paid to be stealthy, not blast our way in or out. That kind of talent is cheap and easy to come by. The reason we're making 10K each is because we have more skills than that."
"Try this on for size."
"Raton decks into their system, assuming they have one, and overloads a security camera. Then, he intercepts the call for help when some one notices the smoking. Myself, Token, Countdown and Irving hop in a van, named whatever it needs to be, with coveralls that say whatever they need to say, go in and fix it. I can do the job if necessary. While we're at it, Irving KO's the guy(s) watching us, and Countdown and myself get the target. We hop in the van and drive away. If there's trouble, we still have Raton in their Matrix and Kaneda on the outside to bust us out."

[Nikoli]

"So, where do I fit in?"

[Bearclaw]

"If everything goes right, you make 10K for hiding in the bushes for an hour."

[Nikoli]

"Sounds like fun."

[paul_HArkonen]

Irving smiles "well KO's or Just stands there and let's them shoot me with their piddly little pistols, doesn't hurt much at all. I have a tendancy to go with the latter, keeps them more distracted."

[tisoz]

"I see one potential problem," Token says. "Would a repair team include four people? One or two is more likely."

Token suggests having a contingency plan for if all the guards are alerted while Lee sneaks inside. A plan for getting out the gate, and a plan for getting out of Snohomish while being pursued by guards and Lone Star.

Another contingency plan for if Lee gets caught inside. Or if he runs into unexpected trouble.

Probably need to speculate about probable security measures inside the building and counters to them. "I'd count on motion sensors and cameras. Probably guards."

[Bearclaw]

Lee breathes a heavy sigh and smiles. "Great. Now we're talking. There's no reason to kill everyone in the compound to steal something. That's for go-gangers and the government."
"If there are no para-critters inside, I can use mask to imitate the guard that Irving KO's. That should get by most of the security, and Raton should be able to bypass most of the the rest. I'm pretty good at not being seen, as well as hacking mag locks and the like.

[tisoz]

"How are you at not being heard or smelt?" Token asks. "Because those paracritters they have patrolling the grounds have acute senses. The barghest also has a couple of nasty ways of dealing with prey. Like paralyzing it with a howl. Or just inducing fear in it. I suggest we at least wear ear plugs.

"And like I said earlier, they are not going to let four guys go in to repair a sensor or camara without it arousing suspicion. Either we break a lot of them to warrant four guys or I'll watch from the bushes, too.

"I'll suggest again that we go take a first hand look at this place. See who provides security. Surely it's contracted seeing they have paracritters. I'd like to see if they have other kinds of magical security. Maybe someone can identify what we're up against with those weapon platforms.

"Maybe going in as the lawn care would be better. They should have the paracritters out of the way while we'd be there. Also, makes more sense for having four guys. A couple mowing, a couple trimming. A guy taking care of the potted plants. It is what... like ten acres. That's a big job for even four guys."

[TinkerGnome]

Three and a half hours after he sank down, Raton reaches up and unplugs his cable. He stretches and yawns, looking a little tired from sitting in an uncomfortable position for so long. "I've got some data," he says and then launches into what he's got.

"The facility is owned by Michael Versuvio. It is outside of Lone Star's contracted area, so all security is private. Black Eagle security company installed the camera's, scanners at the gates, and advanced mag locks on the house, however, there is no mainence plan. The house has a matrix system, however I couldn't tell whether or not the security system is on the Matrix from my search. The house system is on the Snohomish LTG, under the same RTG Seattle operates under. Landscaping is apparently private as well. Civil engineering plans are sketchy, beyond basic blueprints for the land and the walls. The walls, by the way, are 2 metres tall."

He rattles it all off and stifles another yawn. "The next thing I really want to check out is whether or not the security system is attached to the house Matrix system or not. If it is, this might be a lot simpler than we think."

[tisoz]

"So we shouldn't have Lone Star chasing us across the plex," Token says. "Actually, if the security force should be chasing and shooting at us," Token smiles, "we could enter Lone Stars jurisdiction and call for help. Oh, okay. It probably wouldn't be wise, but it would be kind of funny.

"Anyway, the get away should be easier to plan. Maybe a vehicle mask spell, a spirit using movement or causing an accident. Yes, that should lose any pursuit.

"If no one wants to go check this place out tonight or do any more planning, I'm getting some shut eye. Perhaps sleerping on the situation will help clear the mind."

