Conall
Sunday 6/22/70 09:34:35

"Well, if that's how it must be. I am your match and more in many things, O'Neill, but not in tests of arms. Still, if that is the only thing you respect, I shall do my best and take what comes. My best weapon is the saber, but I shan't win your sister's heart by killing you, or by getting killed myself, for that matter. I would suggest beating each other senseless in the mud...though I would prefer not to make a spectacle of ourselves in front of the servants," he concludes, casting a sidelong glance at the groundskeepers.

John
Thursday 1/30/70 09:03:30

John felt pleased with his impromptu performance as the press conference broke up and a car ferried them to the waiting jets. As prearranged, only John and the three senators boarded the Lear-Cessna Platinum, with their entourages piling onto a much larger passenger mule.

They entered the opulent interior and one of the strikingly attractive flight attendants (two female, one male, all human, like the senators) started to secure the hatch. As they were sitting down and being served drinks, John heard the discreet flush of the onboard facilities, and after a moment the thick black figure of Louisa Mayhurst-Washington appeared at the rear of the cabin. Although clearly of African descent, her tusked face had a sickly pallor. She was obviously in great distress. Billings immediately stood to assist her. "Ah you all raht, mah deah? Ah you SAHTAIN you will not let mah people take you home?"
The elderly ork chuckled lightly, but leaned heavily on the senator's arm as he helped her into a seat. "Oh, I assure you Ed, I am NOT all right. But once you see the suffering I have to show you, you will see why I simply could not miss this tour." A horrible sound of flatulence escaped her. The men present dutifully ignored it, stung to see a woman of her dignity so exposed, and yet obviously impressed by her dedication in a way that politically jaded men are seldom impressed. "Excuse me a moment gentlemen," she said with a thin smile, eschewing an attendant's assistance as she made her way back to the restroom.

As pitiful sounds and smells almost immediately found their way back into the main cabin, it was as if a lightbulb appeared over Billings' head. "Say, John, don't you travel with a magical healer?"

John
Thursday 1/30/70 09:03:41

While the four men climb the short starecase into the private jet, the elf´s thoughts still linger at the media encounter moments ago. When the reporters had hit him with questions about his agenda on this trip, he had jokingly replyed:

John "I was told, they have some FINE country clubs down that way."

Then he had explained that this was a waighty issue, of which he was just being interested only in discovering the facts of the situation, without giving any tangible reason for his attendance. He had conveyed his personal concern for the people of Kentucky but at the same point stressed the importance to balance the populations needs with the economical requirements. To his own surprise he had fealt totally at eas under the cameras scruteny, but he attributed this to Manolo´s magical support and the help of his PR-team. When the two junior senators had finally arrived at the scene, he used the reporters fokus on them, to step aside and out of the media spot-light. While the impromptu press conference went on, he used the time, to get aquainted with the senators´ entourages.

As he enters the passanger cabine, Rhiannon´s words echo in his mind again. Have I sold out? Before he can think about an answer to this question, something odd strikes the highly sensitive olfectory sensors hidden inside his Sierra, inc. tiepin - he really was a regular member of the green grass roots organization for almost two decade now, but never had taken any position of authority or even prominence inside it´s herarchy and he hadnever shared the more radical pov of some of it´s members. The cabin´s air filtration dos not seem to work correctly. When the nois from the restroom hits his well tuned, pointy ears, he allready knows what´s coming. Well at least she would be weakened.

Mayhurst: "... I simply could not miss this tour."

At this moment, John whishes he had turned off the olfectory sensors right away. While he dos not flinch at the ork´s inconveniance, his insides are turnedupside down, until he disconnects the item with a mental command. Setting it into recording mode instead, the device would still display a warning onto his glasses in case it detected any truely harmfull substances.

Billings: "Say, John, don't you travel with a magical healer?"

John: "But off cause senator. Mr. DelGato will do what´s in his power, to help!"

This is getting even better. He thought to himself, while loading an AR program from the matrix, that would cover up the unpleasent smell. Storing it on the memory inside the platin graduation ring on the ringfinger of his right hand, he flicks the secret physical switch to deactivate it´s wireless capability and activate the skinlink, to load it into his datajack. The complicated procedure, cutting off his implants from all outside sorces, he allways told Alice was due to insurance reasons, but in reallity, he had never belived the corporations prommisses about wifi´s security.

Conall
Sunday 6/22/70 09:34:59

The young brash shaman smiled like a hungry predator as Patrick proposed a duel. Since Patrick had cause no real and clear offences, honour bound Conall in such a way that he couldn’t simply call the man on a fight. But since he had now opened the door for him, it was free for all.

Silently, Conall cursed himself for never learning how to use a blade. It would have been his delighted pleasure to beat Patrick with the weapon he was considered best with.

“Do believe me when I say that I have no wish to maim you.”

He pulled on his horses rein, making him turn away from Patrick as to let him pass.

“I will allow you to ask for my sister, today. If she refuses, then you have your answer. If she agrees, we’ll meet again, tomorrow, dawn, in the field behind my father’s estate. Empty hands. Closed fists. Equal grounding. Winner at first blood. Your Second is your own choice. I call on Declan O'Brian to be mine. Are these terms satisfactory?”

Angus

Friday 8/1/70 20:17:30

Angus secures the panel back in place and then stops and thinks for a minute. Taking a few seconds to orient himself with the hallway and where he is in the building. Then he starts to walk down the service tunnel, moving as quickly as he can safely and with out making to much noise. Plus he knows he can't afford to get hurt or stuck back here. As he goes he keeps repeating what Bruno told him so he doesn't forget, Ezekiel Smithers, in Redmond at Crusher 495. Ezekiel Smithers, in Redmond at Crusher 495. The going is slow as he has to duck and dodge the random pipes, and conduits that help keep the stadium running.

As he walks Angus starts thinking about what hes going to do. So now what do I do. In less than an hour I'm going to be a wanted man, so much for that SIN I had set up. It will be a beacon for the Star and anyone else looking for me. But I guess I best get out of here first and then figure out the rest. In less than a minute Angus comes to his first decision, an intersection where another tunnel crosses the one hes in. With three choices ahead of him he thinks again as he looks down each. Well if I'm not all turned around to badly, straight or left will get me outside. He looks to the left and notices it starts to descend. Not wanting to end up in the sewers, not yet at least he keeps moving straight ahead.

As he goes Angus dodges pipes, while trying to catch signs of other panels or doors as well as slowing down several times to listen for signs of persuit. The going is slow as it obviouse this tunnel was not designed with someone of his size in mind, but Angus keeps moving.

With in a couple minutes he comes to the next step, a large metal door. Stopping to listen atthe dorr he hears the sound of engines and maybe even voices. Ok so I made it to the parking garage, or something, just hope its not the security section or this party is over.

Standing at the door Angus is unsure of what he should do for a few seconds, If its the Star I'm done. If its not I may be able to slip out and make it to the gym. Angus takes a deep breath and then slowly pushes the metal door open, stopping about an inch to look through the crack to try and see the people the voices are coming from. As he looks he listens closely to get a better idea of how many people there are and how far away they are.

He then opens the door, having to almost completely open it so he can climb out as the door was made by the same small people that had made the tunnel he was climbing out of. Angus' first thought as he climbed out of the door was to slip behind a car and slip away. But then reality struck again as he realized, trolls don't hide. And it was a good thing to cause with in 3 or 4 seconds after he was out of the door someone noticed him, pointed and called out, "Hey look it's the champ."

The crowd of valets and people waiting for their cars turned to see what was going on, and while most were just excited to see him and moved in his direction with smiles on their faces it was obvious a few were confused why the champ had appeared almost out of no where and was still in his fight robe. The first person to get to him was an ork valet holding out some kind of paper and pen, "Hey Champ great fight, can I get an Autograph?"

Angus immediately goes in to "Press" mode and putting a big smile on and nodding appreciatively at the compliments. Reaching out to take the paper and pen he address the Valet, "Sure who do I make it out too?"

"Grange, sir. Thanks"

As he's signing more people approach and he catches the flashes of cameras going off in the distance. Time to get outta here before I'm all over the Trids. As hes handing the paper back he looks straight at the Valet and lowers his voice, "I need a big favor, find my limo and get it here ASAP, k chummer?"

Angus doesn't wait for an answer hoping the young man will be able to help him. As he addresses the next person standing next to him Angus scans the crowd for other trolls hoping he can find a way to get some other kinda clothes.

Conall
Sunday 6/22/70 09:35:30

"...Are these terms satisfactory?"

"They are if they please you," answered O'Donnell, just a trace of amusement tinging his voice. "Though I shall require no second. I trust your honor absolutely, and require no audience to my beating. That disused barn we passed a couple miles back should do nicely. I shall comm your sister later today to repeat my invitation to tomorrow's outing to Larne. There will be a number of people you know in attendance, and of course you also will be most welcome." He rides off a couple of furlongs, then stops and calls back - "There is a groom waiting for the horse on the road outside your estate's gate." And then without a look back he disappears over the heath.

John
Thursday 1/30/70 09:09:09

While he watches the ork woman and his magical doctor get into the back of the passanger cabine, to get some semblance of prifacy for the treatment, the elfs thoughts drift into the past, without impeading his conversation with the Senators. ...

The young atorney was waving his arm for a taxi, while the intensifying autumn drizle was slowly soaking his pin-stripe suits. People where moving quickly through the streets, intent to run away from the rain, no matter how futil this was. Most of them where almost bumping into the tall figure standing still aproximatly 20 feet down the sidewalk. The ork was wraped into a heavy, black rain-coat, but his short croped hair was absolutly drenched, sending thick streams over his face. He looked somehow familiar, but the elf couldn´t pin down where he had seen him before. He seemed to be hasitant, maybe trying to gather the guts to talk to a woman. The atorney smiled, his thoughts drifting to his girlfriend Rowena, as a cab stoped beside him. Turning his attention away from the hasitant guy, he opend the car´s backdoor.

"John Francis Fitzalan-Howard?" A voice trambling with anger called through the rain.

