@E:Tribes, Scrapheap;
September 1, 2072 22:28 Approx 600m from the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
PAN mode: Hidden | SIN displayed: Eric Jones

It took a second for Scrapheap to adjust to the stench emanating from the now-crewless assault vehicle, then he realized that the two former occupants were just barely ahead of him. The still-in-gear car picked up a small amount of speed on the downslope of the road with it's bulk, which both made it impossible to bring the shotgun to a correct aim point on them and let him pass them slightly. The look of dawning horror on their faces was almost comical to the maimed Mechanical, particularly when the car came to a not-so-gentle stop three steps ahead of them by impacting an already badly damaged street lamp.

Scrapheap launched himself at the closest of the two, his knee impacting the unfortunate ganger's face with the wet crunch of cartilage disintegrating. The Spined Drake landed on his back with a gurgling scream, and Scrapheap followed up with a heavy kick to the downed ganger's gut, then his crotch. The screaming trailed off as the badly mauled Drake's eyes rolled up into his head and he lapsed into unconsciousness.

The ork whipped his head around to find the other ganger, pulling the machete from it's scabbard on his belt. Scrapheap had barely taken a step towards running him down when a deep, hellish glow surrounded the dreadlocks spilling from his head and the clockwork hellhound enveloped him with a primal roar of it's own. For all the hate and anger boiling in him Scrap winced as the other teenager died in seconds, his overcooked corpse dropping to the debris-choked street. The look the spirit gave his machete was a contempt that dripped with the unquenchable fires of Ranier's magma flows, then it vanished.

Scrapheap let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. Then he noticed the message from Sprogget across the field of vision from his goggles, and he hopped back up on the car.

@Jailbreakers [Scrapheap] Come help me get this machine gun off 'da car, my boomstick's run almost dry. Then we'll go fuck sum'more people's shit up; no one fucks with our crews and don't pay in blood n' pain.

@Virtual Scream / E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

As he is getting back into the Monocycle, Sprogget, senses Hunter's approach.  Seeing the radical changes to the Data sprite, he is astounded.
@self:I TOLD Hunter to stay way from that thing!  Obviously not effective.  Of course I also had no idea that a sprite could be infected? merged? with it.  I was more concerned about it getting swatted like a fly.

The team!

Quickly transferring the commcall with Jazz to Tweak’s commlink, he sends a quick message,
@jailbreakers: <<Tweak take over call.>>
then, shuts down the tacnet complex form, and physically powers off the CMT Clip commlink.  He disconnects and blocks all matrix connections with the rest of the jailbreakers team, intending to isolate Hunter from the rest of the group.

Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)

@LeFey: “LeFey!  Scream here in my sprite.  Get jammer.  Industrial Mechanic toolkit in pack.  Get off DR.  Be ready to protect rest of team”.

@self:Need to get full VR fast.
Hastily finishing strapping in, Sprogget dives into VR, keeping a window off to the side open to his personal PAN, to monitor LeFey’s progress, he turns to face the being that started out as Hunter.
@self:Hope LeFey understood, and moves quickly, so I can move away.  If I can get any information from Hunter, or whatever it is now, I need a place to store the details.  Commlink is off.
Looking around quickly, Sprogget spots the emoitoy icon in the PAN.
@self:Perfect!  The toy has a node to handle the empathy software and its own sensors.  It is specialized for that, but it does handle empathy(6), and has memory I can use to store a fair amount of information, and it has already been modified for skinlink access, with wireless disabled.

Boosting his analyze complex form beyond what he normally used, as high as he figures he can safely handle, Sprogget scrutinizes the ... Entity ... before him.
@Screaming (Frankenstein) Hunter:“What happened to you?  Did you get the information I asked for?”.

@E: Tribes
Lilly of the Valley
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup

Lilly-of-the-Valley crept out from behind her cover as the firefight ended. Work was work, and nuyen was nuyen. But, this is why she hated courier jobs. Inevitably, they always took her to shady parts of town full of gunfire. This is why driving was an essential skill to learn, she told herself as she scowled. A few stray bullets pinged off of the building she hid behind. No wheels meant getting stuck in public transport and on foot during firefights, like right now. Other than her broken down rifle slung across her back, the mage carried nothing other than a wooden wand carved with flowing symbols.

From the looks of things, it looked like gangers were at it again. Lilly wasn't expert on the local flavors of ganger, but knew enough to spot two different sets of colors. And they all looked fairly young. Kids these days, Lilly thought to herself as she tucked the wand away on a belt holster. She didn't want to start another fight, especially given the damage that these gangers did to the others. So she figured it would be best to look non-threatening. Worst case scenario, she’d go invisible and sneak past this group. At the very least, she wasn’t wearing any gang colors. So hopefully that would spare her from the Tribe’s wrath.

The Mage snuck a quick glance from behind the building. It sounded like the fighting was over. Checking the GPS on her comlink, Lilly confirmed her route to see Spindle. At the very least, she wasn’t lost.

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 9th, 2072, 00:26; Ghoul central, CZ, Chicago]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

Gemeaux grimaces as he sees the ghouls break for the children. His first instinct is to clear Mordred's way so he can help them. This way, if he misses---which he most certainly will not---it is near someone who is armored as opposed to unsuspecting kids. However, the more mercenary side of his professional mindset makes a poignant rebuttal: if the children die, so does the hope of getting paid.

<<[Gemeaux]: Mordred, I will focus on keeping the ghouls clear of the children. Let me know if you need support, and I will shift targets.>>

He takes a breath, lines up his shots, and squeezes the trigger twice at two ghouls...

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 9th, 2072, 00:26; Ghoul central, CZ, Chicago]
SIN: Spencer Lovett, PAN: Hidden

Cursing under his breath, Mordred opens fire on the stragglers from the throng that had overwhelmed the other runner. Sick. Callous, even. No. Some bold, heroic (and foolish) action like fighting his way through to save him would just put two of them out of commission. They couldn't afford that. <No, no. The kids-> The adept ducks under one of the advancing ghouls, grabbing its arm and forcing the fetid limb into a lock. Mordred drives his fist into the ghoul's spine. His breath was ragged as he heaved the corpse into the path of the horde. Maybe not a horde anymore. They had done some damage. Which wasn't to say they weren't still a threat.<-Kids can't defend themselves. You can.> Mordred begins hacking a path toward the remaining runner. One of them might be the second casualty if he didn't back the guy up.

@E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:28; Ambushed near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
SIN: Iwakura Lain, PAN: Passive

There was her answer. Dragging the items with her, LeFey leaps off the monocycle. <My task stands. Is that understood?> She tries to hide the uncertainty in her expression as she address Accolon. <Should his sprite become a threat, you are to respond appropriately.> It hadn't been summoned by her. Nonetheless, Hunter had come of the Resonance. Her actions felt like a betrayal. How could this happen? She ducks behind a bit of debris. But that just about clenched things. The Scream was almost certainly no mundane virus.

<Let me know when to switch the jammer on!> Her jaw tightens at Scrapheap's message (as if she didn't have enough to worry about.). That had been a damn joke. But whatever their next objective was, she couldn't just curl up in a corner and wait for the fighting to stop. Instead, I'm going to hide in a corner and wait for it to start again. She swallowed hard.

@Virtual Scream / E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(5), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered off

Seeing through the PAN that LeFey has the equipment, and is clear of the monocycle and moving away, Sprogget want to tell her something, but all matrix connections have been deliberately and effectively blocked, and in full VR it is very difficult to actually speak.  In the devices in the skinlinked PAN, only the earbuds have audio output capability, and that is not enough.

@self:Slot!, who would have believed a loud speaker would be the right item to include in the PAN!  How to best/quickest tell her?

Quickly inventorying the local resources he has access to from VR, he grabs the holo projector in the backpack.
@self:I never would have thought to include a skinlinked and wireless disabled projector in the kit either.  Don't want this to start screaming, but it won't get the chance if LeFey acts fast enough.

Turning the audio volume up high on the projector, to compensate for it still being inside the backpack, and the open space where it was intended for a small conference room, Sprogget 'yells',
@LeFey: “LeFey, jam me, the source.  Jammer skinlinked.  Turn on, then tuck it under my harness.  I'll take it from there”.

@self:IF Hunter is with me, and IF Hunter is {mostly} limited to my wireless connections, or those I have access to and IF that >1rtu@l5cr3@m is limited by Hunter’s limits, then once I am jammed, that >1rtu@l5cr3@m will not be able to infect any of the others.  Way too many if’s, but it is all I have to go on so far.

@E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:28; S Meridian, north of the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup

Jailbreakers

Sprogget seems to be momentarily distracted and Scrapheap is busy hefting the AK off its pintle mount, interesting to note the newness of the weapon compared with the piece of crap it’s bolted to! Never the less you all take a moments pause when Tweak relays the message from Jazz

@Tweak[Jazz]: <<Tweak? You got hit too? The Spined Drakes have attacked in force from the southwest…bastards hit one of our supplies train from FL. Be careful out there, there seem to be more of them than there should be and they’ve got some nasty gear from somewhere, new smartlinked assault rifles, dedicated tacnet, wherever they got it all from they’ve put it to good use! They’ve retreated for now but we’ve heard confrontations with the Mechanicals too so they aren’t solely targeting us. They’ve knocked out big chunks of our surveillance net too so we’re blind. I don’t know how they knew just when to hit us but it couldn’t have come at a worse time.>>

September 1, 2072 22:33; 39th Ave SW, south of the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup

Crow

You watch as three youths hightail it away from the direction you are headed. The colours seem to be those of the Spined Drakes, interesting, you thought they’d died out ages ago! Fraggers have got shiny new weapons, one of them is even carrying a rocket propelled grenade launcher! Definitely not someone you want to tangle with unless you have to!

Lily

Keeping you head down is second nature but all the more imperative as you see a brief running gun battle between two bikers in gang colours and what look like the tribals you were sent to meet. Hit and fade seems to be the aim of the game rather than a stand up slug fight and you breathe a brief sigh of relief as they bypass your crappy hidey hole…that is until you hear a large explosion maybe a block away! Shit!

@E: Tribes
Lilly of the Valley
September 1, 2072 22:33; 39th Ave SW, south of the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup

Frag this, Lilly thought as she edged back up against the building. She checked the GPS on her comlink one more time and nearly swore out loud. Of course there was a huge explosion nearly under her hoop. And of course there was an all out gang war going on the day she got stuck with courier duty. Knowing her own personal brand of social awkwardness probably wouldn't convince the tribals that she should tag along, the mage still considered just going invisible and following along behind. But, an invisible mage was rarely a friendly one. If any of them were awakened, they'd probably just shoot her, too. What a choice.

The mage unsheathed her wooden wand and began muttering a few words whilst making a few arcane gestures with the tool. With her witchcraft done, the woman jogged towards the site of the explosion. Maybe she could help end this mess before it got much bigger. Either way, she hated getting shot or blown up, and if she just sat around she was almost guaranteed to get either shot or blown up. At least this way she didn't have to talk to anyone.

Hopefully she'd find some nice cover and be able to pick off the gangers with a combination of sniping and spellwork.

@E: Tribes
Jim Crow
September 1, 2072 22:33; 39th Ave SW, south of the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup

"Hush, Jack, yes I see them, Spined Drakes and they have new toys to match their newfound glory! .. who have they...."
The question Halts on Crows lips as the gangers pass so close to his location he can hear the mania in their whoops and laughs, tearing up the road away from the mall only yards ahead.

Drek, I was hoping for a quiet meal and some relaxation... Guess we have work to do Jack, move up and see what we can see the thought fresh in his mind he moves away from concealment and heads towards the embers of the firefight, glancing over his shoulder occasionally in case the drakes return with reinforcements

Keeping low and using cover as much as can be found, Crow makes his way to the source of the disturbance, the scene of devastation not far from the mall. Taking his time skirts the area to be on the safe side, before making his prescence known to the opposing force as they recover themselves.

"Hoi, Chummers! .. No one tell you it's dangerous to go kicking 'Drake' nests?" He calls out to them, weapon slung over shoulder, ready but not in hand.
Spotting another Ork who seems to have ripped a machinegun from its vehicle mount, he holds up a surrendering hand in peace, "easy friend, just looking for food or barter, thought you might have needed a hand after i seen the ordnance they were toting!"

@Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

As LeFey activates the jammer, blocking access all of the wireless only nodes, Sprogget simultaneously feels both mild discomfort from the loss of all wireless signals, and enormous relief that Hunter is with him and from what he knows, the embedded virus should not be able to attack any of the team.  Still, he keeps an eye on the data feed from the PAN, watching for indications that the team, or their equipment is being attacked, or hearing the signature scream of the virus.

@self:OK Franken-Hunter, it is just you and me now.  If what the news was saying earlier is correct, any direct attack against >1rtu@l5cr3@m when NOT part of a sprite would need a lot more matrix combat ability than I have.  A direct attack in active mode from the virus would wipe me all over the matrix floor.  I have no idea how mixing that with a sprite would change that.  The news did not mention anything about that!  I need more information!  Hopefully without triggering an attack.

Reaching along his resonance link to the sprite, he tries to sense if the Data Sprite, as modified, will still accept his orders, and if it has any tasks left, or will return to the resonance as soon as it has delivered the search results.  Does it even HAVE any results to report?
@self:I’ve never had a reason to directly try to figure out what one of my own sprites is.  I know what they can to, because I created them from what the resonance had available!  This though .. What new or changed abilities do you have now?

