Salvation, Making the world a better place Options

[Sedna]

0105 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Alleycat quietly passes a chip and hardcopy file to Tin Star, murmurs to him the same explanation she gave the others, while she waits for the shaman's first rage to slip away a little. After a couple of minutes of talk, the sudden drum of her fingers on the table falls into an equally sudden silence.

"Puyallup, I know a little," she says softly, gently. "What do you know of your cousin, Blaze, that we could use to find her?"

[paul_HArkonen]

0105 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"I don't know half as much about her as I'd like to." Raching into a coat pocket Blaze pulls out the picture of her. Showing it to Alleycat she can see an attractive blond standing about 5'9" 140 lbs. "She's magically active, hermetic I assume, although she could be a shamen. She worked at Universal Omnitech and has since about 6 years ago. Her full name is Melissa Walker. That's all I know about her. Thank you very much for any help you can offer."

Turning back towards Alvalanche Blaze's face reverts back to its bussiness mode. "Paying for it should be reletively easy, and provide them with profit incentive, give them something like 50 :nuyen:, or so, per person they extract ,and a bonus of, what, 5 K, if they can help render the building inoperable? Does that seem reasonable to everyone?"

[Shev]

0105 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"I don't think we should pay them per person, but rather per truck. 500 nuyen per truck, 1k if they provide a driver for the truck. If each truck carries about 15-20 people, we'll make anywhere from 500-1000 per truck. If they decide to go another way with transportation, we hammer that out later. Oh, 5k to take out the camp seems fine to me.

"So, shall I call Mr. Fan and let him know about the change in personell?"

[Sedna]

0106 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"Wait a moment, Avalanche," says Alleycat, leaning forward a little on her chair. "Mr. Fan gave us an open schedule on this. I want to get it done at least as much as any of you, but at the moment we don't know a lot besides that there might be a change in personnel, and that you might have gotten an outside group involved. I hadn't realised that all of us had agreed to that --" her voice takes on an uneasy edge "-- just that you would look into it." She folds her hands in front of her, appears visibly to settle into herself. "You also said something on the phone beyond that we lost Durin, something about Durin agreeing to get something for us, and at his own expense? Did he say what that would be, or how we could go about picking it up? I'd like to know what we can and can't rely on."

Her fingers lace and unlace. "Dice, perhaps, yes, if we think we'll need more people than we have? although I'm not sure about that either. Certainly we need to know exactly how our plans are changing before we contact Mr. Fan ... and I still think we've got a few too many unknowns to tell Mr. Fan all our plans." She cocks her head at the relatively silent CASan: "I'm going to assume you'll speak up if there's something you don't agree with?"

Alleycat sat back. "We have two things in front of us. One's business, one's personal, but they're linked. Since Blaze was ready to charge right out of here to look for her, and since he's a crucial part of our team, I think we'd all be happier if we can quickly pool our resources after this meet to find Blaze's cousin. It'll be easier to work through business if Blaze knows for sure that we're going to help him afterwards, that we're also a team outside the meet. For sure, it'll be much easier to concentrate on business once she's found."

She reaches out her right hand: "Blaze," she says gently, "may I borrow that photograph from you? Just for a moment, to scan it in." When she says that, Avalanche notices the other new addition to her attire: a trim wrist computer/scanner whose texture blends almost seamlessly with the gloves.

[Shev]

0106 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"We're not commited to anything as yet, so don't worry about that. However, there is no doubt in my mind that if we want to rescue as many refugees as possible, we will need outside help. We're talking hundreds of people, we simply can't transport them all. We could hire rigger, but they'd be far more expensive. No, the MPA is willing to transport them, and they're not exactly a profit organization. They'll want to be paid for the manpower and the trucks, but they won't feel the need to make a whole lot of money off the deal. The sweet side for them is the fact that the refugees are being freed.

"As for Durin, all he said was that he would deliever the "stuff" wherever we told him to. He didn't define stuff. Naturally, we can call him and find out what stuff he got a hold of. Anything he can't bring that we need. we'll ask the MPA.