When John turned around, the ork had flaped back his rain-coat and uncovered a sawed-off Remmington 990 shot-gun aiming at the lawyer´s ead. As the ork triggered his gun, John dove for cover behind the cab´s door, but the slug impacted in his shoulder, ripping off the flash and shattering the joint. He smashed into the side of the cab and landed on the ground, shocked and confused, as the second slug punshed trough the door and hit his chest, crushing his rib-cage and maiming vital organs.
Blood ran from his mouth like water from a fountain and the atacker slowly walked over and around the door, as passers by ran for cover. The ork looked into his eyes and said with a now calm and cold voice.

"My name is Bachmann, Nail Bachmann, do you recognize me?" He leveled the gun to John´s face. "I am the uncle of Calvin " BLAM-BLAM

Pink myst mixed with rain, sirens in the distance, the streetlight´s halo expanded into eternety and then there was silence.
The next thing he fealt was a piercing pain, like fire coarsing through his vains. Bright spots were dancing through his field of vision and he saw a face that looked old beyond it´s age, through straign and exhaustion. A male latino norm, Manolo DelGato ...

Thursday 1/30/70 09:47:33

Billings had been super nice and friendly, treating him like a son, but John knew better, then not to keep his guard up behind his own smile. Making the other Senators his budies -at least temporarily- had been a cake-walk, but the ork had been a tough cooky. The elf had been all suggar and nice, but smally people really anoyed him and maybe this had shon through. She had been all nice and charming, but still he feels like Louisa is matronizing him, like a wild teen. And that look she casts on him all the time, like she is watching into a christal orb, that tells her everything about him there is to know, makes him feel even more uncomfortable. Damn, is ther something Argus and Aegis missed? When this all is over, I can afford another contract with Infolio! He broods about it, while making his way to the rest room. Thankfulls, the fully automated amanities had cleaned themselves compleatly. When he emerges again, he stops by Manolo´s side and discreatly asks him, if Louisa is well now, or if there is anything to worry - a vailed request, if he noticed anything unusual while assensing her aura.
Manolo was one of the few persons on the planet, that John trusted to a good extend. Back in 53, when the Medic had lost his job with DocWaggon for unlicensed magic use, the lawyer had seen to it, that he found a new one and was trained as a security mage with Knight Errant. After he had served his tenure and retired from KE five years ago, he had gladly accepted a job as John´s personal physician and magical security coordinator.

John resumed his conversation with 'the Kentucky saint', as he noticed Billings sitting aside and reading in a hardcopy book. 'Capitalist Casualties'. Paranoia struck and he fels as though the three men and the ork had conspired against him, but he keeps his cool, listening, while Ramsey talks about his grant to the Mayhurst´s trust again. Finally the senior senator meets his eyes and gives him a warm smile. A million :: for your thoughts.

John: "This is an interesting read, but you might find that the math in chapter 15 isn´t quiet convincing, also the points in chapters 5 and 7 are rather weak, aren´t they?"

He knows every critic of this book off the top of his head, he had gone through them inumerable times. The points he mentions, though not widely known, had allready been discovered and exploited by one of the authors mayor citicisers, so he was giving nothing away. He had been thinking about these weak spots for years, but had yet to find a satisfactory sollution.

Angus

Friday 8/1/70 20:19:56

Angus keeps his smile on his face as he continues to acknowledge people, but on the inside he is greatly relived that the limo is so close. Having seen it as Grange signaled the driver.

Angus nods his thanks to Grange.

As Smith moves the limo around Angus starts to move in that direction thanking people and shaking hands. As he goes he starts he standard speech for when his time is running short with fans. "Thanks folks, it means alot to me that you paid to come out and see the fight. I hope it was worth it, even though I cut it a little short tonight. Sorry I can't sign anything else tonight I got places to be, people to see." As he finshes his statment Angus gives one last big smile and wave to the crowd soaking in the positive energy, that he realizes he'll probably never feel again. Then turns and makes a b-line for the limo. Quickly acknowledging the few straglers but not actually stopping to talk to any of them.

As he gets to the limo he acknowledges Smith, "Evening Farley, see the fight?" Angus doesn't wait for an answer and climbs in, talking over his shoulder, "We need to get on the road quick, head for the gym."

Once Smith is in the Limo, Angus will put the partition down and move to the front of the limo so he can talk directly to Smith. "Look, as I'm sure you know somethings up since I just walked out in to the valet area with nothing but my shorts and robe on. I need you to work with me, and everything will be fine. First hand me your comm. Second set the limo's comm to hidden, now."

As soon as Angus has the comm in hand he sets it to hidden mode so it can't as easily be traced. Once Smith has turned of the limo comm he sets back a little and takes a deep breath as Smith navigates the limo through the parking lot, taking advantage of the "guest" entrance/exit so they don't get stuck in traffic. "All you gotta do is get me to the gym, then your done and you drive back here to wait for everyone else, wiz?"

Etain
Sunday 6/22/70 19:56:03

Etain had reviewed the latest shows from Paris and Milan while devouring Philippe's offering. SKIN was very definitely IN this summer, which reminded her that tomorrow was supposed to be warm and sunny. Should she just call Patrick and ask about the trip? But if he'd wanted to talk to her, he would have this morning, wouldn't he have? She had taken her mind off of the situation by concentrating on her thirty minutes of daily diction drills. She was just finishing up the plosives and getting ready to work her glottals when her Elite alerted her to an incoming call - Patrick's icon flashed for acceptance inside her contact lenses!

She accepted the call, and there he was in is study, streaming a real-time digital image. "Etain, I hope I'm not calling at an inopportune time....I just wanted one more go at persuading you to join us in Larne tomorrow. It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow, but I was hoping to have you along as insurance."

Etain
Sunday 6/22/70 19:56:13

She was busy studying his live feed for any signs that Conall had soundly beaten him and just appreciating his "fine lineage" that she barely caught the last part of the invitation, but she heard enough that a pale blush crept into her cheeks.

"No, I was just doing diction drills Patrick, if I couldn't have pulled away I wouldn't have answered." She smiled a warm smile for his benefit.

"I'm thrilled that you called actually, just wanted to again apologize for my brother's behaviour at the concert the other night. I don't know what gets into him sometimes. As for your invitation to Larne tomorrow I'd lo...."

She stopped mid sentance as she could feel someone standing in her doorway behind her. She turned around and looked directly into her brother's eyes. Conall was standing there looking like he had just gotten back from a trip to the gym and had gotten a good workout in. She raised a brow at him as she once again apologized to her caller.

"Patrick, I'm sorry, Conall just came home and stopped by my door, can you hold on for just a second?"

She looked at her brother as she muted her comm call.

"It's Patrick asking about the trip to Larne tomorrow, are you going to flip a complete and total gasket if I accept his invitation?"

Conall
Sunday 6/22/70 19:56:52

Barefoot, wearing a pair of loose dark green silk pants, stood leaning agaisnt the doorway of his sister's room. Both his hands were still wrapped in protective tape had he held a towel around his neck. The numerous tattoos covering his arms seemed to shine under the sweat.

He smiled at his sister as she asked her question.

"Of course not. You are free to do as you wish sister. If you're happy, then I'm happy."

He warmly smiled at her... but made no move to go away from Etain's doorway.

Etain
Sunday 6/22/70 19:56:57

She just shook her head at her brother and stared at him dumbfounded for a moment. Something wasn't right, he didn't just "give in" like that, usually he was spitting nails if some boy, let alone a man, was trying to get friendly with her. Something big must have happened out on their little ride this morning, and since Patrick seemed no worse for wear, it made her even more on edge.

She kept her gaze locked with Conall as she unmuted her comm and continued her conversation.

"Sorry about that Patrick, you know how my brother can get. As I was saying I'd positively love to accompany you to Larne tomorrow. What time should I be expecting you?"

Her eyes continued to study her brother's as she spoke, looking for any sign of what was going on inside his head at that moment.

Conall
Sunday 6/22/70 19:57:05

Conall wasn't smiling anymore... he was actually chuckling. He watched his sister a few more seconds, and then simply winked at her in a playful way when she returned his gaze with a wary eye.

His shoulders bopping up and down from his very faint and soft laugh, he pushed himself off the doorway and walked down to his room. He had to give a call to Declan to arrange tomorrow's duel. They'd have to clear the barn, and set up a decent medkit.

Patrick; you bloody fool... you have no idea what's in store for you.

Etain
Sunday 6/22/70 19:57:02

"We've secured a bus, and will swing by your home at eight, if that's agreeable to you. And of course you must feel free to bring along anyone you like. Anyone at all. There's plenty of room."

Angus
Friday 8/1/70 20:22:30

Smith followed orders and drove out of the stadium's parking basements. Once on the streets, however, he got a bit nervous.
"Uh, Mr. uh Smith?" He always felt sort of weird addressing Angus, since they shared the same surname, but this time he seemed more off-kilter. "Uh, I have done what you said, but we are going to be picked up by a traffic drone in about five seconds with the limo's comm on hidden, and I could lose my chauffer's license."

Angus

Friday 8/1/70 20:22:45

"Your right, Farley. Thanks, lets just set it to passive and make sure you don't reply to any comms. Wiz?" Angus pats Smith on the shoulder trying to reassure him. "I'm not trying to cause problems for you Farley, but I gotta keep moving. How long will it take us to get to the gym with out getting pulled over?"

John
Thursday 1/30/70 09:48:10

"Well, it is good to see y'all ah keepin' up on all sides of thah issue," Billings says. And even as he speaks more directly than he has before, he is no less affable - his has obviously mastered the demeanor of a friendly and understanding adversary, probably born of decades of meetings, junkets, banquets and dealmaking with his political enemies. "Ah'm not finished with it yet, nor can I rightly claim tah fully comprehend everahthin' in it, but it does make some solid points against the interests you so ably and honorably champion. Interests whose power ah've spent half mah life workin' to get some sorta reasonable leash on. Louisa recommended the book to me just yestahday, and I must say I was up half the night with it. She promised it'd be a page-turner, and she's nevah let me down yet."

John
Thursday 1/30/70 09:51:59

The elf returns the warm smile of the Democrat and gives a quick sideglance to the woman, which in turn offers a motherly smile to him.

John: "ENLIGHTENMENT is our release from self-imposed dependance. DEPENDANCE is the inability to use our own reasoning. Instead, we rely on others to do our thinking for us. It is self-imposed not because we lack UNDERSTANDING but because we lack DECISIVENESS ... SAPERE AUDEM! Have the courage to think for yourself!"

He recites with a sincer and calm voice and pauses a moment for the words to sink in. Then he adds with smile but with an air of gravety in his voice.