Could the changed appearance of Hunter be just from the data he is carrying?  He was sent to get information about what others knew about >1rtu@l5cr3@m.  Was the sheer volume of data he collected enough to do this?  The news was saying that one of the things >1rtu@l5cr3@m did, was carry a lot of apparently corrupted and heavily encrypted data.  Did hunter pick up samples of that?

I was learning about Free Sprites, and how they merge with a registered sprite.  That would absorb the registered sprite leaving a modified Free Sprite.  That is not this.  Hunter was not registered and still exists.  He is still linked to me, and does not seem to have become free either, and there has not been enough time to do Reassembling anyway.

Could a ghost of a TM 'live' in the sprite of another TM?  Would that change the resonance signature, if it were even possible?

Something like, or part of an AI maybe?  This has a feel a bit like MCM.  A sprite does not have a system matrix attribute, but an agent or AI does, at least I get an indication of something similar from looking at MCM.  A sprite is sort of a resonance version of an agent.  Can a sprite be modified to run an agent as if it was a complex form?  No sprite I know of has that ability.

Unsure if the Paragon will even respond, he still has to ask.
@Daedalus:“Dae, is there anything you can tell me about this Data Sprite, and the changes to it since I created it”?

@self:I’ve looked at agents and other peoples sprites before.  Let’s see what you look like under the virtual magnifying glass.  Your resonance signature should match my own, did this merge change that?  Your access ID should be me; “pilot” 4, response 4, firewall 2; running, or at least loaded complex forms should be Analyze, Browse, Edit, Decrypt, and Sniffer; health status: did you take damage from the merging?  Are there any added matrix attributes like System or Signal that a sprite does not have?  Is >1rtu@l5cr3@m a single new complex form or program?  What is the type for that icon?  If it exists, can I read matrix attributes off of it, like System, that would indicate an agent or AI?
Using his boosted analyze complex form, Sprogget inspects the sprite and payload every way he already knows, and tries to come up with new ones for this unique and unanticipated circumstance.

@E:Tribes, Scrapheap;
September 1, 2072 22:28 Approx 600m from the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
PAN mode: Hidden | SIN displayed: Eric Jones

Scrapheap frowned as Jazz's message scrolled across his goggles, then looked down at the Kalashnikov bolted to the pintle mount. Now that there wasn't lead flying his scavenger's experience showed him that it was practically brand new. He dropped off of the hood and poked his head into the back of the car, breathing heavily through his mouth to avoid the worst of the odors. Man, dis is worse dan when da slant-eyes dumped those barrels of "pork carcasses" at da yards.

He shoved aside the corpse sprawled over the backseat to get at the small set of tools on the floor, pawing bloodied hands through them until he found an open-ended wrench that looked like it'd fit the bolts on the clamp holding the assault rifle to the roof. He tossed the rest back on the floor, then looked again when they clanked against something. It took a second, but he fished around under the front seat and pulled out a second, fully-loaded magazine that looked exactly like the one already on the roof. He wiped the worst of the gore off on the pants of the dead girl, then clambered back onto the roof. He saw the new girl grabbing something out of the pack for Sprogget as he climbed, her eyes tight with resolution. Mebbe she's tougher dan I thought. No screamin', cryin', or pukin', just tryin' to hang on. Hope we'll all have a home to go to after dis.

It took a minute to wrench the rusted bolts off the clamp surrounding the magazine well, but the last one came away with a screech as Scrapheap put his considerable strength to it. The Kalashnikov dropped into his free hand, and he threw the wrench onto the ground. Wow, just like in da one where Karl goes all mage-fire on da Vory. Lessee...yeah. Safety, mag release...pull dat to put a bullet into it....switch for dakka's right here. Oh, yeah.

The hailing shout from the street pulled his attention from the gun up to the direction it had come from, and he somewhat akwardly shouldered the AK, the barrel wavering as he tried to keep it's unfamiliar weight on target. The man called for peace, but Scrapheap's blood was up and he kept the rifle sighted on him.

"Dis ain't no fuckin' Drake's anything, dey shoulda been smarter dan to try and come back. You wanna barter, mebbe you helps kick the rest of 'em back to whatever hole they crawled outta. Otherwise, keep on walkin'."

@E:Tribes
August 1, 2072  06:26; Above the Mechanicals Complex
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Florence Darkwind (R4)

Osha vaguely remembers moving into the current Mechanicals complex as a child.  Her family was among the first to start claiming the space for the tribe.  There have been a lot of changes since then.  She remembers the smells from dank unused spaces, and the places where mold had found a place to live.  The feel of peeling walls and cracked floors under her hands and feet.  Hearing the sound of the wind through a broken door or window.  Even the sounds and smells of the smaller animals that were being quickly evicted.  Being often cold.  She remembers the worry in mothers voice along with the admonishments to be extra careful because some of the buildings where unsafe.

Things have come a long way since then.  Now the sounds and smells are of a much more occupied and productive space.  The chemical smells from cleaning are much more likely than rot.  Rough and sharp edges are now mostly smooth, repaired, and painted walls.  The extremes of weather are mostly kept out.  Except in the mostly unrecovered edges of the claimed space, it is unlikely to turn a corner, and come face to face with a devil rat.  Now the risks are more about people.  The prosperity from all of the work the tribe has put into renovations have been attracting different sorts of predators.  Like the earlier dangers though, a bit of vigilance and preparation keeps that manageable.  These parasites also learned quickly, that a shout could bring a lot of backup in hurry.

Other big chances since first moving in, are the garden spaces.  The smells of healthy growing things is much more to her liking.  And of course the taste of the food has improved astronomically!  From the almost tasteless, barely edible nutrisoy and ration bars, to the current wide range of spices and variety of fresh foods from the gardens to go with the much better quality of soy products.

From her current vantage point, riding the thermals well over a 1000 meters above ground, she can see the whole complex in a glance.  With no obstructions, she can also see the mall that Fre∑dom has appropriated for their home to the north.  This high up, her current condor form is almost unnoticeable from the ground.  The main danger here would be from aircraft, but she is well away from typical flight paths, and the rare smuggler that gets this close to heavily populated areas is most likely to be keeping as low as possible to hide radar signatures.  Getting up here, and getting down again are the most dangerous parts, when someone might consider taking a shot at a low flying bird, just because they feel like it.  This morning she launched from the highest building in the middle of complex.  Not that high really, but that was before the sun came up, and there was heavy ground fog.  Even from only 4 stories up, the ground was nearly invisible.  By the time the sun was up, and the fog gone, she was well out of reach of casual fire from the ground.  A good sniper could reach out to touch her, but the same is true staying on the ground.  Sometimes she has had a spirit initially help keep her inconspicuous, or even provide a boost with their movement power.  A couple of times she has used a tow from a flying drone to get up a bit quicker.  Only in full dark conditions though.  A bird playing glider behind a drone could attract unwanted interest, if anyone noticed.  There are various procedures for getting down safely again too.  Today is supposed to be clear with good visibility, so someone is supposed to be sending a spirit to conceal her from any watchers for the final part of the descent late this afternoon.  If that had not been available, she would switch to an eagle or similar form instead of the condor.  A bit more work to stay in the air, but it can safely dive to get down a lot faster. Switching from one to the other in mid-air tends to her heart into her throat though. Going form floating, to naked free fall for a few seconds, before being able to switch to the new form. Better not drop the manipulation fetish either!

So today she had simply dived off the ledge in the dark, then worked steadily in the cold, moist air to gain the altitude she needed.  Now it was easy.  She could 'lay' nearly motionless in the air and look down through the custom optical gear that Seneka had built for her. A flying helmet with headphones, visor, and a few sensors.  Contact lenses were the wrong shape for these eyes, and regular glasses or goggles useless as well.  The gear needed some careful work to fit properly and securely, since each time and critter she changes to could be just enough different to make things awkward. 

In case trouble is spotted, she can use the commlink to report it.  No voice, but hunt and 'peck' with an AR keyboard does work.  Rather slow though, so an extensive 'trouble' menu to select from has also been provided, which also allows attaching images, video, and coordinates to send to the security office on the ground.  As long as she stays in contact range.  Not many other nodes up here to relay through.  She actually can get high enough to be out of range, although it is a lot of work to get to 4km, and there is little benefit from going that high, other than to show she could.  She does not just hover in one spot though, flying (more truly gliding) a pattern over and around the complex, to be able to get views from different angles.  On the longer arms of the pattern, she has to pay attention to her position, to make sure not to drift too far for reliable contact.  Sudden changes in weather can also be a problem.  That is reduced somewhat, because while she is in the air, the security office monitors the actual conditions and short term forecasts.  They relay expected changes, usually with enough time to alter paths, to keep in contact.  They can send voice and text just fine.  No limited menu to pick from for them.

She has the built in senses of the bird she appears to be, but not the skill and experience to go with it.  She can not subconsciously combine all of the information provided by sight, sound, and the feel of the air to just know how the air is moving all around her.  The sensor package helps there too though.  It contains sensitive thermal and motion sensors, with a little dog brain that combines the information into a full 360 degrees view around, above, and below her, with icons showing relative air speeds and directions.  It also assists in picking paths based on goals selected using the AR interface.  It is not that bright though, so she normally just uses that as a hint, to make sure she is not missing something obvious, then picks her own path.  Putting some of the experience from VR flying games with Seneka to good use.  In the higher realistic physics settings, the game is actually good preparation for this.

Over all, this is her favourite patrol work.  At least when the ever present pollution stays low enough for her to keep above it.  Bird compatible respirators are not an off the shelf item either.  Given the nearness of the coast, almost any sort of breeze off of the water handles that.  It does tend to be a long shift though.  With all the work at the beginning to get here, it is best so stay as long as practical.  Nothing to do but watch and think.  Much better than crawling naked (literally) through a broken building as a python or boa, to assist in locating or removing salvageable items.  Even using the small size of a gibbon to climb where it would not be safe for others, or using the strength of a gorilla to help extract useful tech got old fast.  Doing that, she is only a pair of hands (or coils), being told what to do by others.

She likes being the eye in the sky, watching over the tribe, providing warning of approaching dangers.  Her real preference though, is working directly with people.  She likes to talk to them, and make sure they stay healthy.  Since she was a child, she has helped with the cleaning and bandaging of minor cuts and scrapes that the tribe members tend to acquire while doing salvage or renovations work.  She has always had a knack, and the people she helped always seem to heal just a bit faster and better.  She is ready to move beyond that now.  It is time to start providing a more permanent location, where the tribe, and other friendly (or at least not directly enemy) people can come for care.  To be and stay healthy also means nutrition, so food is a large part of that.  Oyl has been make preparations, gathering materials and support, to be able to use resources the tribe has salvaged and repair, to be be able to feed more people in need that are living mostly on the street.  Part of that is reserved for people that need actual medical care, but more is for the homeless and migrant people in the area, that just need a bit of extra food to keep them going and health.  That is to be the start of a centre where she intends to make a difference, improving the life and available options of those in the surrounding area.  Things are almost ready.  She just has a few more people to talk to, and get them on board, before making it official.

@E:Tribes
August 5, 2072  19:11; Mechanicals Complex, Sprogget’s Shop
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Stealth(3), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Hugo Wright (R4)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Florence Darkwind (R4)

Sprogget is busy at his workbench, adding steampunk touches to a pair of inline skates, when Oyl wanders in casually from upstairs.  She notes what he is doing then shrugs mentally to herself.
@Osha:There’s always something to work on.  This is as good of time as any.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “Seneka, got some time to talk”?

Without looking up from the piece he is working on, Sprogget acknowledges her presence with a bare tilt of his head.
@Oyl [Sprogget]: “{distractedly} Sure sis, what’s up”?

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “{Sigh} Take a break.  This is important. I need to talk to you, not at you”.

Oyl’s tone finally penetrates Sprogget’s focus, and he looks up from what he is doing.
@Oyl [Sprogget]: “OK, give me a sec to lock this down”.
Going back to the work in progress, he carefully finishes fastening the gear onto the project he is working on, then puts the tools down where they belong, and turns away from the workbench.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Right, ya got my attention now.  What do you need”?

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “You know I’ve been getting the tools together for small clinic, right?  I need some more permanent space for it”.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Huh?  You’ve got space for anybody you need to patch up.  Even trolls like Dumptruck”.
@Seneka:I know you’ve been spending time trying to scrounge hard cred for medical equipment.  Guess Spindle does not want the tribe to fund the unpaid work you do for outsiders.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “I want room for more than just patching.  Some people I have had to send home after initial treatment with general instructions about resting to finish the healing.  Sometimes they do not heal well that way.  I want some rooms for beds, where people can stay, where I know they are resting, and I can monitor their progress”.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Oh.  And you want that close by, so you don’t need to run all over the place just to see people.  Well there is a bunch of mostly unused space on the lower floors here that could be usable with a bit of work”.
@Seneka:You should already know that sis.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “That’s a start, but I need reliable power too.  An outage at the wrong time when doing the ‘patching’ you dismiss so casually can be a serious problem”.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “{defensively} Hey!  I wasn’t being dismisive.  I just don’t know a lot about fixing people.  Tech does not need a recovery room after repair.  Just run the diagnostics again, and ready to go”.
@Seneka:Touchy!  The equipment scavenging must not be going well.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Where you going with this sis?  I know you.  What are you after”?