"So, we have three posible calls to make here: one to Dice, one to Durin, and one to Mr. Fan. I'll ask this one last time: do we want to hire Dice? If no one has any objections, I'll give him a call. He'll just take Durin's share of the run."

[paul_HArkonen]

0106 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Blaze slowly slips out of his anger and focuses back on the team. Handing over the photograph he remarks "Sure, but make sure you don't tear it, I'd like to keep it."

After Avalanche and Alleycat's discussion he pipes up again.

"I'd like to bring Dice in, if for no other reason then as having another firing arm, and someone to look more threatening towards oponents. Plus as a dwarf he can help with the inside work. I don't know that we need to tell Mr. Fan our plans at all, at least not till we've finished.

"As for Durin, call him up and ask what 'stuff' he has for us, and ask where he wants us to pick it up."

[Sedna]

0106 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Alleycat handles the photograph with care as she quickly scans it in, then returns it with an apologetic smile: "Thank you."

Then, looking up: "If y'all think we need another person on this team, I'll trust your judgement ... and I think the chemistry might work better between you, Avalanche, and this Dice in any case," she added with a little laugh. "So that'll be one 'for sure' call, with a second to Durin to find out just exactly what he has arranged for us. Maybe do those two first, before we figure out where else we go from here. Because whatever else," she said with a glance at Tin Star, and now a bit of the weariness finally showed in her voice, "it sure doesn't look like the two of us are taking off tonight after all."

[Digital Heroin]

0107 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Family, however extended, was something that Steele knew meant a lot. So he could understand Blaze's concern for his cousin. He takes it all in, and brushes a hand along the tarnished old star upon his belt, the Ranger's badge, a symbol of his own family's heritage. He taps the badge, looking to Alleycat.

`The way I see it, you're right, we won't be leaving tonight. It's probably for the best, it'll give my man more time to arange us some decent credentials come border cross time.`

He turns his grey gaze to Blaze.

`Whatever help you need, I'll provide. Don't need to worry about compensation. A guy's gotta feel like he's done some good from time to time. As for our employer, I reckon he can stay in the dark for now. If he's got concerns about how we go about things, he can call us. I'd think a man who hires outside the regular channels probably is better off not knowing all the details.`

[paul_HArkonen]

0107 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Looking over to Tin Star Blaze smiles. "Thank you, I truly apreciate your help. I agree, personally, I don't think that we need to keep Mr. Fan up to date with all of our activities."

Looking back over to Avalanche Blaze continues, "Avalanche, I think the best thing to do right now is for you to go ahead with the calls you need to make. While you do that Tin Star, I, and Alleycat if she's willing, can start looking for Melissa. Unless we have something else we need to do first?"

[Sedna]

0107 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Listening to Tin Star, Alleycat nods in acknowledgement, and is about to jack into her computer ... looks a bit startled when the Melissa timeline suddenly moves up to now, but adapts quickly. "Maybe ... did we have anything else for briefing on the CFS front first?"

She realises then that she's overtalking Blaze, and sits back, waiting for him to finish first. Then she nods again: "Yes, I'm certainly willing, but could we maybe make a final decision right after Avalanche's call to Durin, decide how exactly we're going to deal with the Metahuman People's Alliance, as opposed to how much help and resources we can expect from the camp itself? And maybe one of you can try and make something out of that IR weather satellite imagery? I was hoping it might give enough to identify utility lines, things like that --" Alleycat spreads her hands in a bit of a helpless shrug "-- but that kind of thing is a bit beyond my abilities. Just so we do get those points covered, once and for all.

"And then -- shift this meet to how we're going to go about finding Melissa?"

[Digital Heroin]

0107 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Tin Star shifts to look over said sattelite imagery, grimacing.

`Sorry, but I don't know walls from wires on something like that. I'm more of a hands on type of fellow.`

He taps at the pack of cigarillos in one of his pockets, considering. He needed to cut back on the damned thigs.