John: "It has been 286 years since these words had been written, but once you look beyond the survace, the last three senturies have not seen much change. Global enlightenment still is an utopist´s dream. The few people that shruged of the chains of imaturity and started to comprehend have turned into elitists, reforging those very same chains to bind th minds of humanity. Enlightened persons have taken power in many times and places throughout history, and while they made progress in little steps, in the end they would fall to their own humanity. The masses still prefer to chear to the words of demagougs or drown themselves in the floods of consumers and media. Some say these masses have no VOICE, but I disagry. The Zabotnikists belive that the will of the people would awaken once the barriers of communication that separate the minds are tared down, but I am sure it would only give more power tho those who are sculpting the public opinion allready. People do NOT WANT to bother with thinking for themselves about everything, thay want politicians, media-starlets and adverts to TELL them what to do. This is the reason, why the Ute Nation failed, this is the reason why they grant money to your good cause my lady, why they vote for you gentlemen ... and why they pay me."

Giving everyone a look of appreciation as he speaks about them, John goes on to deconstruct his own theories, though his voice turnes down a bit and takes on a humble tone, as he starts to talk about his own motives.

John: "I would like to be a champion of justice, but who truely knows what is just. I won´t dare say I know what is best for the world, but I know the will of the people, it´s reflected in the laws set down by their elected representatives. It is an inaccurate reflection for sure, but it is the closest image we have."

As he comes to a conclusion, his voice and expression become more cearfull again.

John: "So if I can´t be a champion of justice, I´d at least want to be a champion of Law."

Etain
Sunday 6/22/70 19:57:02

She watched Conall's silent laughter and scowled at him till he walked away towards his own suite.

"...and will swing by your home at eight..."

Inwardly and silently Etain groaned. 8am tomorrow? It was nearly 8pm which left her only 12 hours to decide what to wear and what to bring and manage to get sleep so she wasn't a walking zombie the next day. Then there was undoubtedly the conversation that she needed to have with her brother nagging at her in the back of her head.

She put a smile on her lips and tried to sound jovial even though the cycles in her head were overclocking at breakneck speeds.

"8 tomorrow morning, Patrick. The trip sounds lovely and I can't wait. If there's truly room I'm sure Fiona and Keelin would never forgive me if I didn't ask them to join along."

Etain
Sunday 6/22/70 19:57:15

"Brilliant. And of course your brother is more than welcome as well, if he's free and so inclined." Patrick gave her a pleasantly satisfied smile, with just a hint of relief visible, as though he'd feared disappointment. "See you at eight." And he signed off.

Conall
Monday 6/23/70 05:32:56

Conall was in excellent spirits as he strode through the dewy meadow towards the old barn where he used to play at battling evil spirits as a child. How very fitting O'Donnell's choice of location was. Declan whistled merrily as he paced alongside, medkit slung over a shoulder.

As they approached the barn the sun peeked over the horizon, bidding Tir na nOg good morning after first waking Scotland. There was no sign of O'Donnell's presence from without, but once they entered they quickly saw him, reclining upon a pile of hay, his horse from the day before tethered in a corner. He rose upon their entrance and started unbuttoning his red silk blouse.

John
Thursday 1/30/70 10:25:00

John reasons with the three senators for some time. All three are clearly intelligent, charismatic men. Sure, it takes an entire political machine to put a man in the UCAS Senate, but that scarcely diminishes the drive, smarts and magnetism it takes to get that machine behind you and then stand out in front of it, exposed to all the slings and arrows of your opponents as you lead it into the Capitol Building. These men were no pushovers - quite to the contrary, they were a delight to talk to. Away from the cameras, they didn't waste time with ad hominem attacks, or rehashing the views that they all knew they each respectively held. It allowed a conversation on a higher plane, and was a delight to John.
Ramsey and Guadalupe were easy - they were disposed to agree with him from the start anyway. But he was sure that as he laid his argument out, he'd won a certain amount of sympathy from Billings as well, despite the old politico's determined views.
As he finished outlining his logic, Billings attempted to sum up his opinion: "So y'all ah talkin' 'bout whether the people have got a lick o' sense in 'em, and whethah that oughtta make a hill o' beans o' difference in a democracy. That's an old debate, son, but a good one for every leadah to pondah.
"It seems to me that you ah concludin' that in the first place, they DO have a lick o' sense, but despite that its theah CHOICE not ta use it. This, in turn, legitimizes whatevah they, in theah laziness not ignorance, choose to enact by way o' law. Thus, you ah provin' that the law justifiahbly represents the will of a free people, and can therefore rahtly be seen as a final arbiter of justice. Yoah argument says there is no distinction between justice and law, that they are essentially one and the same, given a democratic system. Have I got that right?"

Before John could answer, however, Louisa Mayhurst-Washington chimed in for the first time. "Oh, but it goes one step further, Senator. Doesn't it, John? It posits that if justice and the law are one and the same, or at least that the law is the closest one can get to justice, then to abide the law is to relieve oneself of moral accountability. Sounds like DEPENDENCE to me, John," she concluded softly with a smile.

John
Thursday 1/30/70 10:29:20

He gives the ork woman a side-glance and a smile, as he ignores her intervention for a second, while he slightly lifts his left index-finger, to indicate that he will come back on him and only gives a quick reply to Billings.

John: "It is not lazyness!"

He says in a playfull tone and than turns to Louisa, his finger bopping slightly up and down in the tact of the ambient music playing from the Platinum´s sound-system, as a placeholder for his follow-up comment to the Democrat.

John: "But how do you define 'MORAL'?"

He lowers his finger and again turns to Billings. Jumping back and forth between two seperate discussions often gave him a distinct advantage, as it confused most people and rare where those like him, that could seamingly affortlessly lead them, without either only concentrating on one topic or else loose precious ressources, to follow them both.

John: "It is simply a matter of TIME. Not everyone can be a politician and dedicate every hour to that cause. There have to be police-men, firefighters, pilots, physicians, lawyers, MINERS and flight attendands."

He gives a gratefull smile to the beautifull woman, that is refilling his drink, before addressing the Mayhurst again.

John: "'Lawrence Kohlberg' defined six steps of moral judgement. 1st the orientation on obediance and punishmant. 2nd instrumental-relativistic orientation, or 'I do to you, what you do to me'. 3rd orientation on interhuman harmony. 4th 'law and order'. 5th the legalist orientation to the greater good of all. 6th the orientation on universal ethical principles."

Making a short pause for everyone to catch up -or at least give the illusion that he was waiting for them- the elf falls in just the moment when somebody takes a breath to speak up and further explaines his point to Billings.

John: "So, Senator, not everyone can be a politician AND not everyone want´s to be. Off cause people want to have a say in things and that´s where democracy comes in. They trust their elected representatives to make decisions in their best interest."

He gives a firm look to all of the senators, while he speaks to them, then seamlessly turns back to the activist woman, so nobody has a chance to say something, without rudely cutting his word.

Conall
Monday 6/23/70 05:32:56

Coming in the barn, Conall did his very best to keep a neutral face… which was a difficult thing considering Declan was giggling like a happy schoolgirl in his back. He had carefully reminded his mate to let O’Donnell keep at least a few teeth. The wolf shaman had smiled back saying he would “do his best”.

He gave Patrick a simple nod, silently thanking him for at least having the guts to show up. That already gave him one point. Numerous boys, who wanted to pursue their interest in Etain, had simply high tailed it. This… this was a man of his words. Not one for much fashion, Conall was wearing a simple loose silk pair of pants with a white tshirt… which he stripped off and tossed in a nearby corner, where he laid his shoes to rest a few seconds later. Leaning his head from side to side, the cracking sound his neck made echoed in the old barn.

Conall then took a roll of hand tape from his pocket, and quickly wrapped his hand in a practiced gesture before tossing it in Patrick’s direction… along with a mouth guard.

“My man here, Declan, will be the one to call the fight off for blood check if need be, and on if there isn’t any shed. Do you have any questions?”

Waiting for his opponent to reply, the young brash elf started to flex his hands closed and open, jumping from one foot to the other.

Etain
Sunday 6/22/70 19:57:43

"See you at eight." echoed inside her head as the call was terminated and she no longer had Patrick's attractive features to gaze at, she was just left with her memory. She shook herself from her reverie quickly as she had much to get ready before the morning. First things first, she conference calls Fiona and Keelin to pass their invites along and insisted firmly that they not be late and to be ready to leave from her house at 8am.

With much squealing and giggling, plotting and three girls talking over themselves, she threw open the doors to her walk-in closet and started pacing inside a space that would easily equal that of most modest home's living rooms. She quickly crossed certain outfits off her list as they wouldn't be quite "right" for the trip. She needed something that would look good along the Coast Road as well as walking the Glens of Antrim. She sighed heavily and kept digging, her fingers finally landing on a soft peach brushed cotton skirt that would look stunning against her skin and flow with the breeze. Once the foundation piece is found she is quick to find a pair of comfortable and strappy sandals, followed by a couple of fitted tank tops, one in a deeper peach tone and one white that could be layered over one another. She got the approval she was seeking from her girlfriends and gave a satisfied sigh as one thing was checked off her mental list of things to do before tomorrow morning.

She sat down on the floor of her closet and hauled out her jewelry box, riffling through it to find a few more perfect accessories. While she’s looking, her attention is drawn to the video feed Keelin is sending asking for the girls opinion on some hideous pair of shorts that looked like the were the colour of pureed peas. Not the most flattering colour for a girl as fair as she. Both she and Fiona convince Keelin to change to a different and much more flattering outfit. When the final logistics were settled the girls, still giggling and promising to be “on time,” terminated their call and Etain gathered a few more last minute items to be sure to bring with her on the trip.

She glanced at her clock and was genuinely surprised to see that three hours had passed from the time she called the girls and it was fast approaching midnight. Knowing she’d have to be up extra early to get her hair washed and dried in the morning, she decided to forgo the discussion she had so desperately wanted to have with Conall based off his reaction in the doorway earlier. There would be time for that tomorrow should her brother choose to join them on their trip.

She changed for bed and then nestled deep into the soft sheets and blankets, tossing and turning on the feather pillows as she tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in and to try to shake the image of Patrick’s face from her mind. Finally sleep overtook her and she managed to get a good number of hours before the house staff was knocking at her door to rouse her awake.