Oyl is silent for a moment, giving Sprogget a hard look, making him start to wonder what he did or didn’t do.  Then she responds quietly, but with an intensity that Sprogget can feel.
@Sprogget [Oyl]: “I want a real clinic.  Where people can come when they need to, and be cared for until they do not need the care any more.  A place that is clean and {hesitating} where the inner spirit can be happy, to help the body to heal.  Insulated for awhile from the outer world”.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “You don’t want much do you?  Out to save the world again?  Never mind.  Yes, and always.  Ok.  Grab those trodes, and we can do some really planning in VR”.

Sprogget leads the way over to the couch at the edge of the gallery space.  Waving Oyl to one end, he sits down at the other.  Automatically positioning his body so that it will remain stable without his attention, he let’s his body go limp, and shifts his attention from AR to full VR.  By the time Oyl has adjusted the trodes, gotten comfortable, and joined him in VR, he has already setup a clean virtual work room with drafting and design tools, opened windows to his PAN and the shop sensors, and made connections to a few of the external references he expects to need.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Dump your reference information {here}, and let’s take a look”.

Oyl takes a folder from her commlink, dropping it on the workbench, where the folder opens and fans out icons for the contained files.  Sprogget spreads them around, getting a feel for what they contain, without going into the details yet.
@Osha:Nice of him to give me credit for having done the basic prep work already.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Looks like you’ve got a lot of publicity information from various private and public hospitals and clinics.  Some from equipment suppliers too.  Most of this is either advertising to attract paying customers, or boasting about things to make the backers and sponsors feel like they are doing good, without really saying anything.  This other set is full of jargon about equipment that I have no idea how to interpret.  And this, {pulling up a single file} looks like your personal shorthand for some ritual requirements”.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “That first set is very light on real medical information, but shows that capabilities we want.  The second” …

@E:Tribes
August 5, 2072  20:28; Mechanicals Complex, Sprogget’s Shop
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Stealth(3), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Hugo Wright (R4)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Florence Darkwind (R4)

After considerable back and forth about what is really needed versus wanted and why, with many side trips to search matrix resources for needed clarifications, Sprogget gives a big virtual sigh.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Osha, this is not something that is going to be fully spec’d out in one go.  Too many things about the infrastructure requirements that neither of us know well enough.  What you are REALLY trying for is a full Hospital.  Small, but still a hospital, with magical support.  Plus need to make sure that the setup really does support your goals for medical, magical, people.  That does not even consider yet what will be needed to manage physical and matrix security.  Anything with the sort of on site resources this implies is going to attract scavengers looking for anything they can turn into cred, or drugs with alternate uses.  You need to talk to Spindle.  He’ll never authorize tribal resources to something like this without chip truth solid assurance that the changes will not put the tribe at risk.  You know how conservative .. no not conservative .. cautious he is about expansion”.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “{interrupting} Hai, I know.  {imitating Spindle} "You MUST have the groundwork done FIRST, if you are going to KEEP the benefit of the work of the tribe, instead of simply throwing it to the first predator to notice it, or worse, bringing the WRATH down on the tribe."”

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “{chuckle} Pretty close”.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “I know I need to get Spindle to support this.  I want a plan first though, to have something definite to show him so that he will see what we have to gain”.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “{drily} I think the ‘benefits’ are an easy sell.  You need to focus more on the increased risks for the tribe, and how to reduce those downsides.  If you can not almost guarantee that you can keep it, and the tribe, safe, no amount of benefit is going to convince Spindle.  That is why each added building gets a full physical overhall, with reinforcements, locks, and cameras, and patrol schedules, before the first seed is planted on the roof.  There is no point in planting, if it all gets stolen or trashed”.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “{frustrated} I know”!

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Easy sis.  You also should know that building renovations are not going to be enough.  Medical resources in the barrens are just too tempting of a target.  Keeping the more organized scum out would take the full resources of the tribe doing nothing but guard and patrol.  That is not what the tribe is about.  Even then, some would try, and some of the tribe would die from it.  You need to solve, or at least have a solution, before any tribe resources could possibly be allocated to the work needed”.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “That could take like forever”!

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “{shrug} Could”.

Oyl’s icon looks like it is about to explode, but Sprogget just grins at her and waits.  Shortly, Oyl is back to normal.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “I told you that I know you.  You knew before we started that there was no way, at least as things stand now, that this was remotely possible.  You are good at getting people to to do what you want, and make them think it was their idea.  But I’ve seen you operate, and this is my world”.
Indicating the virtual environment.
@Oyl [Sprogget]: “It does not take long for me to catch on.

Here is what I think we can do fairly quickly.  I do understand that you need a good environment for effective work.  I do the same for the shop.”
Sprogget pushes all of the planning work off to the side of the workspace, filling the whole main display area with a detailed 3D wire-frame of the building, then peeling it open to show the first basement level.  Highlighting a room that is currently being used for storage, he goes on.
@Oyl [Sprogget]: “This room is already solid and finished.  Takes almost nothing to get power and water to it for a small but clean ‘surgery’ area.  {moving the highlight} The room to the left works as a combination office and waiting area.  The one behind can be cleaned out then a couple of cots added for resting up”.

With a practiced mental twist, Sprogget zooms the view out, showing the whole building, while making most of it almost completely transparent.  A sequence of areas are highlighed one after the other, starting with a room two floors further down and off to one side.
@Oyl [Sprogget]: “The energy storage you were talking to Flywheel about can go here, to provide reliable power.  The vats for the Krill that you were teasing Boiler about can go here, with processing next door.  Trestle tables instead of just benches in the waiting area make it a dining area as well.  I know you heard about some that Gouge built that have not sold at the Mall, but that are solid enough for a troll.  That is some distance from the preparation area, but for free food there will always be someone available to carry trays.  When Fender moves to the place you found for him at the end of the month, the wall can be opened up on that side to give us more living space at home.  For some reason the empty unit south of us is not showing up in the living spaces database.  Who’d you get to do that for you anyway?  Adding a couple of doorways, will triple the space at home.  The power storage is more than enough for your clinic, so the extra can be used to make home and my shop rock solid too.  That surplus water filtration system can go here, supplying both the clinic area and home.  Those rooms around the surgery area are already sealed, so the air filtration system that Rocker donated to the cause is easy.  A coat of paint, and it will be ready to go.  You sweet talked Bearing into fixing the LifeManagement CHN that came in last month, which will handle the extra cleaning drone and appliances at home, so you can use the current system at the clinic, which does not need to do as much yet.  You do know, that MCM will probably go along, right?  You’ve been making sure I know that we could use the extra space at home, so it will be my idea to initiate the upgrades, and oh joy, that just happens to mean that the clinic gets the stable resources too.  All in the family.  Matrix is no problem of course.  I can just add a repeater at the shop to give solid connections to the whole area.  If there are any problems, I can tie that to a directional antenna, to link directly to Puyallup City, or the hardpoint over in Tacoma.  That spreads pieces around enough to disguise the fact that you intend to use them as a base to spread out from, and appropriated those 3, probably 4 basement levels as you work toward the hospital facility.  The people that you will get to do the maintenance are not going to do 'just' the minimum needed to keep things running.  They will cleanup and improve the surrounding areas too, preparing the way for when you can actually use the space.

Oh close your mouth.  The jaw on the floor is SOOO old.  You are not all that surprised.  You know ME too.

The designs we have just been working on are longer term, but you want me take it on as a project.  It could be interesting, and I’ll help, but I am going to make you do most of the grunt work”.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “Me!?  I don’t have the skills needed for that”!

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Surprised you did I?  Well I have plenty of other things keeping me busy too.  No you don’t have the skills, but you do know what you want, and have the incentive to get it right.  You don’t need to actually build it, so being able to join 2 different structural materials correctly, or run a power line, is not needed.  I said I would help.  You are going to need to work with me, so that our schedules are out of sync.  Then, as long as I am not exhausted at the end of my day, I can create an assistant with a couple of technical knowledge skills you can use for the following 8 hours.  It’s going to be slow, since you will not have ALL of the knowledge you need at any one time.  But neither would I.  You’ll need to do very clear, very detailed notes, so that you can treat them as chip truth without really understanding them when using a different knowledge set.

I am not clear on where you intend to get the resources for the security needed, to keep Spindle from frothing at the thought.  Using tribal resources for 24 x 7 security is not going to fly.  Sure we can do a lot with drones, designed traffic bottle necks, fixed emplacements, and more, but that is not near enough for something like this.  It is also going to need more magical security than the tribe can really afford to dedicate.  Fre∑dom probably has the skills to do the matrix security, but I think they might balk at the kind of full time presence that I think this would need.  I assume that patient data security is high on your priorities?  It would be bad if someone hacked the system, and changed drug prescriptions or dosages to kill someone you were trying to heal.  I assume that people with enemy’s are allowed in the hospital?  Not just the people that nobody else knows or cares exist?.  Straight medical is in your area, so I assume you have a plan on how to staff this, if you actually get it started”.

@Sprogget [Oyl]: “I don’t have all of the answers yet, but as a start, I’m thinking of naming the hospital “The Swiss Halps”, and trying for a multi 'national' balance of power, where anyone organized is going to have 10 others ready smack down treaty breakers.  The goal is to keep this small enough to not attract attention from really big players, and to make it too costly for any of the smaller groups.

Regular staffing could be challenging, but I think, rotating coverage could be possible, by doing in kind exachanges with some of the street docs.  They get access to the facility in exchange for shifts here.  Scheduling is going to be a serious issue though.”.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “That could work.  Getting agreement from all, or at least enough of, the gangs and other armed pscopathic groups, in a large enough area, each with their own agendas, hatred and mistrust of each other sounds like an impossible task.  But if anyone can do it, you can”.

Sprogget creates a folder and drops the model for the short term renovations into it.  Gathering up the previous design information, he makes sure it is all saved, makes a time stamped backup, then hands the 2 folders to Oyl.

@Oyl [Sprogget]: “Since I did not hear any actual disagreement with the immediate renovation plans, Miss Beaver and Ren Man are going to be very busy for the next while between this and their normal work.  If you haven’t done it already, find places and get authorizations to move the things that need to be moved.  Drop it in my work folder.  I’ll start them on some general area cleanup, to make sure all of the hallways are useable to prepare the rest.  Of course, if you find people willing to help on their own time, it will speed thing up.

I've got some skates to finish punking, and you have a bunch of people to talk to”.

Nodding acceptance, Oyl drops the folders onto her commlink, then exits from VR back to AR, and heads back upstairs before making the calls that would start things in motion.  Sprogget finishes cleaning the virtual environment, then saves it intact for later use, when sis is ready to get started with the main part of the infrastructure design work.  He then switches his attention from VR, back to the world of flesh and gears.  Smiling, he heads back to the workbench, to continue the skates where he left off.  But first he sends a prepared file of instructions to the 2 drones, that will have them using any extra time for starting the cleanup.

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 9th, 2072, 00:26; Ghoul central, CZ, Chicago]

With Snake's magic coursing through her veins, Copperhead shimmy's up the the inside of the atrium in an undulating commando crawl. Her hands, feet, knees and elbows stick to the wall where she touches them, allowing her to haul her full 200 kilos - plus armor and weapons - up the wall as easily as if she was climbing a ladder.

She slows as she comes level with the floor where she spotted the ghoul, waiting for him to take another potshot at her before swinging over the balcony and closing the last few meters to where she last spotted his aura.

@Virtual Scream/Cipher
[September 2, 2072, 10:01; Ares Seattle General Hospital]

With ease he inserts his consciousness into his kidnappers commlinks. However, apart from some thrash metal music files and some rather frightening troll porn on the troll's link, the only item of interest is a file on the girl's link with some details on the hospital and a low-resolution picture of Cipher that looks to have been taken while he was asleep in his hospital bed.

As he contemplates who would want to kidnap him, and why, he reaches his conscousness out to the systems around him and senses the dog-brain of a prescription orderly drone (POD) trundling down the corridor towards them. It is basically a box on wheels about a meter and a half tall and roughly 50 centimeters wide. There is a dispenser panel on the top, through which it delivers little containers of medicine to patients. It is not moving very fast and stops regularly to let people go past it.

@Virtual Scream / Gossamer
[September 1, 2072, 17:04, Argent's ‘link node]
PAN: N/A, SIN: None, Response *, Signal *, System (5), Firewall (4), (Analyze, Scan, Decrypt, Exploit [5, inherent], Stealth [6, inherent], Armour, Browse, Encrypt, Medic [6, ergo, optzd])

Cutter looks down at the little 'girl' and the big gun.

"I assume ya know how to shoot that, but if I see ya waving it around in one hand, I'll take it and the hand off ya, scan? Now get yerself into something less birthday party and a bit more rave and we'll get on the road. I'll be in the van making sure nobody shoots at us on the way there."

He moves, whisper-quiet, out the door. Slater hangs back and between him and Argent, it takes Gossamer only a couple of changes to finally find an outfit that both the skinny decker and the fixer agree on as being sufficiently 'street'.

---

Climing into the passenger seat of the van, Gossamer is sandwiched between the big ork in the driver seat and the elven decker's slim frame sitting next to her.

Cutter gives little more than an approving grunt at her outfit as he pulls into traffic.

The journey to the Barrens passes without incident but not without a million questions from Slater about AIs. Gossamer sees the landscape change from manicured lawns to grubby appartments to what looks like a warzone.

"Welcome to the Barrens" announces Slater gleefully.