`As for the search, we're gonna have to go physical for that. Who is it noticed she was gone?`

[Sedna]

0108 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Alleycat shoots a quick, quirky smile at Avalanche as if to say, I tried. Before he places the calls she adds aloud: "How soon do these contacts of yours need to have an answer?"

[paul_HArkonen]

0108 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"I'm not sure, I was contacted by a different family member who told me about the extractoin. I put out the word to my contacts about it and one of them just called back to let me know that she had slipped her handlers and was now loose in "the Barrens" he didn't know which ones."

"I think I can be faster doing an astral search, but I'm not sure I'll be able to pick her Aura out of a crowd, or heck, even her physical body out of a crowd, but I'm going to try."

[Sedna]

0109 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"Would you even be able to recognise her, astrally?" asks Alleycat, her hands spread out apologetically.

[Shev]

0109 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar


"I'm meeting the contact tommorow, er, make that today at noon. It would be good to have an answer by then. If there's nothing else, I'll make the calls to Durin and Dice."

[Sedna]

0109 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Alleycat gives a short nod of her head toward Avalanche, accepting and confirming his suggestion, as she waits for Blaze's reply, the rest of her body hunched a little into itself. Her body language almost cries out, I hate being the bearer of the depressing news, but we've got to be realistic about this ...please?

[Shev]

0109 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Avalanche walks to the telecom, and punches in Dice's LTG number. It only rings twice before the street sam picks up.

"Well, good t' see that you ain't callin' at three no more, Ave. Whatcha want?"

"Remember how I told you I'd call if we needed any help with this run I was on? Well, guess what: a dwarven street samurai on our team just bailed. Meaning we have a very...special...spot on the team to fill. Interested?"

The muscular dwarf chuckled a bit. "Well, thass a pretty 'portant shoe t' fill, eh chummer? What's th' pay like?"

Avalanche told him.

Dice aised an eyebrow. "Not too shabby. Well, I'm in. I take it ya'll want m' to cover you at tommorows meet then?" A single nod from Avalanche answered his question. "Got it. 11:45 at th' Big Rhino. See ya then."

Disconnecting the call, Avalanche made another call to Durin. Yet again, a dwarf's face filled the screen. "Durin, it's Avalanche."

"Hey there, Avalanche. Listen, sorry I couldn't make it, it's just that..."

"You don't have to tell me chummer. All we need to know is what exactly you have for us, and where you are able to deliver it. Can you fill us in?"

[paul_HArkonen]

0109 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"Not persay, but, I would be able to recognize that she's awakened. There's only about ... what 3% of metahumans who are awakened. I can pick out awakeneds from the astral, materialize by you guys and lead one of you to the person." Blaze responds.

"It will take a fair amount of time, but like I said I'll give anyone who's willing to help my share of the pay."

[Sedna]

0110 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"Leaving only, what, fifteen thousand or so persons to sort through?" says Alleycat, but her words hold no sting. "And that's assuming she's out in the open at all. Odds are, she won't be. It's winter, she's obviously bright, if she's on her own she'd be trying to get in out of the weather asap, and if she's not she'd be under cover as well. Detailed building by building search in the Barrens ..." Alleycat gave a small, apologetic shrug "... that would take a lifetime."

At Blaze's expression she holds out her hands quickly to forestall any explosion: "Wait! I said I knew something of the Puyallup Barrens. Your cousin: you said she was extracted, so odds are really good she'd stand out like a sore thumb. People there know who's new in the area, and who isn't. Let me ask a few questions first, narrow it down a little?"

[paul_HArkonen]

0110 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"That's fine, in the mean time I'm going to head out to Redmond and see what I can find there, or at least what I can dig up there. You've got my number if you find anything please call, and I promise if I find her, or at least a good lead I'll let you know so you can stop searching."

Standing up Blaze slides his shades up and begins to walk out of the back room.