Monday 6/23/70 05:30:00

Etain sighs heavily and stares at the ceiling of her bedroom as the knocking at her door continues. She knows that if she doesn’t acknowledge the knocking, they were liable to come in and try to wake her by gently shaking her.

“I’m awake, thank you Anne.” She knew the woman who was outside her door, it was the woman assigned to “take care of Etain’s every wish and desire.” Well that’s what her mother wanted everyone to believe at least. She waited and continued to stare at the ceiling untill she heard the woman's footsteps fade away from her door and down the hall.

She tossed back the blankets and swung her legs out of bed till her toes hit the carpet. Rubbing the last traces of sleep from her eyes and then stifling a yawn she got out of bed, shedding her silk PJ’s carelessly as she crossed the room towards her private bath. A pleasantly long and hot shower is enjoyed and she steps out smelling fresh and clean and very… well, her. By the time her girlfriends arrive at 7:20, she’s dressed and her bag is packed with various necessities for the day. One last glance at the clock and she realizes the girls have enough time for a quick bite to eat before they wait for Patrick’s arrival. She corrals her friends down to the kitchen for one or another of Philippe's delicious breakfasts.

Conall
Monday 6/23/70 05:33:40

Patrick caught the tape and mouth guard. He raised his eyebrows at the news that he was effectively at Declan's mercy for when the bout would end, but said smoothly, "I am sure any second you choose must me as honorable a man as yourself," and offers the second a brief nod.

He quickly wrapped tape around his knuckles as he saw Conall do, though it seemed clear he had no idea what he is doing. Then he put the mouth guard in and tooi his stance.

John
Thursday 1/30/70 10:31:17

John: "Now, as studdies have shown. Non save a very few people reach the 6th step of moral accountment. Most of these exalted persons probably make a living by cranking out best-sellers and following nothing with as much intensity as their philisophical persuites. I am quiet sure, Mylady - Gentlemen," he addresses the whole group again, "that we all are striving for this lofty goal, but it is a constant struggle and again it is a matter of TIME."

Turning his eye on Louisa again, he goes on.

John: "Most people are content with stage 3 or 4. While the former may seam ideal on first glance, it is impossible in reality, to balance the myriades of conflicting and colliding but still legitimate interests in a society as huge as ours. It is perfectly managable in a small group of douzends maybe hundreds, but in our modern day and age, we need to rely on the later to organize the coexistence of billions."

And with a twist, the elf links the two threads, punishing all, who have not payed attention to both. He would do so some more times in the discussion, to condition everyone on keeping up on every side-thread, before he would start throwing in some rethorical faints as well, to keep their minds occupied and lead them astray, while he sliped in suggestions to manipulate them, collected information on them and maybe even made them say something dumb.

John: "Thuss, we aim to implement laws, which serve the greater good of all, so that everyone following 'law and order' is in practice acting on the 5th step of moral developement, without having to spend too much of the limited time on philosophical debate themselves. Off cause, what is best for all is no trivial question and finding a sufficient answer is allready a difficult task. Formulating laws that carry these ideals not only in spirit, but allso in the letter, so that they are fit to enforce them is even more difficult. So, how do you define moral accountability?"

John focusses his gaze on Louisa and mentally double-checks, that all his recording devices are running, as he launches his counter-question.

John: "Would you considder our laws amoral and if so, what better system of law-giving do you propose?"

Angus
Friday 8/1/70 20:22:45

Farley not sure whats going on reaches out and switches the limo's comm to passive so they make it more than a block without the Star knocking on the window.

Once on the road and moving along with traffic Farley check's Citynav and then turns to Angus, "Looks like it will take about 10 minutes to get to the gym Mr. Smith."

Angus nods, "Thanks," Then sits back taking a deep breath. Ok, so I slip in the back door at the gym, grab some real clothes and my stash and I'm out, gone like the wind. Angus stays quite as Farley navigates the traffic, watching out the front window for any sign of trouble.

Friday 8/1/70 20:31:15

As they get closer to the gym and Angus reconizes the buildings he decides to give Farley more specific directions. "Ok lets go around the block once to get a quick scan of the place, then drop me off at the back VIP entrance. Don't worry about getting the door for me I'll do it my self. As soon as the door is closed I want you to go straight back to the area. Don't answer any calls and just wait like normal, like you been there the whole time and never saw me,k?"

As the limo circles Angus can see that the gym is busy, maybe even a little more than normal. Probably people watching the fight. Wonder if they have said anything about Toshio yet, or the fact that I'm missing? As Farley pulls into the back drive Angus starts to slid to the back of the limo with Farley's comm in hand. Before the car is fully stopped Angus opesn the door steps out, glances around to make sure no one is around and closes the limo door.

Angus doesn't wait to see if Farley follows his instructions cause it doesn't really matter for now, he heads for the back door. The back door, which accesses the VIP dressing rooms for the gym has a key card reader as well as a pad to enter a personal code for each autherized user. Angus quickly opens the cover and starts to punch in his private code,
197619791982198519902007.


Friday 8/1/70 20:33:38

Angus breaths out as he hears the door unlock, realizing he had stopped breathing for a moment not sure if his code would still work. He slowly opens the door to make sure the VIP area is empty before slipping in. He slowly closes the door behind him, making sure its locked. After he locks the door he stops to listen for a minute to make sure no one heard his come in. He can hear people in the main area of the gym talking loudly and apparently celebrating their local fighter's big win.

The VIP area is actually not much differnent than the other dressing areas except it has a private entrance as well as better security. Angus heads for his set of lockers, pulling off the fight robe as he goes, throwing it on the bench next to him. He opens his main locker pulling out his spare change of street clothes that he learned to keep here when he was spending 90% of his waking hours at the gym working out. He sits down on the padded bench, another benifit of the VIP area to unlace and pull off his boots. Once he's pealed them off he sets them on top of the robe. Standing back up he removes his trunks adding them to the pile and starts putting his clothes on.

He steps into the troll sized synthi-denim jeans, then buttoning them up. He grabs his deoderant and apply as much as he can to try and mute his troll stink after the fight. Normally he would have had a chance to shower and properly clean up after a fight before going out, but tonight was turning out to be anything but normal. He then liberally applys what ever colone he's currently putting his name on. As he puts his simple red button up silk shirt on and starts to button it he starts to scan the room for a spare duffle bag he can use to carry a few things with him. He slips his custom Nike Troll Walk shoes on and grabs his leather jacket spipping it on. Ok, not perfect but at least now I will not stand out like a sore thumb to everyone on the streets.

Once hes dressed Angus steps over to his spare locker where his head gear and other extra equipment is stored. Unlocking it he quickly reaches all the way to the back of the top shelf grabbing the cred stick he had secreted there over 9 months ago, "Just in Case" Never thought I would actually need this. Along with his bottle of pills, looking down at the bottle he swears to himself. How did I let these little things screw up such a good thing. I'm going to kick these things, but trying to do it while on the run may be a bad idea. Slipping the credstick in to his pocket he grabs the duffle he had found earlier and collects is tolitries and a few towles throwing them in the bag, along with the damn pills, also putting Farley's comm in the bag. Lastly he grabs a towel bag, that he stuffs his robe, boots & tunks in and seals the top. He heads for the back door still making sure he's as quite as possible.

He cracks the door, looks out to make sure Star or someone else isn't waiting to shot him down. Seeing the coast is clear then slips out, closing the door to the gym and his old life.

John
Thursday 1/30/70 10:33:28

Luckily the pilot cuts the conversation short at an adventagious point for John and the topic is changed to the program ahead.

11:32

Throughout the pompous wellcome John affortlessly keps a low profile, as he was only a spectator on this part of the junket. In the crowd of spectators, he spots the only elven child on the scene, a little girl waring a simple dress with a fading floral decor. She is maybe 8 or 9 years old, with light brown eyes and greazy, blond hair. Her arms are covered with bruises -some fresh, some more then a few days old- and there is an infected cut in her lower lip. With a sad expression, she cautiously waves her hand to John and he gives her a smile, which she hasitantly returns. Than an overwiaght, middleaged ork with obvious signs of alcoholism fixes the elven lawyer with his yellowish eyes and puts his hand on the girls shoulder, startling her slightly.
Not stoping for a beat, John walks along with the group of honored guests, but he files away a picture of the girl with a note, to have somebody take care of this. This was not a nice place for anyone to live in, but it was especially hard for an elf, as he knew from his youth in Newcastle.

11:45

The ladscape is rolling past John, reminding him of his anchastral family home. His cousins reproach starts ticking in the back of his head again, but he knows in the end she will be apeased by some of the money he makes trickling back into the revitalization of the stink fens, as will a huge stack of Norfolk´s wins. The Duke wasn´t the greenest noble in the pack, but he remembers the past influence of the Dukes of Norfolk, that was distroyed by the black flood.

Mayor: "Longer term, the no taxes means we got no money for schools. Some local folks tried doing it themselves, but they just ain't got the resources. No schools means no one leaves."

John exchanges looks with his personal bodyguard. He can´t see any sign of compassion at this statement in Kob´s eyes. The ork of african-indish heritage strongly belived in his charge´s moral rationalizations, on top of that, he had made his way out of a similar situation in Merseysprawl under his own power and without any help. Some people from this background would have developed understanding and compassion for these people, but Kob held little respect -much less compassion- for those that could not better themselves on their own.

11:58

The local media´s pictures of ork workers demonstrating FOR R&F infront of the local HQ are worth gold to NeoNET´s cause. A cause that, as the mine director´s statements illustrates, would be to the populations benefit as well. Off cause he was lying about the money - everybody did, except Samuel Joseph Byck.

12:22

Passing the Rube Goldberg contraptions, John takes a note, to suggest the repair of the Municipal water purification system as a PR action to Lanier.

12:31

The junior senator´s breach of Louisa´s cool resolve in the clinic was a delighting event.

Guadalupe: "Why not put some of your foundation's money into a new water purification system?"

Louisa: "Young man, didn't you hear the mayor - we did fix that blamed thing more than once. Somehow all the key parts just keep getting up and walking away."

Puts to show that the orks don´t have as much community-sense as the O.R.C. clishé suggests. Or else R&F dosn´t want to loos the water money ... probably both.