There is a scary moment when a couple of light rounds spang off the exterior of the van, then she can almost see the ork and elf relax as they pass a barrier of car wrecks manned by orks in the same gang colours as those worn by Cutter.

The ork pulls off the road into the ruins of a building. They all pile out of the van and Slater leads her down into a basement sealed with a heavy padlock. Fishing a key out of his pocket, he opens the door and lets her inside. As her eyes adjust to the dim glow of monitors, she can make out what looks like a deckers paradise of terminals, comfy chairs and a large refridgerator.

Slater wriggles out of his long coat, draping it casually over the back of a chair and rolls his neck.

"It's not much but its safe and has a hard link back to civilisation. And even if someone was to track it back to here, we would know they were coming in plenty of time."

As Gossamer looks around, she realises that the ork is gone.

@Virtual Scream / Dante, Dubstep, Cat
[September 2, 2072, 13:20, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]

Dante dumps the gangers commlinks and the wireless sniffer on the table in front of Dubstep as he talks. Two of the links are cheap and disposable, the third is a modded Sony Emperor running a hacked Iris Orb OS. It has several pirated programs on top of the standard program suite including Analyze and Exploit programs both at rating 3.

As calm returns, Jenny Ho moves to assist the chinese couple, helping to calm the hysterical wife and get them both cleaned up. A pair of cooks emerge from the kitchen, the first a fat ork holding an old pump action shotgun and the other a tall elf wielding a large chopping knife. Jenny Ho snaps at them in her bad Chinese and they slink back into the kitchen, returning shortly after with some large plastic bags and a mop and bucket. They begin to clean up the mess made by Dante, starting with what's left of Xbox.

@Virtual Scream / E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

There is a long pause as the sprite processes the request. It seems sluggish. Finally, it responds.

<<@Sprogget[Screaming (Frankenstein) Hunter]: I am Hunter. My task is to seek information.

Reporting: >1rtu@l5cr3@m virus first detected ~12:00 today, September 1, 2072. Reports indicate virus has infected hundreds of thousands of devices. This is incorrect. I am currently registering 9,673 infected nodes. Correction: 9,672 infected nodes. This does not include nodes not currently connected to the matrix.

Virus is reportedly able to bypass all types of firewall including those of biological design.

Virus is reported to have caused 1000+ accidents, primarily due to GridGuide failures. 15 fatalities linked to >1rtu@l5cr3@m attacks including two firearm incidents and three simsense overloads.

No new infections reported after 21:15 today. All existing infections dormant but transmitting a ping on port 5467. Hunter can confirm that virus responds to pings sent on this port and has acquired three pieces of virus for review. Correction: one amalgamated virus segment available for review.

Virus resembles an agent with multiple attack, spoof and exploit capabilities plus a very large data file. Data load is reducing processing performance of Hunter by 24.7%.

WARNING: Matrix access compromised. Please restore access.>>

In his vision the monocycle rotates in place, until the skull is pointing straight up. The eyebeams pulse with data and the jaw opens in a rictus of a scream.

<<WARNING: Matrix access compromised. Please restore access.>>

And then he hears it, faint but growing louder. It's the same sound that was coming from the radio of the corp kid's car that crashed into them outside LeFey's appartment. A sort of digital wailing. No, a virtual scream.

@Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

@self:Registering?  A real time update?

@self:Ouch.  Drek.

Hearing that new infections seem to have stopped, Sprogget relaxes a little, after tensing when hearing that the entity could bypass TM firewalls.
@self:Ah!  The pings give the real time count!  Sleeping huh?  Hunter picked up 3 pieces, but they merged into one?  hmmmm.

@self:That’s why you seem sluggish.

Watching the antics of the sprite, Sprogget is puzzled.
@self:Yeah, so?


Hearing the start of the scream comming from the apparently panicking sprite,
@self:Whoops!  Seems Franken-Hunter (heh Frank Hunter) does not like to be blocked, even in my bionode, any more than I do when I do not have access to external sensors!

@Hunter:“Easy Hunter.  Matrix access loss temporary.  No active nodes in current signal range.  Local dead zone.”
@self:True enough, even if that deadzone was deliberately created.
@Hunter:“Slow that data feed down!  Continue report.”

@E:CoP/Johnny Awesome
[August 21th, 2072, 06:18; NeoNet Tower, Oxford]



"They’ll last as long as I want them to…" Bronwyn replied with a mischievous grin "Or until you go through a ward powerful enough to disrupt my illusion. Don’t worry, we’ll find you something a little more permanent shortly, illusions won’t keep you warm, it’s a good job the weather is nice again today! Come…" and she leads you away through the tower until you finally reach an eatery a few floors down, picking up Mags along the way, with an almost equally splendid view of the city, if a little less windy than the roof…

You while away the next couple of hours over a sumptuous breakfast at NeoNet’s expense. Bronwyn keeps the conversation light and fluffy, steering you away from anything of any depth until finally at the end of the meal she rises to depart

"I’m sorry, as pleasurable as this is Ryl has other duties for me to attend to, not that this is a duty you understand? There are interesting times coming, when are they not in this sixth world of ours? If you want to bend your considerable resources to those things discussed last night you won’t find me ungrateful…"

And so that would seem to be it…you are free to go back to your usual routine but with some interesting new connections…

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 9th, 2072, 00:24; Ghoul central, CZ, Chicago]


The heaven sent wind let Anselm down onto the somewhat questionable roof of the HAB complex right next to atrium emitting the sounds of gunfire. Carefully working his way to the edge of the atrium lip anselm shifted his senses to the divine and peered over for a sign of the beleaguered troll. At first he saw a myriad of splintered concrete, an amalgamation of the effects of time on a non-maintained and half-nuked building where the only sure thing seemed to be the plascrete structural support. Finally he made sense of the bizarre shadows on the plane of the divine and spotted the troll, now surrounded by the glow of some sort of incantation to the divine and crawling quickly up the superstructure.

In the midst of contemplating how to save the heavily laboring woman Anselm beheld an immediate concern; out of sight of the troll a ghoul was attempting to wedge himself into a hole in the concrete railing and was bringing his rifle to bear. Pure rage at the thought of the troll being gunned down by some unseen assailant filled Anselm and, calling for the Lord to aid him in bringing the damned to justice, he flung the great force of his will into a torrent of heavenly wrath, a bolt of fire turned into molten plasma by arcs of the electricity wrought in it. The sheer effort and sacrifice of self caused blood to start gushing from his nose and start running into his robe.

Not caring if he had dealt the thing a fatal blow, the fires of justice would soon burn the ghoul out if it hadn't killed it at the outset; Anselm called out to his protector for favor. "Please Lord, if you would, grant me another of your many angels to save this soul from the damnation that lives in this place!"

@Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Even the momentary exposure to the sprite's scream is enough to leave Sprogget's ears ringing and head pounding, but fortunately it does respond to his commands. As he gasps for breath in the sudden silence, the sprite continues.

<<Incorrect. This node is being jammed. Reconfiguring.>>

The scream comes back, this time modulated to a low hum, and then so does matrix access. Sprogget watches in fascination/horror as what he though was an attack program reconfigures itself to what looks like an ECCM algorithm that slips between the jammer's pulses to re-establish contact with the Matrix/Resonance.

<<Beginning data playback.>>

Images and sounds pour into Sprogget's head. Snippets of trideo, office scenes mainly. Snatches of conversation, all corporate mumbo-jumbo. Just as he gets a sense of each image or conversation, it shifts to the next one. It is like they are parts of a whole, somehow mangled. From his initial analysis of the sprite/agent there are hours of media in the data file that makes up a significant part of the amalgamated code. He lets the data flow over him, examining the sprite/agent closer. It's like nothing he has ever seen before. He recognises parts of his summoned sprite, parts that look like an agent or like MCM - could this thing be intelligent? - and data, a lot of data. On the plus side, it does seem to be still under his control, mostly.

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 9th, 2072, 00:26; Ghoul central, CZ, Chicago]

Copperhead

As you reach up towards the atrium balcony on the level where Snag was lurking you hear a brief noise from somewhere higher above you and then a scream of superheated air as a coruscating bolt of fire erupts from somewhere around the roof and streaks down a few metres to your right. There is a gargling scream and the sound of something metal being dropped onto the hard tiled flooring…

Another ghoul races at you from the shadows, damn things have such a small heat signature it’s difficult to see in the gloom, it is a wastrel thing, almost pitiful…as is the blow that it aims at your torso as you clamber over the balcony

Anselm

Your spell lashes out leaving a visible afterglow in the air, even from the astral. The boiling plasma splashes over the atrium balcony and the lurking ghoul…at the very last moment he looks up at you with hatred in his eyes and lurches away…not in time to escape the full effects of your spell but certainly it is not as lethal as you might have hoped for the strain you put in. Your angelic companion summoned from the Lord’s realm will quell this infidel! Especially as you watch in some horror as a spirit appears on the astral plane…the spider lunges at the ghoul and is absorbed into him…possession! Abomination! And then he is gone, back out of sight, shielded by the balcony above him…

Mordred

Lashing out you strike a ghoul in the throat and for a brief moment you see its eyes…not the blank white of the ghouls but a cloudy human blue…human? How he has survived this long in a community of ghouls is anyone’s guess…how many more are, or where human? It certainly could only have claimed a dim and desperate claim to the monica. Now it is dead at your hand, an end to its suffering. One runner has completely gone down under the weight of the ghouls and the heavily armoured one is making an attempt to reach him, clubbing at the ghouls with pistol and striking out with vicious kicks and sweeps, almost to no avail…there are still too many of the bastards!

Gemeaux

No time for kill shots now, the groups are pressed too closely together and to your friends…if you want to limit the chances of anyone coming away infected you’ll need to spread your shots and hope to disable. Two more ghouls drop as your rounds plough home…

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 9th, 2072, 00:26; Ghoul central, CZ, Chicago]

What the frag was that? thinks Copperhead as she rakes at the wasted ghoul with her razors.

"Outta ma way, I'm after yer boss!"

There iss another mage here. A follower of the faith.

Which faith is that?

It matterss not, they are all the ssame in the end.

She feels her hackles rise as Snake hisses a warning.

Beware my daughter. The one you called Ssnag has been posssesssed by Sspider.

Copperhead focuses her senses where she thinks the ghoul's leader should be.

Where is he then? Show me where he is and I'll cut out Spider along with his fragging heart.

@Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(5), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

As the scream builds, then abruptly cuts off, Sprogget finds that his minor headache is now throbbing enough to be annoying.
@self:Glad that quit.  I’ve got more than enough headache as it is, and I doubt I’m going to get much chance to rest for awhile!

Examining the new state of his former simple data sprite, getting what information he can about its altered capabilities, he discovers a few interesting things.
@self:Added programs? complex forms? for attack and exploit.  Massive amount of data ..


@self:That is a fairly smart distinction.  There is not much (perceptual) difference between being jammed and in a deadzone.  Either way there is nothing to talk to.  How bright? ..  Reconfigure?  What?

Then Sprogget sees that the attack program is starting to change, becoming something else.
@self:Whoa!  Self modifying code is one thing, but this?
Keeping an eye on the changes happening in real time, he continues to study the modified sprite.
@self:This now has an ID for >1rtu@l5cr3@m?  That should be my ID!  how? ...

Registered?  How?  No remaining tasks, but one still active ongoing task .. but that feels like it will continue beyond the normal 8 hour limit where a new task would normally be needed to keep going?  A ‘self?’ regenerating task!  Whatever this “marriage” is, it has given Hunter a much longer potential lease on existence!

Reduced processing from the data load.  That is a LOT of data!  Trid and other media data from the format.  Maybe more things hidden in the sheer volume?

Still basically rating 4.  Not just sprite any more.  Not agent either, although that exploit looks more like a program than a complex form.  Not fully AI either, although he might claim kin to MCM too...

Then the attack program stops changing.

As the media content starts to flow, Sprogget realizes that he is connected to the matrix again, as local nodes start queuing up as accessible locations.
@self:Frak.  What happened to the jammer?
He starts to reach for the jammer device diagnostics through his skinlink, then pauses as he realizes that the jammer is still running, and that the morphing attack program is now acting as an ECCM filter.  He starts to reach for the jammer controls, to boost the power, then hesitates.
@self:I don’t really want that scream to start again, and that ECCM looks strong enough to slice through the jammer at max power anyway.
Dithering briefly about what he is capable of doing, to keep the virus from attacking the team, he realizes that there does not seem to be any attack.  Just the data being played like random clips from a trid.

@Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(5), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

With the media data starting to play, and no apparent attack, Sprogget realizes that, yet again, he has too many things to accomplish, and no time.  Not even in matrix time.
@self:Still dormant, like the initial report?  Now IF Hunter is still accepting direction from me, maybe I can add some controls or limits.  I also need to see about managing this report better.  It could take way too long to understand this.  No context, and I am still in the middle of a potential combat zone.  Idea.  Hunter’s original task was to collect and report information about what was known about >1rtu@l5cr3@m.  Maybe I can use that to get some control here.  How smart is this combined entity?
Taking a look at the Sprite from a new perspective, Sprogget considers,
@self:Are you something new and different?
He remembers vividly the hysteria when Techmomancers were first brought to the attention of the public.  The lack of understanding and distrust, fanned by the the corporate spin doctors.  He also remembers history information about similar happenings when magic and UGE showed up, and the changelings after the comet.
@self:Are you trying to find a safe place to be?