[TinkerGnome]

Raton shrugs. "I'm going to go ahead and see what the house Matrix system holds. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes if you want to hang around."

He reaches for the cable and situates himself in a more comfortable position than before. "If my ears start to smoke, yank the plug, okay?" he says with half a grin.

Shortly thereafter, he plugs in, diving into the digital landscape. He runs around the world a few times to disguise his initial jackpoint, redirecting his datatrail at each grid. Within three minutes, he is back on the Seattle RTG, moving like a ghost in the Matrix. He drops down into the correct LTG and starts looking for the MXP address. When he finds it, he runs a quick analysis and sleazes his way inside.

[paul_HArkonen]

Irving's head pops up at even the joke of calling Lone Star "Token, not funny, No Lone Star period, I don't need to be prosecuted for being dead. just not conducive to business." Listening to Raton, "You got it, while you're in there if you can find out what kind of weaponry the guards'll likely have." looking back at Token Irving smiles, "I'm up for a midnight ride down through the racist farmlands, but I don't know if that's too good an idea."

[Bearclaw]

"I'd like to tag along" Lee says. "Nothing like a bunch of freaky looking people slowly cruising by to put security at ease. Anyway, I'd like a first hand look at as much as possible. Maybe bandit can even do a little recon. I'm interested in spirits, or anything else that isn't limited to the ground, as well as normal stuff."
With that, Lee reaches into a pocket and pulls out a plastic jar. It says Vaseline on the side, but the contents that he puts on his face is black. With big circles around his eyes and 3 "whiskers" on each side of his face, Lee looks like an actor in the new Broadway play Coons.
"Hey, if you're gonna be a thief, you gotta look like a thief", Lee says, then high fives Bandit, who disappears.

[Fenris]

April 6th, 2064. 3:30am

The ride out of the city grows increasingly peaceful, with the hard concrete and city lights giving way to the somewhat restored country side. The manor house looks exactly like the photograph, right down to the walls.

Tisoz - On your driveby, you locate 1 ward on the guard shack at the front and rear gates. There appear to be 6-8 watcher spirits patrolling the ground, and you catch sight of a guard leading a large dual natured dog around.

Raton - You plunge back into the virtual world that birthed you, slipping past guards and security like water. You arrive at the specified location, and are standing in front of a large, 3 story colonial style home. The front door is barred with a maglock, but you step to one side, searching around the wrap around porch, and slip in through an open window.

Irving - The windows at the guard shack are obviously tinted.

[tisoz]

"Maybe I need to get some sleep," Token says, "because this seems less and less like Yamazika knows how to price a fraggin' job. And I'd like to know who Michael Versuvio is and what other little surprises there are. Evidently, they have a full time mage or two on staff, full time paracritters and handlers, about a quarter mile of monowire, full electronic sensors covering 10 acres, gun emplacements, two gaurd houses full of security.

"And absolutely no intel on what we'll meet inside. Wouldn't surprise me if they have a full closed circuit security system and a full time rigger or two, at least that's what the gun emplacement and all those sensors suggest."

Token looks at Lee. "How, exactly, do you plan on sneaking into that building? I'm figuring they have ultrasound detectors, and with all those watchers, you are going to be seen."

[TinkerGnome]

Wary of digital traps, Raton makes his way slowly through the house, his eyes shifting about the room with unnatural perception as he scans the host.

[Bearclaw]

Turning around and talking over the seat, Lee says,
"Well, my origonal plan, which was just off the top of my head, still seems to have a chance. Not exactly as I put it down, but we were brainstorming, right?
I don't see any way we could mount an effective frontal assault on this place without a panzer. A couple of mages and a rigger with gun emplacements should be able to whack a few runners with off the rack body armor and second hand assault rifles. Add in the para critters and several gun bunnies, and we'd be toast, even if I'd be part of such a thing."
Turning back to the front, Lee settles himself in more and says, "Clearly, subterfuge is required here."

[Fenris]

Raton - The house is cluttered with remnants of Victoria style furniture. They look like they've been placed there by someone more interested in having the furniture then seeing if it matched or even belonged in the room. It's sad when tacky people decorate hosts. The room you're in leads down past a series of doors on either side, with a wide, sweeping stairwell at the end.

Token - As you sight in an focus on the astral signatures of the wards and the watchers, there is a vague residual sense of some kind of twisted power. Not necessarily stronger then you, but simply tainted, in some way.