Touring through the hospital and seeing all the malformed children, John can´t help but be reminded of the conspiracy rumors about Anne Penchyk and the Empowerment Coalition. The similarity some of these poor souls bare to pictures of hybrids he had seen, makes chilly waves run down his own spine. Remembering his acting cours in collage, the elf uses the emotions mixed with the faint genuin compassion, to hide his callousness towards these peoples suffering. Manolo kept a few eyes out in the astral, though if there was something amiss with this organization for sure, they would not be so dumb as to present their bad mergers on a senator´s junket.
John wonders what else his physician and security mage is picking up. DelGato´s concience was firmly slaved to his employer´s and he had the professional out-look of a Knight Errant veteran, still the former DocWaggon medic would probably enjoy to help out in a clinic like this for a few days working-vacation - this would also put him in a prime position, to dig up some dirt about the foundation. No organization of this magnitude was free of corruption, even IF the head was entirely clean.

When Louisa counters Ramsay´s remark, the similarity of her arguments to the Human Nation propaganda springs up to John, even though she draws different conclusions, off cause -maybe they even fund these clinics without her knowledge- but he keeps himself from thinking along this line. One can never be sure who´s evesdropping one one´s thoughts.

Angus
Friday 8/1/70 20:37:04

Just as Angus slipped out the door with his bag, he saw two Lone Star cruisers - and, yup, that Mercury Comet ahead of them looked like an unmarked police car - head up the road toward the gym. The detectives' car and one of the Patrol-1s were obviously heading for the front parking lot, but the last car was swinging straight into the back lot that Angus had just entered.

John
Thursday 1/30/70 15:30:00

The community group visites had been boring and uneventfull, still John had kept up an interested fasade and payed attention to every detail. After a light but delicious lunch, Louisa Mayhurst-Washington had parted and left the men to their game.
The Erskine Ridge Country Club´s golf course was a 9 hole parkland course of medium difficulty. the first three holes where par three, hole 4 through 7 where par four and the 8th and 9th where par five. A standard round of 70 par consisted of two successive nine-hole rounds.

It is quiet cool and windy, but the almost archaicaly traditional british golf outfit keeps John comfortably warm, his equipment on the other hand has the latest sports technology integrated into an elegant but functional ensamble. Billings is equally well dressed in his Vashon Island Houndstooth suit and sports jacket, Ramsey wares casual cloths and an Ares Active Sports Ware golf jacket, Guadalupe looks a bit silly with his high-tech Evo MetaL running suit.

Round 1, 1st hole, par three:
The senior senator opened the game with a beautyfull tee shot and both, Billings and Ramsey shot the ball onto the green. Guadalupe puts up a powerfull tee shot, that catapulted the ball way beyond the green and into a bunker. To untrained eyes, the miserable performance would seem like youthfull exuberance, but the elf knew, that the skill soft the technocrate uses wasn´t sufficiently fine-tuned to his muscle and reflex implants.
Finally, John made his shot. To tune in on the golf course and calibrate his skill soft, aimed for the hole and to his own and everyone´s surprise manageda hole in one, which he attributed to blind luck. After every man has made his drive, Billings ushers John into one of the golf carts, leaving Ramsey und Guadalupe to occupy the second one. The card´s pilot automatically choses a quick and scenec rout to Guadalupe´s ball and left the two men free to concentrate on their conversation. Joined by the junior senators through AR tele-conferencing, Billings and John discuss the day´s previous events.
The Technocrat´s play dosn´t improve much and he finishes the hole with 5 strokes, while the other senators expertly put in with their second strokes.

2nd hole, par three: Billings 2, Ramsey 5, Guadalupe 2, John 1
With the best score at the first hole, John has the 'honor' - playing first on the next tee. He finishes the hole with 4 strokes, as dos Billings, Guadalupe gets better and puts in with three strokes, while Ramsey has some problems, after a 'practice swing' at the tee and laying a fried egg smack in the middle of a sand trap with his 3rd stroke, he puts in only after six strokes.
The elf had preprogramed his skill softs to match the Senators´ performance in advance, but it looked like the good men had a bad day. Maybe the Democrat had lost more of his edge then anticipated, since he had played the north american tour in his youth. But his specialty had allways been par four holes and the lawyer suspected that the older man was the only one not using the AR overlay and virtual cadie, that was standard in professional golf through the smart ball system since the mid-40s and had been introduced into amateur golf with the advent of ubiquitous wi-fi technology.

3rd hole, par three: Billings 6, Ramsey 8, Guadalupe 8, John 5
Guadalupe has the honor and again puts in with 3 strokes, as dos the Democrat. Ramsey however is still out of tune, puting in after 5 strokes, including a particularly fierce banana-slice, making him look like a beginner. John botches his puting on purpose, so he needs a 4th stroke, to reduce the distance to the Republican and making the Democrat draw even.

4th hole, par four: Billings 9, Ramsey 13, Guadalupe 11, John 9
It has started to drizzle slighlt. Billings has the honor again puting in with 5 strokes, obviously slightly irritated by the wether. John pretends to be irritated even more and onlyputs in after 6 strokes. Guadalupe and Ramsey are seemingly unimpressed by the light rain, the former puting in on par, while the later even manages a birdie - one stroke under par, making the Technocrat draw even with John.
Ramsey tunes out of the AR conference, after some bitching about his botched performance, so the others start discussing about more general green topics.

5th hole, par four: Billings 14, Ramsey 16, Guadalupe 15, John 15
When the drizzle turns into a downpour predicted to be over in a few minutes, the golfers wait out the bad wether in their carts and take a drink served by a buttler.
After the rain, Ramsey has the honor. The Republican needs 5 strokes, John and the Technocrat puts in on par with 4, Billings puts in one under par with 3 strokes.
After they are prevy to 15 minutes of Guadalupes side on a conversation about cybernetics and biotechnology between the junior senators, Billings and John kill the AR conference as well and keep to themselves during their cart rides, moving on to discuss general politics.

6th hole, par four: Billings 17, Ramsey 21, Guadalupe 19, John 19
Billings has the honor and drives the ball from the tie with a slight pull. The elven lawyer puts up a perfect drive, placing the ball on the green. Guadalupes ball lands close to the green as well, while the Republican puts up a horrible pull-slice.
Billings puts in bogey with one stroke above par, while John botches his puting on purpose by narrow margin, but still plays a birdie with 3 strokes. Guadelupe manages a birdie as well and draws even with the senior senator, while the Republican only manages double-bogey. Thus the Technocrat and Lawyer both draw even with the Democrat, while the Republican falls further behind.
Passing the time on their carts, the two men discuss the political differences between Democrats and Republicans, with the other senators jumping in and out of the conversation, while off the carts.

7th hole, par four: Billings 22, Ramsey 27, Guadalupe 22, John 22
At the seventh hole, everything plays par.
The elf turns the conversation back to Louisa Mayhurst-Washington again, mentioning that the Republican women would not be a long-term ally to Billings, while highlighting the importance of such alliances.

8th hole, par five: Billings 26, Ramsey 31, Guadalupe 26, John 26
Senator Billings has the honor, landing a fantastically far drive, he puts in one under par, slowly regaining ground from John, who puts in bogey, after sky balling in high grass on his 2nd stroke. Guadalupe stays close on Billing´s heels by puting in on par, as dos Ramsey, not gaining any ground towards the Technocrat.
While they are talking about political aims and interests, non of them mentions it, but it was clear to them both that no politician ever made a career without some corporate backing.

9th hole, par five: Billings 30, Ramsey 36, Guadalupe 31, John 32
The Democrat has the honor again and puts forth another spectacular tee shot. With another birdie, he takes the lead again, as John plays bogey with one above par, after a fat tee shot, hauling away some earth with the ball. Guadalupe puts in par after 5, while Ramsey gains some ground with a birdie.
Moving from politics to more philosophical matters, the lawyer and the senior politician start re-iterating the topics discussed during the flight this morning.

Round 2, 1st hole, par three: Billings 34, Ramsey 40, Guadalupe 36, John 38
Billings has the honor. The second time around, all three senators play the 1st hole on par, while John drives the ball onto the green from the tee and puts in one under.

2nd hole, par three: Billings 37, Ramsey 43, Guadalupe 39, John 40
The honor is Billings´ and he puts in on par, as dos Guadalupe though obviously with some affort. Something dosn´t sit well with Ramsey and hole no. 2, as he puts in triple bogey again. John moves his AR mark from the hole to the bunker to its left side and shoots what looks like a pull to the others. The ball lands a fried egg in the middle of the AR mark, producing a small crater - if the AROW had been on the hole, the elf might have managed a hole in one. As is, he fights his way out of the sand trap and onto the green with 2 more strokes, botches the puting and plays double bogey.
John recommands one of his alias´ other books to the senator, that most readers perceive as much more balanced then the one Billings was reading.

3rd hole, par three: Billings 40, Ramsey 49, Guadalupe 42, John 45
Having the honor, Billings puts in par again, Guadalupe dos a birdie and Ramsey falls further back with a double bogey - the lawyer is trying desperatly to let the Republican win, without letting it look on purpose, but Ramsey is giving him a tough fight. He simulates a flyer on second stroke, placing his ball roughly 5 yards beyond the green on the edge of a deep sand trap. with a fat sky ball, he catapults the ball and much sand out of the bunker, then chips it onto the green and puts in double bogey.
They talk about golf for a while and Billings gives the elf some inside tips on this specific course, which he gratiously receives, though John already received them from his know-soft about this lokation.

4th hole, par four: Billings 43, Ramsey 54, Guadalupe 44, John 50
Guadalupe has the honor and every senator puts in on par, while the elf plays bogey after curving his tee shot slightly to the left with a light hook.

5th hole, par four: Billings 47, Ramsey 58, Guadalupe 48, John 55
Billings has the honor and puts in one under, while the junior senators play on par. John botches his puting and plays bogey again.
After a through discussion of golf and country clubs, the conversation moves on to fishing and other hobbies.

6th hole, par four: Billings 50, Ramsey 62, Guadalupe 52, John 60
At the sixth hole, Billings having the honor puts in one under again. John plays par, while Ramsey falls further behind again with a double bogey and Guadalupe plays bogey. It is slowly getting darker, as the sun goes down, but the elf is as unimpeded as the junior senators, only the Democrats performance is letting down a bit.
From sailing and boat-racing, they turn to sports-interests.