@Frank-Hunter:“Hunter, please pause the data playback.  To fully grok this information, I need to reduce distractions, and perhaps acquire a gestalt of the content in a different style|order|format.  Directly observing the bits of data you are starting with could take significant time given how much of it there seems to be.  Time during which this entity|person|icon|node could become non-viable due to external forces.  The physical|meatspace node location is currently extremely non-optimal for data processing.  There has been a recent physical attack {gang attack}, with more possible in the near future {Jazz response implications}.  I also have current constraints|responsibilities for friends|allies|colleagues {jailbreakers} around mutual protection across multiple modes {matrix|meat|magic} of interaction.  Your unexpected transformation while acquiring the requested data is perceived as a potential|possible risk to the mutual protection goals of the group.  Your initial reaction to the loss of matrix access was damaging to me, and the known past interactions of the form|entity|capabilities that is now part of you have been damaging to others, either directly {simsense overload} or indirectly {accidents|over reactions}.  Within your new|modified goals, can you agree to designate neutral|friendly nodes as non-targets for that damaging scream that you are now capable of?  At least unless they are actively attacking you?  For the much smaller subset of those nodes covered by my team|family|tribe groupings, I also ask that where possible perceived attacks be replied to by requests to remove the attack, to me and the actual source, instead of immediate direct attack.  What you identify as an attack may not be intended as such, and a short explanation may get the desired result faster than attacking.  Your response to loss of matrix access is an example.  That was started only as a precautionary measure in an attempt to fulfill my agreement|obligations to the group.  In exchange, I|we may be able to assist or provide resources you can use to work toward your goals.  For example, now that I understand that you are not an immediate threat to the group, I can disable the device that was causing you stress.  Can you actively assist my group while still working toward you own needs|requirements”?
Watching Hunter’s response, especially the ECCM program, to see if it reconfigures again, Sprogget accesses the jammer controls through the skinlink interface, and turns it off.

@Frank-Hunter:“Specific to the original task of acquiring information; are the existing resources {PAN devices|backpack wireless nodes} sufficient to store the {data without the scream}?  If not, what additional storage resources would be needed?  Alternatively, can you directly act as an interface|library|interpreter for that data, so that it can be accessed in other fashions, instead of the direct playback you started”?
Remembering that the data playback did not start until matrix connectivity had been reestablished, he adds,
@Frank-Hunter:“Is the data you were starting to show all included in your local data, or are you getting some of it in real time from other entities similar to you, or even real time from live sensors”?

@Frank-Hunter:“Regarding you current goals; can you clarify any difference between them and the task that I initially sent you on?  Can you provide information about what is now needed to reach those goals, and the external resources and assistance that others me|team might could provide to help in reaching them”?

@self:Whatever you are now, it is nothing I have ever heard of.  The news I saw earlier did not mention anything about TM or resonance.  I wonder who else has already seen you this way?  Even without this perspective, there are a lot of powerful corps likely taking an interest.  Guessing that the morphing program ‘reconfiguring’ is part of the ‘standard package’, without mixing in the sprite.  That would help account for some of the abilities described.  Every corp is going to want to own|control that ability, and keep it away from each other, for as long as possible.

@Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(5), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Frank-Hunter stops the data feed at Sprogget's request. The skull headlight once again rotates to face the technomancer as if listening to his questions.

<<I am programmed to seek information about >1rtu@l5cr3@m. This cannot be achieved without matrix access. Countermeasures will only be activated to prevent loss of / restore access to the matrix.>>

When he switches off the jammer, the ECCM program does indeed morph back into an Attack icon.

<<I am storing and accessing data on available hardware resources. Bionode not suitable for storage. Attempting to download to bionode may result in system damage / loss of data. Minimum requirements for current data package would be system level 4.>>

<<I am programmed to seek information about >1rtu@l5cr3@m. There are currently 9,669 infected nodes to review. Estimated data storage required for all nodes would be system level 10.>>

<double post>

@Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(5), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

With a mental sigh of relief, Sprogget thinks,
@self:GOOD!|Yes!|Thank You

Seeing the ECCM morph back into an attack program after turning off the jammer, Sprogget tenses, ready to activate the jammer again, but there is no attack.
@self:Phew.  What I expected|hoped for, but was not sure that was the way it would go.
@self:Sweedack!  Bionode def not suitable!  ?system? 4?  For the data package?  That data must be very tightly integrated|merged with the programs.  Data by itself should not need any processing resources.  It is just text|trideo|audio|numbers, and a data chip can hold a lot of that.  Even multiple normal programs could be stored (inactive) on a data chip.  Why limited by system?

@self:LEVEL 10!!.  Slot, but I’d love to see the tech that could support that.  Beyond UV!

Wait a sec.  Level 10 system.  Hunter is rating 4, needs system 4 to store the data, but can interact effectively with lower rated nodes|devices, because he lives in|is powered by|is partly resonance.  If I work on improving my resonance a bit, then stretch myself to the max, I could|might, mold|pull|create a rating 10 sprite from the resonance.   Probably|likely|could kill me too, but that’d be an awesome goal|sight|accomplishment!

@Frank-Hunter:“Be aware that the current bionode location is in an area where matrix access is not fully reliable.  Try not to panic if signal strength|quality is temporarily not sufficient for matrix access, even when no jammer is being used”.

@self:What next?  Try to scan|understand the raw data, to see if can find a good place to start?  I also need to let the team {jailbreakers} know what is happening.  Yes, and that corp kids commlink has a piece of >1rtu@l5cr3@m on it too.  Should see what difference there is with a normal entity|instance looks like, compared to Frankenhunter.  Heh, maybe I can get a tutor sprite to help with that!  See if that kind of assistant can get me better access to the data that Frankenhunter has available, and through him, the rest of those 9000 plus nodes.

I wonder if >1rtu@l5cr3@m is a distributed AI?  But not initialized|configured|booted yet?  A permanent {no derezz time limit} entity similar to Frankenhunter would make an excellent guard|supervisor|assistant for the clinic|hospital facility that Oyl wants to setup.  I think that would be able to protect patient data, and keep snoops|trouble makers|thieves out way better than any IC I know about!  ...  Uh, assuming that all the major corps are not sending teams against it, because they want the guardian, not the guarded data?

Start with creating|forming|designing the sprite|tool|assistant for that.

Sprogget reaches into the local resonance, trying to mold it into a sprite with knowledge of >1rtu@l5cr3@m and interacting with matrix entities.  The resonance seems to be slippery, fighting his manipulation.  The lash back is extreme for the level of assistant he was attempting to create, but he manages to let most of it slide past him.  Just a bit more for the headache.
@self:Drek!  That could have hurt.  Come on resonance, be nice to me.  The tool|creation I want is right there!
Taking a few seconds to visualize the desired result, he trys again.  Again he has difficulty getting ahold of it, though the slap for the attempt is weaker this time.  Still he only slips past most of the effect, increasing the headache enough to be persistently annoying.
@self:Slot!  No cooperation yet.  Take a bit of break here, before trying again.  Wanting|dreaming of a rating 10 sprite!?  Ha!  Am having trouble getting a 3 here!

@E:Tribes, Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

It has only been a few seconds since Sprogget asked LeFey to activate the jammer, but overall status has changed significantly.  Tentatively comfortable that Frankenhunter is not going to randomly start screaming, and attacking nodes, he shifts his attention from VR, back to AR, wincing slighly at the headache.

@Lefey: “The jammer was not effective for long, but I seem to have control over what the sprite does.  Hunter {indicating the monocycle ARO} switched to an ECCM form to bypass the jamming, which the original sprite does not have.  Very strange combination of sprite and agent or AI.  It seems to need access to the matrix.  The blast that I got until he figured out that going around was easier than going through the jammer was NOT fun.  Was not even aimed at me.

Working slowly as he talks, Sprogget takes the now turned off jammer from under the harness, and puts it in a pocket of the coveralls.  Undoing the safety harness, he collects the toolkit that it was in from LeFey.  Separating LeFey’s travel pack and the Bag containing the powered down and infected commlink, he puts the toolkit back in the backpack.

@Lefey: “I expect to be opening regular commlink communications, and restarting the tacsoft, again shortly, once I verify a couple more things.  I suggest you ride in the van from here though.  That was actually the original intent, until the previous scream caused plan changes.  Hunter tells me that there are currently over 9600 infected devices, but the number is going down a bit.  He also says that all of the infections are currently dormant, so until that changes there should not be any more scream attacks.  Unless someone blocks matrix access to one of them.  Regular comm usage should be safe for now.  Or as safe as it ever is anyway”.

Handing LeFey her pack, Sprogget takes the Airware out of the bag, putting it in another convenient pocket.  About to put the empty bag back in the backpack, he reconsiders.
@self:Let’s keep this where I can get to it quickly.  Just in case.
Openning his hip pouch, to put the bag there instead, he notices the snuff.
@self:I’ve been using that too much today, but ...  it is useful.  Should cut the distraction from the headache a bit.
Taking a dose of the snuff, he puts the empty Faraday cage bag in the hip pouch, closing it and the backpack, making sure everything is secure for travel.  Fastening the safety harness again, he gives LeFey a twisted smile.

@Lefey: “Talk to you soon on the commlink. ... I hope.  I’ll get caught up on other things there”.

Settling back, he switches his attention back to VR, letting meatspace go, except for the VR window displaying the output from the PAN sensors.

@Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(5), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Returning to VR, the headache is still there, but has been pushed away a little.  Sprogget takes a moment to assess the immediate situation.
@self:Frankenhunter said system 4 for the data, and dormant.  That should mean|implies that no devices are currently|actively being infected|attacked|exploited.  Also Frankenhunter himself is not going to be too interested in nodes with less than system 4.  OK, let’s get ready to travel.  If this works safely, I can add LeO to the mix next.

Keeping an eye on Frankenhunter, he opens a live connection to the Doble Revolution through the skinlink interface.
@self:Ready to give directions, or jump in if needed.  Now ....
Using the open connection, Sprogget merges the cluster of PAN sensor devices with the monocycle sensors, creating a single cluster that is now 'owned' by the monocycle node, and routes a copy of that data to the existing, and now expanded, meatspace display window.

@self:Back to molding|crafting that contrary tutor.

Why limited by system?  Theory|guess that both the data and programs could be stored on a data chip, but that the they have something like a Data Bomb .. not Data Bomb, IC, attached to them that aborts data transfers unless the desired|required conditions are met.  Actually, since this is an active|running|live entity, it would just be part of the core program to intercept transfer requests, and do the abort.  Even if forced to permanent storage, by powering off, before transfer, the program would open when the file was opened.  I wonder what it would do if that happened on a bitty box, less than the configuration calls for?

Putting those interesting thoughts aside for the moment, Sprogget focuses on the current task, blocking out distractions, and once more grasping the intangible substance of the resonance, sculpting it into the assistant he wants.  This time it does not twist out of his grasp, and the required effort is much less.  He easily shrugs off the tiring that can be caused when manipulating the resonance.  Professor Gadget forms from the stuff of the resonance, looking like a stylized and steampunked cartoon of Sprogget himself.
@self:There.  Only one task, but that is all I need for now.

@Frank-Hunter:“Configure to provide Professor Gadget access to the data that you have|have access too about >1rtu@l5cr3@m, to use as a data source for a knowsoft”.

@self:I wonder if he could have reconfigured to act as a knowsoft directly? I can ask in a minute here.

@Professor Gadget:“Provide me with your knowsoft skills, using the data available through Hunter|Frankenhunter for >1rtu@l5cr3@m”.

Professor Gadget plugs directly into Sprogget’s knowledge centers, then reaches a connection out to Frankenhunter.  New knowledge appears in Sprogget’s mind, like it had always been there.

@E:Tribes, Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
SIN: Iwakura Lain, PAN: Passive

For a moment, she simply stared. "I'll get back to you when I come to terms with the fact that my knowledge of the Matrix is even more limited than previously imagined." Before Sprogget spoke the words, she had known them to be impossible. LeFey cringes at the sight of the sprite. It was a horrified fascination, tempered by a new idea. "You don't think it Threaded the new form, do you?" She trades items automatically, lost in thought. So, what was Hunter now? Had the virus gone as far as to change its nature? Did the traditional relationship it shared with its technomancer still apply? She bites her lip, then flicks at her glasses.

"Be careful. This can't be over." Even if the scream had somehow passed, like a natural disaster, there was still the matter of finding out what on Earth it was. "At best, we have a temporary reprieve." She turns around to join the others.

@Virtual Scream / Dante, Dubstep, Cat
[September 2, 2072, 13:20, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]

Those who start to clean the restaurant get nothing but a quick glance from Dante before he returns to what he was doing. He is not at all inclined to help - that's not his job. Those below him, those less than him, it is to them to clean up afterwards. His job had been to deal with the threat. His job right now was to make sure there would be no more surprises like this one and to wait for Xiao Hong's men to arrive. He takes a position near the front door that's as tactically advantageous as possible, trying to have a clear view (and field of fire) of the entrance. The uzi and Colt America are held loosely in his left and right hands, respectively. Meanwhile he communicates with those who now are as close to a team as he's had in awhile.

<<@Dubstep, Cat [Dante]: Have you fixed the drone with success? I can use it when it's ready. What paydata can you find on the commlink of these assholes ?>>

@E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:29; S Meridian, heading south to the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup

Jailbreakers

Sprogget shakes off whatever was bothering him and a slightly shaken LeFey climbs into the somewhat battered van with Tweak and you are all ready to head for home as fast as your wheels (and rotors in LeO’s case) can take you. When you get there it’s like a kicked ant’s nest with people frantically moving around without any clear direction. It seems the attack has passed on for now otherwise surely they would all have been under cover and hidden away.