[Sedna]

0111 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"Wait," Alleycat says again. Her voice is very quiet, but it falls into a moment of stillness while Avalanche is listening to something extended on the other side of the phone conversation.

When she knows she's caught the shaman's attention, she stands up. She's not that small, not standing; but she is dwarfed against the CASan behind her. "I don't have your cell number. You don't have mine, either. We never shared them yesterday -- in part because we broke up so suddenly." She slumps back onto her chair, but doesn't take her attention from the shaman. "How long have you been looking for her already, without success? This isn't a case of just keep looking 'till you find her. We will find her -- but not by just charging in. You've already proven that to yourself."

She sighed then. "We're going into areas where cell signals are shaky and that can be trouble if you don't know your way around them -- we have no other way of getting hold of each other. You'll have no backup. Tin Star wants to help you too; but we haven't even figured out how we can each --" more than a slight emphasis on that work "-- help you, let alone how we can work together on this."

With a small tilt of her head she indicates Avalanche: "At least let's give it another ten or so minutes? Say, until 1:30? That way we can coordinate how we can all work together to find her --" another pause, another distinct emphasis following "-- quickly?"

[paul_HArkonen]

0111 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

"I've been looking for her for about three days, but that call was letting me know about more specific whereabouts, so the answer is about 10 minutes. But yes, I'm willing to wait another 20 minutes and you have my deepest thanks for you help, and my apologies for my slightly rash behavior. You have no idea how much I need to find her."

[Sedna]

0112 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Alleycat smiles a slightly tired smile at him, acknowledging, noting absently that Avalanche was still on the phone. Thus far, the few words she'd overheard had been less than informative. Stealing a fry from his plate, she turns back to Tin Star. "I'm thinking you'll stand out there a bit too," she says dryly, "so unless you two think that would be useful, I'd suggest you work mostly to establish your credentials for San Francisco until Blaze calls you in as backup ... Unless you know anyone in Redmond?" she asks doubtfully, almost as an afterthought.

Then her body goes completely still. After a few moments, she tilts her head at Blaze: "Did I understand you correctly before, Blaze? You said a family member had mentioned your cousin's extraction to you, but you didn't know all that much about her? Does your cousin know of you at all?" Again she tries to forestall the strong emotions in the shaman: "I mean only, what's going to be her reaction, if she sees you first, and you're like this? After all, if she's just slipped her extraction team, and she's been living in the Barrens ever since ...? If she doesn't know you, well, wouldn't you try to run, in her shoes?"

[paul_HArkonen]

0112 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

A weary smile apears on Blaze's face, as if he's realizing how crazy he must sound to everyone else. "I don't know what her reaction will be, I know, well knew her. I haven't seen her in years, but I do know certain things that I can say to her, talk to her about that will calm her down. I, aparently, still look like i used to years ago, I think I can calm her down. And even if I can't I'm at least going to find her and protect her."

I don't care if she tries to kill me. I'm going to find her and protect her.

Gazing absently at Avalanche Blaze's thoughts are still only on his few remaining family members.

"I don't expect you to understand why I'm acting so irationally about this, just know that my life has been dificult and I've vowed to help any family that I still have."

[Sedna]

0112 January 6, 2063 - Blink's Bar

Alleycat nods in understanding, echoed by Tin Star. A quick glance in the dwarf's direction confirms that the information, whatever it is, is still incoming. "One thing I can do for you here and now, while we're waiting for Avalanche," she says. "If you'll excuse me? This won't take long."

With that she jacks into her wrist computer, assimilation and transference of data, easy adaptation of a small piece of coding she'd developed yesterday. "There," she says, jacking out after only a minute or so and sliding the reprogrammed chip into her gloved palm: "If anyone's mentioned anything about what happened on the Matrix, this will pull it up, or at least tell us where to look further. I don't have this system wireless yet. Actually, it's still pretty pitiful," she adds with a wry, self deprecating grin. "But for this purpose it will do," she finishes. "So all we need now is a jackpoint ..."