7th hole, par four: Billings 53, Ramsey 68, Guadalupe 57, John 64
Billings plays first from the tee and puts in on par, as dos Guadalupe. John is playing bogey, while Ramsey manages to put in with 3 strokes, but is still fallen back.
After talking about personalinterests for some time, the men come to talk about friends and families for a bit as well, tough both are sure not to pass on any indiscretions.

8th hole, par five: Billings 57, Ramsey 71, Guadalupe 61, John 69
Ramsey starts out at the eigth hole and both junior senators put in par with 5 strokes. Billings plays bogey, obviously hindered by the onset of darkness. Only the lawyer turns in double bogey, after he lands in a bunker and later chili dips on a poor chip. So, senator Ramsey finally draws even with him.
Finally theyget to talk about the UCAS´ relationships to it´s neighbors in the south and to the west.

9th hole, par five: Billings 63, Ramsey 76, Guadalupe 66, John 76
On the final hole, Billings is still leading. Guadalupe has the honor. The senior senator puts in bogey with 6 strokes, having a final score of 69 strokes - still a total of 1 beneath par. Guadelupe struggles, but only manages to put in bogey, finishing the game with a total of 72 strokes. Ramsey plays par and ends with 81 strokes. John puts in after 5 strokes as well, finishing with a total of 81 and thus keeping the tie with the Republican and the illusion that he honestly tried to beat him.

Two rounds of 9 holes, 70 par: Billings 69, Ramsey 81, Guadalupe 72, John 81
Billings wins with some distance to Guadalupe on 2nd place and Ramsey tied with John. On their way back to the club, the lawyer and the senior senator leave politics aside for a while and talk about personal issues like hobbies, friends and family.

They meet with the others again for an opulent dinner with all natural food and fine french wine. They discuss the junket´s topics again, untill Billings and Guadalupe both retreat to their rooms, while Ramsey and John move on to the smoking room, where the elf offers the republican a fine cuban ciggar - the junior senator´s favourits as the elf kneew in advance from his dossier. In private, they talk about the situation at hand and also about Louisa´s political alliances, as well as the UCAS´ relations to their neighbors for some time, untill the Republican goes to bed.

John is sitting in the club room to get some work done and coordinate his office´s next days´ activities, while he has a good scotch. Sortly after midnight, Guadalupe apears again.

Guadalupe: "Can´t sleep? Too many troubles on your mind?"

John: "What about you?" They both chucklse.

Guadalupe: "I can´t get why people that could easily get one would forego getting implanted."

They shares a drink and their foundness for technology and John prommisses to arrange a tour through Transsys´ Boston cybertech facilities. Then the elf cautiously probes the Technocrat´s opinions on the issus of importance to NeoNET.

...

After a good night´s rest of 4 hours and teleconferencing with Boston, John takes a walk on the grounds with Billings, befor the group catches the private jet back to Boston, from where the senators move on to FDC.
The next days rush past as John works round the clock and everyone is doing extra hours. He barely has enough time to practice his relaxation techniques, but DelGato´s support keeps him cool.

Conall
Monday 6/23/70 05:33:50

Pushing his mouth guard in a practiced gesture, Conall flexed both his hands a few times before closing them into fists. His knuckles, under the protective bandages, were already turning white. Physical prowess wasn’t the only thing that counted in today’s world, and the young elf was quite aware of that. But he also knew his sister was not only a beautiful and attractive young woman, but also a fragile one. She needed someone to watch over her; to protect her from all the predators that roamed in every strata of society. If Patrick won, he’d prove himself worthy of being Etain’s guardian. If he lost… then… he was no better than the others.

Conall’s golden eyes were now to mere slits on his fair face, as he barely listened to Declan reciting the formalities of the fight. He could already feel the rush of the fight building up in him. He could already hear the howling of Wolf in his ears. The shaman, for a brief moment, almost reached out to Wolf for strength, but decided against it. Wolf was bound by his words. He would fight fairly.

Declan had barely stepped aside so the fight could begin that Patrick launched out in a full out charge. Conall, already camped on his back leg, took a rapid step back to avoid the first few swings. O’Donnell was a decent fighter… and his wild swings had enough power behind them to cause some damage… but they were just that: wild swings. There was no real logic in his moves, as he simply try to strike either were Conall was or was going to be. But the young elf had seen his share of duels, and for every move Patrick made, Conall was 5 moves ahead. After dodging and dancing around his adversary for a few seconds, the predator in Conall decided it was time to make the first strike. Advancing on his fellow nobleman, he waited for him to throw a high swing at him… which Patrick did. Using his smaller standing height, Conall dodged under the punch and landed a rapid undersided jab on Patrick’s side, which was followed by two more hits in the lower abdomen.

Sweat already rolling down his body, Patrick withdrew. He showed no sign of pain, or even shock… but he was already starting to huff and puff. Nevertheless, he came back at him, giving Conall everything he had.

To the young wolf shaman, the duel was like a ballet; a dance to which only Conall knew the right steps. As the fight went on, he kept on the defensive, letting Patrick tire out. Wolf was not one to toy with his prey, and so, as soon as Patrick showed a sign of weakness, he went down. Hard.

As the young nobleman literally charged forward, instead of double backing like he had done, Conall stepped right into Patrick’s reach, catching him before his arm to actually come around. Right arm fully extended, Conall could feel Patrick’s nose break under his powerful blow. Stumbling back, the elf went from his feet to his knees, blood already spilling out of his nose like a river.

Conall simply watched him get back to his feet. He knew very well Declan wouldn’t budge a single inch unless he did something. Declan was officially the one in control of the fight… but he would follow his friend’s lead. Patrick had started to get his fists back up when Conall subtly nodded his head.

Declan stepped between both young man.

“Blood check!” he said while approaching Patrick, a crisp white cloth in his left hand.

“Arms by your side, don’t move” he continued in a officious tone.

The cloth went under Patrick’s nose for a brief moment. As Declan withdrew it, he showed it’s not dark red surface to Patrick, and over his own shoulder to Conall.

“First has been drawn by Conall O’Neill. The duel is over”

Folding the cloth in four, he handed it over to Conall. Declan, still holding the same officious attitude, went back to Patrick.

“Sir, if you’d like to sit, we’ll get you cleaned up.”

Conall did his best to stay as neutral as possible. No hint of satisfaction passed across his face. No smirk danced on his face. He had performed his task to the full extent of his duty. Patrick O’Donnell might be a worthy provider for his sister, but he was not a worthy protector.

Conall
Monday 6/23/70 05:35:24

Patrick spit out the mouthguard. "That will be quite all right," he says, declining Declan's offer of assistance off-handedly. He did betray the least sign of distress, although his voice sounded slightly ridiculous with his nose broken. He picked up his white blouse and, considering the blood flowing from his nose, down his chin and onto his chest, thought better of the idea and tossed it aside. He mounted his horse and rode out, but stopped at the entrance.
"I do very much hope the both of you will be joining us for the trip out to Larne. Leaving you place at eight sharp." And with that he spurred his horse on its way.

Etain
Monday 6/23/70 07:51:09

Etain sat on the patio outside the East Wing. It did not have a view of the front turnaround, but it did afford a view of the road leading in. It allowed her to watch for the bus without appearing to be waiting.
She eyed the remainder of their breakfast, vaguely hungry, but unwilling to risk breaking the line of her outfit. Keelin and Fiona had abandoned her to make some last minute preparations. She was trying to decide how much difference one single solitary strawberry would make when an insect buzzed past her ear. It whizzed past her field of vision and she saw that it was frighteningly large, though not unbelievably so. It seemed bent on entering an ear, or perhaps a nostril, and many times she repelled its attacks in the nick of time. Then she lost sight of it, and next thing she knew it was THERE, sitting on her left shoulder. Taking care to move the rest of her body as little as possible, she slowly raised her right hand - yes, she had the thing dead to rights - and was about to swat the loathesome thing with all her might when it cried out in a tiny but shrill voice - "NOOO - for the love of the Tir, do not snuff my poor life out." Etain paused in surprise, but her hand was still poised. The insect, which she could now see was actually pink and sort of soft looking, desperately pled - "Milady, if the love of the Tir won't stay your hand, then I ask my life be spared in the name of your dear family." Etain did not kill the thing, but still did not withdraw her hand. In a final attempt at self-preservation, the little bug smiled slyly - "Well if not for your family, then perhaps you will spare me out of love for your dear Paaaatrick!!!"

And with that ear-splitting taunt, Keelin and Fiona practically fell through the garden doors, bursting with laughter. "Oh Etain luv, the look on yer face," she managed to spit out through her giggles.
"Yes," added Fiona, "such consternation and gravity did cross thy visage as ye contemplated the life or death of my wee new toy."
"That's right," continued Keelin. "Cost her poor dad a cool 40K, but who's counting?"
"This one does everything, Etain..." but as Fiona took a breath to launch into the specs of her new HappyDrone - sure and to keep her happy with all the bits of gossip she'd use it to eavesdrop on - just then they spied the bus making its way along the road to the manor. In a flash they were in the foyer, poised. And just as the bus stopped and Patrick appeared - stepping lightly out the door with a huge smile on his face - at that moment they swung opened the doors and walked confidently out to meet him. They all looked impeccable, and much to Etain's delight, so did Patrick.

John
Tuesday 2/4/70 14:22:23

John sat in his opulent office, deep in thought. He had left orders not to be disturbed. He was sure he was on the edge of a brilliant solution to this poison/spinal disorder/lawsuit nonsense - something that would shut it down decisively in one fell swoop. He'd been immersing himself in the details of the case literally round the clock for the past three days, testing the limits of his sleep regulator.
And just when his thoughts were coalescing into something useful, they were shattered and scattered like the casing of an exploding grenade by the thunderous entrance of an enraged Louisa Mayhurst-Washington. She threw the heavy oak door open, slamming it against the adjacent wall, just standing there in all her blustery black ork glory. John could almost see lightning bolts of righteous indignation shoot from her eyes, so that his normally strong receptionist - futilely trying to crowd in behind the aging doctor to apologize for the disturbance - seemed like a helpless child.
The Mayhurst strode on thick calves across the room straight for John's huge mahogany desk, placing both hands flat on its surface in a movement that made John feel sure she was going to just pick up the 300 kilo piece of comm-integrated craftsmanship and drop it on his head. Instead she breathed fire -
"John Francis Fitzalan-Howard! You had a group of terrorists poison me!?! What on God's green earth do you think you are playing at, young man? I thought the best of you. Misguided - yes. Ignorant of your own values - absolutely. But I thought you at least had the integrity to be loyal to your own set of intellectually pathetic rationalizations. The law the law the holy law, as if the UCAS congress just came down off the mountain and gave it to the sacred corps to do with as they pleased and that just made everything else all right. You use that law to justify all the pain and misery you cause, all the injustice you defend - and then you just hawk up a big yellow one and spit right on Justice's blindfold. Or is there some legal loophole that lets you give an old woman an acute intestinal infection through felony breaking-and-entering?"