As you swing into a loading bay Jazz jumps down from the upper level, a heavily customised hound drone landing heavily beside her, the machine gun on its back tracking any movement. Almost instinctively Sprogget recognises the work of another Daedalus techno, interesting that you didn’t spot it before but perhaps you were too busy trying not to be pissed at her attitude towards the Mech rube!

"You made it back in then? Good, sounds like you had more luck than Charlie and his patrol. I want you to head back out…we need to make our presence felt, let them understand they haven’t beaten us…it’ll only get worse if they think we’re running scared. They seem to be using hit and run tactics so watch your backs! Don’t stray too far, backup is being spread thin and we can’t afford to pull anyone out of the fire." she goes quiet for a moment as she listens to some internal voice "Damn, I’ve got to go…shit, Tweak, Spring, get your hoops out of there…I’m not sending kids out to fight for us. And you’re her?" addressed to LeFey "I’m sorry about this…Prospero wants to see you…" and she’s gone, running out of the dock before any of you can get a chance to question her…

September 1, 2072 22:33; 39th Ave SW, south of the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup

Crow

"Hoi, Chummers! .. No one tell you it's dangerous to go kicking 'Drake' nests? …easy friend, just looking for food or barter, thought you might have needed a hand after I seen the ordnance they were toting!"

The aggressive response from the big orc is about what you were expecting but the AK he is vaguely waving in your direction is a little unsettling…

"Dis ain't no fuckin' Drake's anything, dey shoulda been smarter dan to try and come back. You wanna barter, mebbe you helps kick the rest of 'em back to whatever hole they crawled outta. Otherwise, keep on walkin'."

A large explosion draws every eye and you see a plume of smoke rising from somewhere towards the Mechanical’s territory off to the south of you…

Lilly

So what now…the street has emptied, not that it is ever populous around here, that explosion is between you and your destination. They won’t be please back home if you come back without the part but they wouldn’t expect you to walk through a fragging war zone…

@E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:33; 39th Ave SW, south of the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup

Crow holds his hands out to the ork in front placatorily, he looks from him and to the south only now registering the plume and recognising it for what it is then making the mental connection between these people and what he supposes is their intended destination.

"I can help, you don't seem the types ta turn down a friendly assist, all I ask is a place ta rest and food to trade for"

Crow shrugs non commitally " your choice, but I guess i'm heading your direction either way so, a ride'd be 'preciated"

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 2, 2072, 12:50; Not quite the Barrens
Renraku Sensei: Hidden | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

Alex watched the rust bucket rattle down the street until it turned the corner and he couldn't hear it anymore, then his shoulders slumped and his hands started trembling as the adrenaline dump he'd somehow suppressed when Twitchy popped his spurs flooded his system. Damn. Damn. Not twenty years old anymore, Bianchi.

He took a few deep breaths and tried to find the calm spot the department shrink had half-assedly taught him after his first officer-involved-shooting, but it was…blocked…somehow. Alex frowned, then shook his head and started grabbing the items off of the table. He pocketed his own commlink in the inside pocket of his jacket, then filled the outside ones with the other 'links and players. The last item he held in his hand and contemplated. He recognized it as a wireless sniffer, he'd used them before when he and Selene had been part of a Matrix gang takedown several years before. What he couldn't figure out was what it was doing here. Finally, he shrugged and put it in the pocket with his 'link. Maybe Harvey'll have some insight on it…

He hefted the terminal, then looked down at Charlie. "Thanks for the assist. Let's get back to Alpha and return to base." The machine-gun mounts "nodded" and the two of them left the building. Once Beta and Charlie had situated themselves back into the drone racks Alex climbed into the driver's seat and gave Alpha the commands to return to the garage. Then he relaxed as best he could in the seat designed for a dwarf and closed his eyes, trying to blot out the burgeoning headache clawing at his temples. After a moment the sounds of traffic and the city faded, and the memory of the gangers played in his mind's eye.


Alex blinked as a drop of sweat slipped into his eyes, then drew in a breath he didn't know he was holding. A glance in the rear-view mirror showed his hair matted to his forehead with perspiration, and then his stomach rumbled. He was famished, as though he hadn't eaten in days. Jesus. It looks like I've run a marathon while boxing with Selene. He barely noticed when the van pulled into the bay of Harvey's garage, then the back doors opened and the two drones dropped from their racks and headed towards their fueling stations.

Harvey limped out of the back area, bandaged and bruised, a well-used assault rifle in his hands. "Hands where I can…fraggin' hell, Bi–Jimmy, you take a swim in your clothes?"

Alex winced as he finished getting out of the van, his back protesting where the dwarf-sized chair had dug into it on the trip back. "No, just been a tougher afternoon than I've had in a while. I got the gear, I'll bring it back to the office in a second. Doc leave you with any meds, my back and head're killin' me."

The dwarf nodded. "Yeah, I'll get it while you bring the stuff back. They didn't do nothing to it, did they?"

"Not as far as I could tell. They had something else, too. Show you in a second." Alex grabbed the terminal from the van and lugged it and the other electronics into the back room. Harvey set a glass of water and a couple pills on the desk, indicating where to put the terminal on the desk with a tilt of his chin. He ignored Alex while he hooked cables back to it, then breathed a sigh of relief as it booted up normally.

"Job well done, Jimmy. Your 'link is showing it's good, as well."

Alex nodded, swallowing the last of the water. It eased the worst of the hunger pangs, but he knew he'd better get something in his stomach soon if he didn't want to start getting nauseous. "Wonderful. Here's the thing I wanted you to have a look at. I'd like it back after you have a look, give me any ideas why three Young Guns would have something like it, not their normal racket." He handed over the wireless sniffer to the dwarf.

Harvey looked it over, then turned back and tagged a few keys connected to the terminal. A smaller box hummed on another desk behind him, and he dropped it onto it. "Give me until tomorrow morning, doc says I gotta let my head clear. I'll even give ya my "chummers" rate…this time."

The weary detective shook his head minutely, but he knew that "biz was biz". "Sure thing. I'll see you tomorrow."

September 2, 2072, 14:20; Alex's Everett apartment
Hermes Ikon: Active | SIN: Alexander Bianchi ( Re 4 - Sig 3 - Fi 5 - Sys 4 - Agent 4 [running Analyze 4]

Alex finished eating the third Nuke Burger he'd microwaved upon getting home and finally his stomach gave a contended rumble. He threw the packages into the trash compactor, then grabbed his commlink with hands that were no longer shaking. He shifted through the contact list until he found the number for "Bobby's Cleaners" and hit the dial button. After a few rings, a nasally Italian voice rumbled on the other end of the line.

"You've reached Bobby's Cleanas, we're all inna back pressin' suits. Leave a message."

"Hey, Bobby, it's Joe Johnson. Think I left a couple optical chips in the gray pants I dropped off last night just before you closed. They've got some family pics on 'em my wife'll kill me for losing. Give me a call, let me know when's a good time to come pick 'em up." Alex killed the connection, hoping his cousin hadn't changed the codewords in the last couple of months. It was time to replace the fake ID and licenses, anyways. Twenty minutes later the incoming call indicator flickered in his vision.

"Mr. Johnson, we found the chips you left us a message for, you're a lucky man. Those pants were just about to go into the press." The voice on the other end was a soldato that accompanied his cousin to the family reunions, and he sounded a little put out. Alex winced; this was going to cost.

"Good to hear. When I swing by and get them?"

"Come by at 7, we'll have 'em waiting for you in the after-hours pickup. Ciao." The line went dead. Cafe Molise, then. Ricky must be wanting seafood. Yeah, this is gonna be expensive. Though it does mean I've got time for a nap ahead of it.

@Virtual Scream / Gossamer
[September 1, 2072, 17:04, Living Doll node]
PAN: N/A, SIN: None, Response 5*, Signal 3*, System (5), Firewall (4/6), (Analyze, Scan, Decrypt, Exploit [5, inherent], Stealth [6, inherent], Armour, Browse, Encrypt, Medic [6, ergo, optzd])

As the van rumbles through Bellevue and towards the barrens Gossamer spares a bit of her attention to test the parameters of her new temporary home. The sluggish response is gone as the enhanced Spark chip hotlined the system but without finally committing to make this node her home it wouldn’t benefit from the integration of her codebase.

From Cutter and Slater’s reaction to her current form she was beginning to rethink the strategy of using a child’s body to help go unnoticed. She had recognised the differences in the way children were treated but perhaps had not appreciated the limitations that would be placed on her because of it. Her core programming had prepared her to be an unobtrusive, watchful servant of metahumanity and since her awakening she had felt compelled to uphold those ideals.

She diverted part of her attention away from the trip they were making and did a rapid search on humanoid drone sales. Immediately dismissing the endless adverts for the Manservant and the more security minded Tandem drone she honed in on the Mitsuhama Nadeshiko Android Mk-4. She immediately dismissed some of the more voluptuous models, clearly designed to be sexbots for the rich and lonely. Whilst sex was clearly important to metahumanity, and her core programming had included it, such creations would hinder her need to blend in. The one that appealed was strikingly similar to her original form and she wondered if the designers had shared input, such things weren’t unknown…

As they arrived in the barrens she carefully noted the security measures around them and immediately began to plot escape routes, hiding places, anything that would help in the event that things ‘went south’ as the humans said. Once they were settled into a semi-hospitable room she turned to Slater

"So, we have two potential targets, do you want to go in tandem or separately? I don’t know yet what we are facing so I don’t know if a distraction is warranted but it would probably be best to plan for a number of possibilities. For now I will probe their nodes for weaknesses and then we can progress from there…"

@E:Tribes, Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:28; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Powered Off; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

As the new knowledge flows through his thoughts, with nothing immediately showing any more risk than already anticipated, Sprogget continues to prepare the tacnet for use by the team.
@self:Looking good.  Strange, but acceptable|workable. Lot’s to still consider|do|think about, but that can wait.  Need a last couple of safety checks before providing a full connection and tacnet to the team.
Switching his attention back to AR just long enough to power up the CMT clip, he returns immediately to VR to watch Frankenhunter as the commlink goes through the full power on and boot process.  Once that is done he logs on to it, then initializes the tacnet complex form and commands the CMT clip to slave itself to his bio node, and join the tacnet.

CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

@self:Good.  Tacnet running, and not a twitch out of Frankenhunter.  Now for the acid test.  If anything around here is going to tempt Frankenhunter to move without explicit instructions, it’s LeO’s custom node!

Watching Frankenhunter carefully, Sprogget brings LeO into the tacnet.

@LeO[Sprogget]: <<Login: Sprogget; Authentication {Sprogget ID}.>>

@Sprogget[LeO]:<<Ready, {Sprogget ID} logged in as admin.>>

@LeO[Sprogget]: <<Command: Slave to {Sprogget ID}, join tacnet at that address.>>

@Sprogget[LeO]:<<Ack>>

@LeO[Sprogget]: <<Command: Go autonomous overwatch mode; environment barrens mixed/hostile.>>

@Sprogget[LeO]:<<Ack>>

Watching Frankenhunter for indications he is going to overwhelm the drone, Sprogget notes LeO’s depleted ammunition level.

@self:Slot, but you can spit a lot of lead in a hurry!

@LeO[Sprogget]: <<Command: Set firing mode to reduce ammunition consumption.>>

@Sprogget[LeO]:<<Ack>>

@self:Great!  Time to get everything back to normal.
Enabling the Jailbreakers access ID list again, Sprogget sends a voice message out through the direct connection addresses.
@Jailbreakers[Sprogget]: <<I’m back.  Matrix issues are under control.  Slave your links to {Sprogget ID} again, to rejoin the tacnet.>>

@LeFey[Sprogget]: <<Watching the combined entity work, I do not think that what it did was threading.  What I could see was an existing attack program or complex form that changed .. twisted .. in place, becoming an ECCM program.  Or the same program but with different capabilities.  When I shut the jammer off, it did the same thing reverse, ending up looking like an attack program again.  I have no idea how it did it, but the effect was like an object rotating in a higher dimension, showing a completely new aspect here, but still the same single object.  The change was continuous, with no sharp breaks or jumps that I could see.  I can not say with any certainty whether it is a program or complex form.  I am going to be looking at the corp kid’s commlink in a moment.  Maybe a piece of the scream that is not woven into a sprite will tell me something more, but I have my doubts.

Yes we need to be careful, and watch out for repeats, or something additional.  Still have to work with things as they currently exist.>>

Sprogget uses the skinlink interface for the CMT Clip to access the commlink.  He removes it from the tacnet, then adds it to the cluster of devices already being used for the monocycle sensors.
@self:No extra tacnet channels, but that reduces the number of connections I need to keep track of, and still lets me use the commlink to make notes.  I need to make careful notes here, about what I know about >1rtu@l5cr3@m, since I am going to forget when the professor ends that task.

@E:Tribes, Virtual Scream
September 1, 2072 22:29; Near the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Starting up the edit program on the CMT Clip, Sprogget makes a few initial notes about >1rtu@l5cr3@m.
@self:This edit program is weak|junk|clumsy, but it will do for a scratch pad.