Etain
Monday 6/23/70 07:52:27

Etain pursed her lips in a partial frown and shook her head at her two conspiratorial friends, though her frown kept slipping to more of a smile as she thought about just what one could do with a little “toy” like Fiona’s new drone.

“Fiona, for the love of the Bard, you’re going to get yourself into a heap of trouble with that thing should you ever use it against someone who doesn’t like you as much as I do and…”

She was about to continue when she heard Keelin squeal with delight which could only mean one thing, the bus had started down the drive. With a quick glance over her shoulder to confirm the sighting she rose quickly and grabbed her bag and had to force herself not to make a run for the garden doors ahead of her two friends. As they stepped out of the manor’s heavy carved oak front doors, and Patrick stepped off the bus at almost the same exact moment, Etain felt like she was starring in some TriDeo movie, some chick-flick full of summer romance and best friends. She couldn’t wait to see how the plot of this day was to unfold at Larne. She flashed Patrick a dazzling smile as she gave her hair a slight coy toss and the trio of girls started towards the bus.

“Patrick, you look fantastic, and you couldn’t have picked a better day for this trip!” Her voice was positively giddy with excitement and Etain was genuinely happy about the prospects today laid out before her. She mood was only slightly toned down however when she once again heard the heavy front doors of her home open again. She stole a glance over her shoulder to see her brother with his best mate Declan just a step behind him, striding out towards the bus. She inwardly groaned while trying to keep a smile on her face when she turned back to face Patrick. Quickly she tried to prepare herself for another of Conall’s verbal confrontations. When her two friends spotted her brother striding down the front walk, they quickly thanked Patrick for his invitation to join him today with a kiss on his cheek and they quickly boarded the bus, leaving Etain to face her brother and Patrick alone.

”Thanks a lot girls, I’ll remember this…

She stood beside Patrick as she waited for her brother to approach. With a quick glare towards the door of the bus and her rapidly disappearing friends, she took an extra second to look for any strange new “bugs” buzzing around.

John
Thursday 2/4/70 14:24:05

The precious thoughts escape from the elven lawyers grasp, as the ork shouts at him across the table. He had a considerable talent at multitasking, but some situations stretched even his mental capabilities. Now was not the moment to hold onto his contemplation, he had to reload the Mayhurst-files and -softs into his headware and get his assistent, attorney, pr guru and communications coach on the line, while listening to her verbal assault and devising an appropriate response.
John mantally sidesteps the woman´s forcefull address and desperately keeps the calm expression, just long enough, to only let his surprise at her appearance leak into his face, the moment she mentions that she had been poisoned, thuss making it look like he´s surprised about this information. Then he offers a cautious smile and replys with a soft voice.

John: "I´m sorry? Please take a seat, Louisa! Would you like a coffee? ... tea," he feigns to struggle to remember her preferences, when the headware spills the info into his brain, "three pieces of suggar, no milk?"

Without waiting for a reply, he gives a sideglance and the slightest nod to his receptionist, sending her off, to secure the hot drinks to cool the tempers. Then he returns his focus on the boiling ork woman´s face and gives her a concerned look. Alice answers the call and starts managing the teleconference, while he beams her the record of what just hapened seconds ago.

John: "So you have been poisoned." The question is only thinly vailed as a statement of fact. "How ... why?"

It seems luck hasn´t turned his way. The last days, he had seen little recreation, save of some on-line gambling - he had lost approximately 8k, mere peanuts to him, but still he had wondered if his kharma would balance. The last weeks had been extreamly stressfull and though he thought he was slowly getting accustomed to it, he had no doubt it would take it´s toll if he continued this way - even Manolo´s fortification wouldn´t last forever. All to see this come to a beneficial end. He wasn´t nearly as asured as usual with this case and the necessity to depend on some luck to get this done was what realy wore him down. Uncertenty. Last sunday, he had even spared the time to go to church for the first time in a long while. Looked like he wasn´t going to be that lucky.

John
Tuesday 2/4/70 14:24:05

"You know damned well who she was poisoned by - YOU. You sat right here in this office and arranged it with Alice," said the little boy curled on his desk whose spinal cord was somehow outside the skin of his back.

"Oh, but that's okay. Don't worry about what happens to hundreds of crippled ork children, if you give me a bunch of money you don't need anyway, that'll make everything all right, won't it?" taunted the little elf girl sitting on his lap.

That was when the Mayhurst's chin sort of elongated and her eyes migrated to the outermost corners of her triangular cranium and her mantid claws struck for John's heart.

Etain/Conall
Monday 6/23/70 07:54:00

Patrick moved first. He gave Etain a look that hinted at all the ways he would have liked to have greeted her, and then extended a ready hand to the men. "O'Neill, O'Brian, I'm really happy you could both make it."

Etain
Monday 6/23/70 07:54:13

She felt a hot flush rush to her cheeks, the nerves at the base of her spine were alight with that odd tickle and her stomach did a triple backflip when Patrick looked at her the way he did. She felt it to her very core. She looked down at her toes demurely and tried to recompose herself when he shifted his attention to Conall and Declan.

Thankful for the opportunity not to speak so she wouldn’t trip over her own tongue she finally raised her gaze from her toes up to her brother’s eyes, waiting to see just what words came from his lips.

Angus

Friday 8/1/70 20:37:07

Angus takes a deep breath as he stands outside the gym. Closing his eyes for just a few seconds to think, Ok, comm a cab, dump this extra stuff and head for the barrens. Just disappear with the rest of the metas for a while. As he opens his eyes he swears, "Frak!" Seeing the multiple Star cruisers coming in to the parking lot kicks him in to action.

Swinging the bags over his shoulder Angus takes off in a dead sprint hoping to make some cover before he's spotted. Running full out he covers the parking lot in seconds, but as he hits the alley turning away from the gym he hears the squawk of the siren coming on.

Not giving up yet after coming so far Angus keeps up his pace weaving and dodging past large piles of garbage doing his best to keep them between him and the pursuing cruiser. As things clear out a little in the alley and he doesn't have to watch every step he starts to swing the duffle bag to where he can get in to it. Working the bag open he pulls the "borrowed" comm out, taking one last second to close the bag back up.

Sticking to the right hand wall, where the last pile of garbage had been he sees his best chance at losing the Star, some how he has gotten lucky enough to find an intersection with four options plus the one he's speeding out of. Trying to shake things up he takes the second option to his right, doing everything he can to keep his pace up and stay outta sight.

John
Tuesday 2/4/70 14:24:05

John tried to twist out of the way, but his body simply wouldn't respond. The toothed mantid claws drove into the center of his chest, perforating the sternum and exposing the empty space where a normal person's - a feeling person's heart would have been. As the Mantidhurst started to lift his dying body from its plush leather seat, the elf girl jumped off his lap and added insult to injury by banging her fist against his shoulder - "You insipid rationalizer - you've put yourself in a blocked state. You can't see anything through anything but the skewed lenses of your petty self-justifications in this wretched state of blockage. BAD JOHN. Shallow JOHN. Amoral hypocrite JOHN. JOHNJOHNJOHNJOHNJOHNJOHNJohnjohnjohnjohn...john..."John? John? John, wake up. Wake up right now, you're shouting! It's a dream, John, wake up."
And there was Alice, persistently shaking his shoulder and he knew what he had to do. The sick kids were suing the mining company. But what the mayor had said - everything was going to hell because they weren't getting any state support. If he could make the state culpable, get it named in the suit, then per the UCAS Constitution the state could not be sued without its consent, which it would never give, and then the whole suit would die because they couldn't prejudicially litigate againt only half the parties named...He could use the state to block the lawsuit.

John
Thursday 2/4/70 16:44:00

Putting his right hand onto his chest, he feels his heartbeat - Bu-bum, bu-bum. He watches the legal team pour out of the brifing room as the meeting is over and they hurry out to get things moving to tie this mass of lose ends up. Marlen Tompson had done a good job in the last weeks and John had not forgotten her formidable performance against SK´s lap-dog last month, so he has put her on the team as well. Bu-bum, bu-bum. There are enough experianced specialists on board to handle the implementation of John´s solution, but she could lern something by watching, while she was capable enough, to not botch the operation with her attendance at this criticle stage. Besides, the elf likes to watch over things through her senses. Crowley has the appropriate implants as well, but mounting him was like waring a comfortable but old, washed-out track-suite, while Marlen fealt like a brand new urban explorer. As she passes the door, he catches himself, as his eyes wander down her back and onto her petit bum. Bu-bum, Bu-bum.
He blinks and stretches his nack, rolling his eyes and almost yawning. Even though his adrenalin is still running high, he feels tired and burned out. He hates sleeping! He would have hade a sustaining focus with the crank spell bound into it activated at all times, but Manolo insisted that it would do him no better then getting hooked on Long-Haul, killing him in a matter of a year or two. His stomach hurts, as he kicks back today´s fifth double espresso, he had not eaten anything all day. Bu-Bum, Bu-Bum.

Conall
Monday 6/23/70 07:54:13

He had to admit it, Conall was a bit disappointed that Patrick looked so healthy. After the morning's beating he had gotten,the young shaman was even surprised that he didn't sport a nice pair of black eyes. Giving a quick side glance to Declan, trying to read some sort of surprise from his face. All his mate did was shrug briefly and shake Patrick's hand.

"Glad to see yer again Pat. Shiny day ain't it?" he added as he reajusted the backpack he had on.

Conall bit his lower lip. His plan had to shame Patrick enough for him not to show himself in public. Now, he was standing just there... all nice and full of pomp. He felt like making him swallow his teeth.

"Morning to you O'Donnell" was all Conall was able to get out of his clentched jaw.