About to setup to inspect the infected commlink, Sprogget is distracted by tacnet tagging something Scrapheap is carrying as an unknown article.
@self:Unknown?  What’s he got there anyway?
Turning his attention more specifically to Scrapheap using the available sensors, Sprogget sees that Scrapheap is carrying a rifle
@self:Good!  He got the AK off of that junker.  One less thing for them to use later.  But why is tacnet saying unknown?

Focusing his attention, and available sensors on the weapon, including the radio signal scanner, he takes a closer look.

@self:Ah, he has not added it to his PAN, and it is not publishing any information about itself.

It looks like a rifle, but it might as well be a void as far as matrix is concerned.  Pretty good matrix security on the part of that bunch of Spined Drakes.  I wonder what else they might have done?

No visible markings.  Not even a manufacture logo that I can see.  No signal sources to show any RFID tags.  No signal for the weapon AR interface.  Wow, it looks like it would take a MAD scanner to even tell that thing exists, unless you have hands or eyes on it!  And it looks new, not refurbished|modified|upgraded.  Does it use skinlink for access?  No marks|scars|scuffs where manufacturer markings were removed.

That looks like something I have heard that black|clandestine corp teams would use, when their owners|masters|bosses want to be able to deny any association with events.

The Spined Drakes are not that tech savy.  Where did they get something like this?  Where did it come from?

@Jailbreakers[Sprogget]: <<Scrapheap, that AK you collected is raising questions.  It seems way too good compared to the rest of the tech we saw, and how tech savvy the Spined Drakes are supposed to be.  I think we should have a close look at it when we get to the mall.  I have a scanner in my pack that might tell us more.  Spring?  Have you seen anything like it?  Tweak and LeFey, I am not finding any signals associated with that weapon, and it sure does not look like tech old enough to not have a node.  Here {radio signal scanner address} is the scanner I used, if you want to have a look yourself.  The NLJD does not have the range to look from here.>>

@self:Right now I wish that the Non-Linear Junction Detector was in the van instead of my backpack.  It would have been, except I pulled it out of LeFey’s pack when I was removing the tracer|security tag|sliver!

Nothing more I can do about that for now.  Time to have a first look at that >1rtu@l5cr3@m on the commlink that corp’r donated|gave away.

Switching from VR to AR for a moment, Sprogget gets the empty Faraday cage bag out of his hip pack, and puts it open in a large pocket of the coverall.  Full, the bag would never fit in the pocket, but empty there is lots of room.  He arranges it, so that the Airware commlink can be placed inside the bag, where it still has matrix access through the open top, but so that the bag can be closed quickly to block signal access.  Powering the Airware on, he immediately places it in the bag, then returns to VR to wait through the startup process.

@self:Frankenhunter’s task|purpose|programming is to seek|acquire information about >1rtu@l5cr3@m.  I wonder ...

@Frank-Hunter:“This {Airware node icon} contains an instance|part|segment of the >1rtu@l5cr3@m entity|virus that I wish to review.  Can you provide me access|credentials to get in there, or have the instance already in there open the door to let me in?  That is without changing it.  I want to look at it when it is not merged with|part of|fused with|inside of a sprite”.

@self:Or am I going to have to break down the door|firewall?  If so, I wonder if I can use that ping Frankenhunter told me about to make it easier?  I don’t use Exploit enough to be good at it.  I could use a 'Cracker', but then I'd lose the Professor, and I want to have the knowledge when looking at the real thing.  Maybe LeFey could help, if Frankenhunter can’t|won’t.  This is not like the Fre∑dom sensor mesh.  This time I do care about triggering alerts.  Although a normal standard commlink couldn’t do much more than tell an authorized user, which does not exist here, or shutdown|reboot.  There shouldn’t be any IC.  An Airware does not really have the resources for that.

@E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:32; Fre∑dom Mall, Loading Bay
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Arriving at the Fre∑dom Mall, Sprogget takes in the frenetic looking activity.
@self:I hope someone is directing traffic|overseeing this|knows what is planned.  It looks more like running in circles.

Jazz’s arrival with the drone is another surprise.
@self:That drone!  It’s been rebuilt.  By someone ... yes I’m sure|almost positive|convinced that was done by a Daedalus disciple|follower|student!  And it seems to be Jazz’s!  I had no idea she was even a TM.  I seldom see her in person, don’t think I’ve ever seen her in VR.  Mostly comm calls.  Never seen her with a drone before.

Well!  We may have something to talked about later.  Attitude tends to get lost fast going over a set of plans, or a workbench with pieces of tech spread all over it!

Listening to her rapid fire information, suggestions, orders, motherly advice, he thinks drily,
@self:Yep, still got the attitude.  Did Prospero assign her as 2IC, and nobody thought to mention it?
Trying unsuccessfully to get a word in about the sample of tech from the Spined Drakes, he still hesitates when she pauses, since it is fairly obvious she is in communication with someone else.  Then she is off again, then off and running.
@Jazz[Sprogget]: “Hey, hold it, you need to see this!”.
But it’s too late.  She’s gone.

Giving an exasperated look after Jazz, Sprogget shrugs and turns to Scrapheap.
@Scrapheap[Sprogget]: “Let’s have a look at that salvage you picked up”.
Looking around at all of the activity, he continues.
@Scrapheap[Sprogget]: “The back of the van looks like the safest workbench around at the moment, where things will not get kicked, stepped on, or tripped over.  At least as long as someone is standing in front of the door”.

Getting both the radio signal scanner and NLJD hand scanner out of the backpack, he configures both to activate both the wireless and skinlink interfaces, and pops an ARO from each, so that interested bystanders have access to the scan output, but not the scanner controls.  Dropping the signal scanner in a pocket, he joins Scrapheap at the back of the van.  He sets the radio signal scanner to searching for signals in the space occupied by the AK on the floor of the van, much more accurately than he could while ridding the monocycle.  He then moves the hand scanner carefully over the rifle, looking for any electronics.  Talking absently, with most of attention on the scanner controls and output, he says,
@Scrapheap[Sprogget]: “This has a 2 meter range, but a close look is best.  Yes, some electronics.  Looks like a standard device node for control.  Some built in sensors, for things like strain and heating, not seeing any RFID tags, no stealth tags, no signal off the sensors either.  Ah, there, it’s faint, but I see a shadow for the cabling to connect the sensors to the main node.  That external smartlink is obvious, but again no signal.  Wired to the main node.  And here, electronics in the grip, again wired to the node.  That looks like a skin link connection.”.

Continuing more briskly,
@Scrapheap[Sprogget]: “To use this effectively, you’ll want to add a skinlink module to your commlink, as well as a smartlink”.

Touching the grip cautiously, Sprogget opens the skinlink interface.

@Scrapheap[Sprogget]: “No obvious security, no user personalization, diagnostics look 100%, full clip.  Seems to have been test fired, and not much more.  No corp hardware or software logos visible here either.  I don’t have the plans handy, but as far as a can tell, this is a generic AK-97 Assault Rifle.  Just with no source markings of any sort.  Somebody went to a lot of trouble to make this untraceable”.

Thoughtfully now,
@Scrapheap[Sprogget]: “This thing is so new you should be able to smell it.  Even the node tastes new.  And that smartlink.  External, but look how it fits.  Exactly the same color and texture as the stock it mounts to ... {incredulously} This was printed!  It was produced by a nanoforge or nanofax!  But word is that those are always hard-programmed to etch serial numbers in every item produced”.

Creating a rough wire-frame model of the AK, Sprogget goes over the real item visually now, using the vision magnification built into the goggles, turning it to see all sides, and mapping the examined areas to the model.  Examination finished, and confirmed on the model that nothing got missed during the check, he puts it back down softly.

@Scrapheap[Sprogget]: “No serial number.  This was not purchased.  It did not fall off the back of a truck”.

@E:Tribes
September 1, 2072 22:32; Fre∑dom Mall, Loading Bay
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Reviewing the information and logic that lead him to the conclusion, Sprogget searches for an error in the chain.  Finding none he says to no one in particular.
@All[Sprogget]: “Trouble. ... BIG trouble ... Jazz, VR”.

Slumping quickly beside the AK on the floor of the van, he shifts to VR even as he is punching an emergency priority call at Jazz’s comm, overriding every filter he has access to.
@self:Pick it up Jazz, now!

Waiting for the slow AR speed response, to recognize then respond to the call, he opens a new document in the edit program, and starts dumping information into it for a report summary/outline.

@Sprogget[Jazz]: <<This better be important.>>

@Jazz[Sprogget]: <<Very.  I won’t call you grandma anymore if it’s not.  Who is coordinating, working strategy for Fre∑dom?  I have intel they need NOW.>>

Jazz is silent for half a second, but either the promise or Sprogget’s tone gets through.
@Sprogget[Jazz]: <<Nimbus, paired with Cam for you.  He would not take a call from 'Paul' just now.  Patching.>>

@self:Knew it would be Cam, if he could stand, or even sit.

Waiting again Sprogget continues adding points to the report.  By the time Jazz connects back with Nimbus, the point form report is ready.


@Sprogget[Nimbus]: <<{briskly}You have something?>>
@self:Good, does not sound frazzled.  But that tone says if I'm wasting his time, he'll tear a strip.  Then Jazz, then Cam.  Then Spindle.  I better not have misinterpreted this.

@Nimbus[Sprogget]: <<High level interpretation: Someone is hunting TMs again.  Here {attached} is a summary data file that leads me to that.>>

Sprogget considered adding that he expected if that was known, Jazz would have mentioned it when she asked for a sweep, but squelched the urge.  That was not needed here.  The line is silent for about 5 seconds.  Long enough to open the document, skim it, then read the main points.  When he comes back, the voice is sharper, demanding.

@Sprogget[Nimbus]: <<Tech corroboration?>>

@Nimbus[Sprogget]: <<Here {NLJD scan data} {signal scanner non-data} {visual scan data}.>>

A longer silence this time. 

@self:Might as well update the team while waiting.

Using the Jailbreakers direct connections link, Sprogget sends a text message to the team, with the same data attachments.

@Jailbreakers[Sprogget]: <<Reporting to Nimbus as I type.  Someone MAY be hunting TMs again.  See attachments  The only marginally good news, and even that is mixed, is the final conclusion -- Sprogget.>>

After a delay, that seems forever, but is really only a few more seconds, Nimbus responds.

@Sprogget[Nimbus]: <<We’ll check.>>

And he is gone.  Sprogget realizes that Jazz is still on the line.

@self:At least he did not reject it out of hand.

@Jazz[Sprogget]: <<I need to report that direct to Cam as well, though I expect Nimbus will forward it.  Nice hound by the way.>>

Realizing is rambling, he wills himself to shut-up, but just has to add one more comment.

@Jazz[Sprogget]: <<So do I get to call you grandma?>>

@Sprogget[Jazz]: <<I don’t know.>>

And she is gone too.

@self:Right then.  Cam.  Recent, maybe ongoing, attacks against and around the tribe.  I need to tag this call with tribe security codes, showing important info, but not a call for help.  And tag it with “Sprogget” too, since the commlink is going to show “Paul”.

Sprogget threads a simple encrypt complex form from the resonance, and places the call.

@E:Tribes, Scrapheap;
September 1, 2072 22:29; Approx 600m from the Fre∑dom Mall, Puyallup
PAN mode: Hidden | SIN displayed: Eric Jones

Scrapheap stares down the newcomer over the sights of the AK for a few seconds longer, then lowers it. "Hope you got skill with dat piece ta trade, dat's prolly all they'll be lookin' for. But you even twitch wrong on the way back an' I'll splatter ya, scan?" The maimed ork drops off of the car and heads for the van.

September 1, 2072 22:32; Fre∑dom Mall, Loading Bay
PAN mode: Passive | SIN displayed: Eric Jones

Scrapheap listens as the ork tech-head spins out a metric ton of data about the Kalashnikov, most of it going over his head but a surprising (to him) amount actually understandable. The part about not falling off the back of a truck pulls the (functioning) edges of his mouth down into a frown.

"The Drakes ain't got dat kinda pull, no way. Someone's pullin' big strings to hit da Tribes." Seeing that his fellow Tribal is staring off in the direction that Jazz went with a farther-away-than-normal look in his eyes and not paying the slightest attention to him, Scrapheap grabs his new gun and toggles the Contact list up from his commlink until he finds Dumptruck.

@Dumptruck[Scrapheap]: << Skraa, boss. Survived a hit from summa those fuckin' Drakes, got me a new piece. [attachment: image from Srogget] Need a skinlink mod for dis new 'link and a smartlink chip for my goggles. Know anyone over here in Geekland that can help a trog out 'fore I go back out to bust some more heads? >>

Sprogget's update message comes in just after he hits the send key, and it takes only a few seconds for a reply to come back from the troll scavenger.

@Scrapheap[Dumptruck]: << Ain't you tha lucky one. We lost three of da crews to dose fucks. Nice toy, go talk to Servo over dere. He's one of dose hobbs, little greenskin bastard, but he's got some good shit. And put it to good use, da Drakes forgot we was nice in lettin' em walk outta dere alive last time. Not dis time. >>

Scrapheap grabs one of the people running willy nilly, who nearly faints when he gets a view of the ugly ork holding his arm. "Where's Servo at?"

The frightened man pointed towards the central part of the mall. "He's in the old Tech Haven store, please don't hurt me..." Screapheap rolled his eyes at the man, then tromped off to go get his gear upgraded. There was a small crowd clamoring outside his shop, but Scrapheap simply elbowed them aside until he got to the front. A small, sharp-toothed little man with welding-goggles over his eyes looked up (and up) at him, a sneer under his pointed nose.