Etain
Monday 6/23/70 07:55:00

With the male rituals done, Patrick wasted no time in escorting Etain onto the bus. It was a very large vehicle, with two decks. The front half of the first level was configured like most busses with rows of forward-facing seats, though with considerably more legroom than one usually saw. The rear half had benches on each side facing the center. At the back were restrooms and also a small cubby where the staff prepared drinks and snacks. The bus was generously populated with young elves from Patrick's circle, many of which were also friends or acquaintances of Etain, Fiona, and Keelin.
Although Etain was not showing nearly as much skin as any of the other girls, her summer skirt was fashionably short, and she was impressed when, without any sort of comment, Patrick broke standard protocol and went first up the winding stairway to the second level.
The entire upper deck was roofed in high-grade plexiglass that screened out the glare without distorting the clear morning's beams of sunlight. Sofas and cushions lay all about the periphery, but Patrick directed her to the very front, where there was a sort of circular conversation pit that afforded the bus' best view of the approaching scenery. Undoubtedly the best seat on the bus, it was waiting empty for the two of them. Although in clear view of the rest of the upper deck, it afforded a measure of conversational privacy.
"I really can't tell you how glad I am you decided to come. I don't mind admitting it," Patrick began, as one of the ork staff, dressed in smart but 'casual' service-wear passed them espressos. "Now, tell me all about yourself...no...scratch that. I'll be honest - tell me all about your singing. You see, like many followers of the Path of...er," he smiled before inadvertently repeating his earlier pun, "like many followers of MY chosen path, I am hopelessly left-brained, I work everything through in a very hum-drum, logical manner. And when I heard you sing the other night, while I was absolutely riveted, I couldn't help but conclude that a voice like that doesn't come from mere talent, but must be the product of rigorous training and strict discipline, two qualities I greatly admire. And it occurred to me that the presence of such qualities must say something remarkable about the individual, and quite frankly I've been obsessed with the idea of your telling me about your singing ever since. Won't you indulge me?"

Etain
Monday 6/23/70 07:55:47

When Patrick had placed his hand on the small of her back to steer her towards the inside of the lavish bus, she felt herself positively go weak-kneed and the rest of the world disappeared. It was like every sense was heightened, the warmth of his hand felt like fire, the smell of his expensive cologne was intoxicating. Somehow she kept on her feet as she stepped up into the bus, being led not just onto the bus, but up onto the second level and into the plush conversation area with the exquisite views. Her light eyes moved about the space, meeting those of the ork who served her a demitasse of espresso with a soft smile.

Etain blushed a soft shade of scarlet as Patrick laid on the praise of her voice, finding herself giggling softly as he caught himself once again with his potential pun and found herself shrugging when he wanted her to tell him all about her training and practice exercises.

“I’m truly flattered Patrick. I’m glad I managed to touch you with my voice, that’s all I ever wanted to do, to make people feel something when I sang. If you hear mother tell the story, you’d think I came into the world singing instead of crying and screaming. But I did get started at a very early age, mother wanted only the “best” to teach her daughter so I was paraded before countless vocal coaches and teachers until she found one prestigious enough to be acceptable. It’s definitely not like I just sing in the shower and then I can magically perform on a huge stage, that’s for certain. It’s a lot of exercises, diction practice, tonal drills, learning how to sight-sing from new sheet music as well as projection drills...”

She stopped herself, realizing she was speaking a mile a minute and also how boring it sounded when she heard it with her own ears.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to prattle on like that with minute details that will bore you to death,” She smiled softly with a twinkle in her eye as she stared into his. "There has to be something more interesting to talk about besides my staring at a mirror for hours on end singing varying vowel sounds and watching what it does to my lips and throat."

Etain
Monday 6/23/70 08:01:00

"No no no - that is exactly the sort of trivia I craved. I am afraid that having heard you only once, I have become a regular fan. I'd be equally interested in hearing about your plans for the future - I mean, do they involve your singing?"

John
Thursday 2/4/70 16:45:03

Kob Parker enters the room, with a small tray holding a tea set and a plate with an elaborate sandwich on it. Bu-bum, bu-bum. Reasured, that his heart is still in place, the elf lowers his hand from his chest. His mind wanders back to the first time they met.

BLAM, BLAM! - Darkness - The pain of Manolo´s health spell. Bachmann had been shot down by a passer-by. The black ork had been arrested on the spot and allready gone through much rough-handling in the few days, untill John could take care of him. It was easy to get him freed, even though he had been an illegal alian and used an unlicensed firearm to save the lawyers life. John got him a job with Knight Errent and moved on, suing Bachmann´s family for all they where worth and getting implanted with some dermal protection with their money. He quit his job with the public procurer´s office and turned to the corps.

When he is done with his lunch he discusses RFS´ security procedures with his personal team and the corporation´s leading security staff. What has frigtened him most in that dream in hindsight, isn´t the Mantide-hurst or the children´s aparations, it is the fact that Louisa had simply walked into his office and he had not even known in advance. The company´s real security protocols where such that this would never be possible, or so his staff and the security know-softs asure him.

Afterwards the security staff leaves and some intelligence specialists join them, to discuss DelGato´s upcomming excursion. John is a bit bothered as his paranoia kicks in, making him wonder what hapened IF Louisa was in fact a Mantide-hurst and used his magician as a host. But the hermetic is capable to take care of himself and had his special anti-bug training back when he was still working for Ares. Also a three man security team will come along as his assistents. Two of these have basic medical traning and the third is chiped to assist the professional doctor. One is a chicagoe veteran as well.

When the trip to the clinic is planed, John and his personal aids are left to themselves. Everyone will get half a day off (not the same day for every employee, off cause) and the four of them plan to spend it together, Manolo is also going to take along his wife and kids. The discuss their options and the boss leaves the decision what to do with his trusted assistents and friends.

In the evening John´s secretary finally gets Miles Lanier on the phone. They exchange the minimum amount of pleasentries and come right to the point, neither of them has too much time.

John: "I talked to you about Ms. Villiers and Ms. Daviar. Looks like her conection might be a great help in the next phase of our operations. I´d be happy to visit her in Seattle. If you can get me a meeting with her that could advance our endavor a good part."

He has dinner with some colegues from the faculty - with his sabaticle due to the current assignment he dosn´t get to see them much. Not that he misses them, they are not particularly close, but one has to keep in touch at least to some minimum amount. Back at home, John trys to relaxe a bit and starts to practice Manolo´s meditation techniques. Later that night, before he gos to bed, he indulges in some reading of intelligence files on his upcomming adversary.

'To Arthur Vogel, I leave my seat on the board of Ares Macrotechnology. Read every report you are entitled, and judge the effects of the corporation´s actions with an open mind. I believe you will see the fundamental error of the toxic way. Carry on the good fight---this time in earnest.'

Angus

Friday 8/1/70 20:37:15

Angus keeps moving, taking brief glances over his shoulder to see if there is any sign of being followed. Making progress, just gotta keep moving and stay outta site. Sticking to the shadows and close to the building Angus looks ahead to see what he might have to deal with next. What he sees is very encouraging, if he gets to it in time. A large moving truck has a good portion of the alley blocked as some fellow trolls and orks move furniture into the service access of a large apartment building.

Not slowing to say hi or let them get a good look at him Angus keeps his speed up as he flies past the truck, almost laying out an ork at one end of a large desk. As soon as he passes the truck he angels out in to center of the alley where it will block the view of him from where he just came from. As he puts the truck behind him and any followers he takes a quick glance to see if any one was even in the alley to see him pass the truck. Wiz, no one there.

Slowing down a little, Angus finds a good spot to stop out of plain sight for a minute, between a large garbage bin and parked car. Leaning against the wall of the building Angus takes the time to look at his stolen comm and powers it up, putting it in to passive mode. He then uses the built in GPS to get his location, then picks a corner 5 blocks away. Once he knows where hes going, he makes a quick call to the taxi service that serves this part of downtown, ordering a cab at the corner in five minutes. Before the call has even finished Angus is powering down the comm and shoving it in his jacket pocket.

Friday 8/1/70 20:38:01

As he gets ready to move he just listens for a few seconds, he car hear the sirens getting closer from all directions. Gotta get outta here before the Star has the whole place locked down. Doing a quick scan Angus double checks to make sure no drones or cameras are watching the alley, not spotting any he gets moving again starting at a jog so he can be more aware of whats going on around him so he doesn't run in to a patrol car or roving drone.

The first few blocks go fine and hes able to stick to the shadows of the alley. Then he hits a snag, hes got one last major street to cross before he gets to his pick up point. Stopping at the corner he looks down the street in both directions. Frak, one patrol car two blocks to the north and another one three blocks south. Plus drones starting to sweep this way. Frak, gotta move or I'm done. Looking a little closer at the terrain hes got to cover Angus notices a few things that may help, the first is a fly way over the street that connects the building to his south and its mirror image on the other side of the street, plus this late in the evening their are a decent number of cars parker on the street that can block line of sight. Gotta go now can't sit here and over think this, just go.

Before the thought finishes Angus takes off putting everything hes got in to moving fast and keeping cars between him and those agents. Before he really knows it hes crossing in the far alley with no immediate sign hes been spotted. Slowing down a little he keeps moving as he has a meeting to get to.

A minute later hes standing in the entry way of an apartment building waiting for his cab. Come on get here already, couldn't you be half a minute early for once. Just as hes about to lose his mind the cab pulls up to the corner. Angus straightens his jacket and throws his bags over his shoulder as he walks out and opens the door to the cab, climbing in and closing the door not wanting to look back any more. "Head for Redmond, I'll give you more in a minute."

The cabbie looks over his shoulder as he pulls away from the corner with a look of shock on his face. "Damn! I thought it was you when you came out of the building. The guys will never belive this, I got the champ riding in my cab an hour after he KO's the "Great Yellow Hope!" Ha what a joke. Redmond it is."

Friday 8/1/70 20:42:51

Once the cab is moving Angus leans back and keeps his head down, fishing the comm out again. He powers it up and shifts to hidden mode, then starts searching for listed motels in the barrens. With in a minute or two hes found what hes looking for. noting the address he shuts down the comm and then crushes it as he slids it to the bottom of the towel bag. "Novelty Hill Sleep & Eat, at the corner of Novelty Hill Road & West Snoqualmie Valley Road."