"I know you orkses don't got manners, but those are my customers, Mechanical."

"Yeah, 'n dey can fuckin' wait. Dumptruck said you got the best gear to help me kill more 'a dem Drakes. If ya don't, fine, keep sellin' shit to tha fucks who won't take da fight to the people hittin' us." A grumble from the people behind him made Scrap turn around and stare the louder of the people down, his eyes daring anyone to step up; no one did. When he turned back Servo was giving him an appraising look.

"You're on the counter-strike teams? Why didn't you say so, then? What you need?"

"Skinlink module for comm, smartlink chip for the goggles, connects to dis." Scrapheap dropped the 'link and the AK on the table.

The hobgoblin muttered under his breath in a language Scrapheap had never heard before as he looked over the items, then up to the goggles on the ork's head. "Done, give me a minute." Servo took the items back into his shop, and emerged a few minutes later holding them. "Ready to go. Good hunting."

Scrap just nodded and headed back to the vehicle bay to meet back up with the rest of the crew.

Virtual Scream; Alex Bianchi
September 2, 2072, 18:55; Café Molise, Downtown
Hermes Ikon: Active | SIN: Alexander Bianchi ( Re 4 - Sig 3 - Fi 5 - Sys 4 - Agent 4 [running Analyze 4] )

Alex pulled the Lexus to the valet station and stepped out, taking the ticket from the young man who was going to park the car. The restaurant's system picked up his ID and brought up a map of the seating, showing him his table was upstairs, and that his two guests were already waiting for him. He flicked through the wine list with his eyes and selected a Chianti Superiore that Ricky liked and added a martini for himself to be sent to the table as he climbed the steps to the front entrance. As he handed his overcoat to the coat check woman he focused his concentration on his Pattern, shifting it just enough to shutter the star of Talent in his core that he felt pulsing along with his heartbeat. The America holstered behind his hip felt heavier than normal as he walked though the restaurant, but he chalked that up to feeling out of place in a restaurant that he came to maybe once every other year.

Ricky nodded at him as he sat down at the table, a small plate of antipasto and bread with oil and vinegar already waiting. The soldato from the phone gave him a flat once-over, then returned to watching the movements of the crowd as if he expected Triad or Yakuza assassins to burst from the kitchen at any second. Which, given his cousin's line of work, Alex couldn't really fault him for. He cleared his throat and dug into his memories for the Italian he spoke far more infrequently than he should.

"Good evening, Richard. How are Kathleen and the boys?" Alex spooned a small amount of the appetizers onto his plate with one hand and slipped the white noise generator from a small sewn-in pocket of his jacket sleeve onto the table behind a candle holder, activating it with a flick of his eyes into the corner of his glasses.

"They're well. Ricky Jr. is smashing records on the links for his school team, and Serena was just elected the president of her class." He paused, then continued when his bodyguard nodded that the generator was working as expected. "This is a touch earlier than you normally change masks, cousin. Is there trouble?"

Alex hesitated as the server brought the wine and his drink to the table and took their food orders. After she left, Alex took a sip from his martini and shook his head minutely. "Nothing that obvious, Ricky. The recent troubles with communication had me in a bad part of town under Jimmy's hood, and I think I'd rather dump it than risk having any connections to it come back to bite me. I don't think they will, but something's telling me to be cautious."

"A whisper in your ghost?" Both Alex and Ricky looked at the soldato blankly, who colored slightly and went back to watching the crowd.

"I see. Well, it's not really my business why you need the change, but Grandmother would flay the skin from my bones if I didn't at least ask, yes?" Ricky chewed contemplatively on a piece of bread slathered in real butter, then tapped twice on the table with his ring finger, and the bodyguard casually slipped a padded envelope from inside his Armani suit jacket and slid it across to Alex. "A new face, as requested. I'm glad you mentioned caution, as the Family is feeling similarly due to the Knights making noise due to their new contract. These are somewhat more robust, which means I must unfortunately insist on passing on the costs. I'm sure you understand."

Alex could almost feel the money sluicing out of his accounts, but he simply nodded. "Of course, cousin. One must always pay for good craftsmanship. Speaking of which, here are our meals." While the three men ate, Alex shunted the funds to the 5 shell accounts that the soldato provided in an unlabeled text message. When dessert came the three enjoyed a tiramisu that was widely regarded as one of the best in the city, after which Ricky and his escort bid Alex goodnight. He twitched a little when the bill came, but paid it anyways. Keep your contacts happy, and they'll keep you alive. An older P.I. had told Alex that when he was being drummed out of the force, and he repeated it to himself like a mantra as he exited the restaurant to pick up his car.

September 2, 2072, 21:48; Alex's Everett apartment
Hermes Ikon: Hidden | SIN: Alexander Bianchi ( Re 4 - Sig 3 - Fi 5 - Sys 4 - Agent 4 [running Analyze 4] )

Alex hummed along with an aria of his favorite opera, Turnadot, as he finished arranging his preferred set-up on his false 'link, checking to make sure that the Manhunter sitting on the table next to it registered the correct identification. "Jonathon Gozzi", deep cover indeed. Still, when you couldn't make them yourself, you were at the mercy of those that could. He still hadn't heard from Steven yet, which was a touch odd for the reporter. He opened a message window and fired off a quick message.

@Steven Dark[Alex Bianchi]: << Haven't heard from you from yesterday, you get the message I dropped you? Let me know, yeah? >>

His stomach full of delicious dinner and his mind burdened by the events of the last two days, Alex decided to call it a night.

@E:Tribes
August 22, 2072 18:41; Mechanicals Complex, Sprogget’s Shop
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Stealth(3), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Hugo Wright (R4)

Having put the final touches to a new steampunk piece, a simple monocle with a frame containing a set of interlocking gears of various sizes, Sprogget examines it critically.  Several of the gears move in response to changes in the very real settings of the device.  An ARO overlay enhances the effect, making the fixed gears appear to turn as well, and ejecting small puffs of AR steam when a couple of the bigger gears stop and reverse direction.

Putting the monocle through its paces, shifting between settings in both typical and unusual patterns, he watches the real and AR results, as well as the data output from the Monocle.  He can 'feel' the node and data for the electronic part of the monocle in his mind.  This sort of detailed testing is second nature, and nearly automatic.  The initial design, and simulations of them, were checked and verified before the first gear was mounted.  The changes were completely integrated with the built in diagnostics, which have all passed.  No errors or glitches detected.  This is just the final hands on checking to satisfy himself that no problems snuck in.

Doing the work almost on autopilot, he starts thinking about the interaction of the node with the wider matrix, which leads to the matrix, and the resonance that he uses to access and manipulate it.  Thinking back over how he has been progressing with his TM abilities, Sprogget is somewhat dissatisfied.
@self:I have been slowly adding to|improving|tuning the complex forms I typically work with, and I am getting better working with the somewhat smart tools|sprites|assistants I can mold from the resonance, but there should be more|better|different.  I see hints on the message boards that there are other ways to use resonance, and get more out of it, or use it more efficiently. I need to learn more.

Finishing the manual testing, he puts the monocle in a box containing other work, some steampunked, some not, to be taken to the Mall.
@self:I wonder who will be interested in that piece?  It has good technical capabilities and the punking is first rate!  It works|responds fine for me, but others just do not seem to get how to use the gear.  It’s so obvious.  Why don’t they see that?

Anyway, some like the look, even if they find it awkward|clumsy|slow to use the gear.  I might get a good profit off of that.  Or I might end up with it back, and it will go in the Gallery for a while.

@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“Dae, you see any reason why others have trouble using the gear I enhance|create”?

Sprogget can feel Daedalus shift its attention to him, then back to the Monocle he was working with.  There is a feeling of momentary intense focus, first on the device itself, then on the plans used to create it, and finally on Sprogget’s memory and feeling of working with the Monocle after it was complete.  Then the focus vanishes, leaving a bare thread as Dae attention goes .. inward? ..  Then Dae comes back.

@Sprogget[Daedalus]:“This device, like most others you have done, is fully functional.  The cosmetic|steampunk alterations|additions| you have made do not impair its performance in any way.  It responds quickly|cleanly|smoothly to your request|orders|manipulation, and the changes flow smoothly from one to the next.  There is no need for or use of resonance in the device or interface.  The problem|issue must be with the others using the devices.  They simply do not think the same way you do”.

@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“So there is nothing that can be done to make things more useful for others?”.

@Sprogget[Daedalus]:“Not unless you learn to think the way others do.  I do not recommend the attempt.  If successful, it would also likely affect, not in a good way, your ability to work with the technology.  That difference is part of why devices respond so easily|well when you want to manipulate them”.

Shudder
@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“Right.  Don’t want THAT.  Others will have to make do with what they can understand then”.

@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“I do want to get better with the tech and resonance though.  How to I go about doing that”?

The feeling of being the subject of intense focus returns, but with a subtle difference.  Previously the target was quite narrow.  This time, the target is much more diffuse.  No, that’s not it, this also has sharp focus.  But ... it seems to assess something that is outside of .. sideways from .. what Sprogget knows, although the focus is definitely very much on him.  Something that Sprogget can almost, but not quite define.  The focus snaps off again.

@Sprogget[Daedalus]:“You are not ready yet”.

@E:Tribes
August 22, 2072 18:41; Mechanicals Complex, Sprogget’s Shop
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Stealth(3), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Hugo Wright (R4)

Feeling a bit disoriented from trying to follow where that focus had been aimed, Sprogget is a bit slow replying.
@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“Not ready?  When will I be ready?  What do I need to do to get ready”?

@Sprogget[Daedalus]:“You will be ready, when you are ready.  Soon, I think though.  You need to harmonize yourself more with the nature of resonance, and its interaction with the matrix”.

@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“Soon?  Soon enough that preparations could be started?  Are there things I could do, or at least start, now that would either make that learning easier, or just reduce the delays, when I am ready”?

This time the focus really is diffuse, seeming to assess him in toto as he exists now.  The focus is not going where Sprogget can not grasp it, although he does not really know what the goal is.

@Sprogget[Daedalus]:“You are impatient, but have sufficient commitment.  Yes there are things that could be done now that will easy the acclimatization when the time comes.  These are not necessary, and could be delayed until you are ready.  However your impatience would impel you to haste, once you know you are ready for the next step.  Having the support available ahead of time harms nothing, and the effort of arranging for it could also lead you closer to being ready.

As an aid in evolving your connection with the resonance, having a supporting group available is helpful.  This network can be an adhoc party {resonance parties}, or a more structured and stable guild {resonance guild}.  A bit of searching through matrix forum|meeting|gathering places can lead to places|nodes|news to monitor for details about upcoming resonance parties.  Since the party goers are not limited by physical location, they can be organized and held anywhere in the matrix.  These are probably the easiest groups to locate.  Guilds are more structured groups, with more regular members.  Each group can have varying initial and ongoing membership requirements.  Locating a guild that is congruent with your abilities and interests could tax your patience ”.

With his Mechanicals urban tribe history, Sprogget is more keen on a stable and known group, than a group of random strangers.
@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“Well this is preparation ahead of time, and some of those same forums should have hints about locating the more stable groups as well.  Even if they do not advertise for fear of bringing undesired attention from corp experimenters”.
@self:Like happened to Fre∑dom.
@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“If I can not find anything suitable in time, the parties will still be available”.

@self:Fre∑dom .. They have TM members.  That is why they were being hunted.  I wonder ...

I need to talk to Jazz, maybe Prospero, maybe the members directly.  Start with Jazz

The tone of the thought is more approving than usual.

@Sprogget[Daedalus]:“That would be effort well spent.  A guild could have some additional benefits later on.  If you locate a party before you are ready yourself, it would not hurt to participate, in a supporting roll, to aid others advance.  It will not be the same.  Nothing external can really prepare you for the reality of merging yourself with the resonance, but observing the effects on someone else could at least give you a hint of just how large the change is going to be.

In addition to a having a support network, there are variety of preparation tasks that are possible.  Your skills and interests do not lend themselves to a {Great Hack}.  A {Realm Search} is not practical with your current abilities.  You are too resolute in improving and maintaining both your matrix and meat abilities at their peak to consider {persona Evisceration}”.

@self:Deliberate virtual damage that affects the meat?  NOT LIKELY.

@Sprogget[Daedalus]:“You do not yet have the patience for the longer term work needed to create a {Source Code master piece}.  Perhaps later.  I would be interested to see how your steampunk artisan skills mix with what you have learned about the interaction between resonance, matrix, the drones you inhabit, and what I have taught you.

That leaves {Reassembling} from the known tasks that could help.  You need to locate a free sprite that is ready to grow|mature|advance, and assist it in the process.  That will require a registered sprite.  Depending on what the Free sprite is currently interested in {free sprite recoding options}, that could be any registered sprite, any with a skill or complex form the sprite wants, any at least as strong as the sprite is currently, or one with a skill or CF the sprite wants to improve at up to 2 or 3 times the rate the sprite could improve it.  It will depend on the sprite, and maybe on what you can talk it into”.

@Daedalus[Sprogget]:“So locate parties, guilds, and free sprites.  And make friends”.

@Sprogget[Daedalus]:“Correct.  And continue to learn more about the resonance through personal study|use|practice”.

@E:Tribes
August 22, 2072 18:47; Mechanicals Complex, Sprogget’s Shop
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Stealth(3), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Hugo Wright (R4)

Sprogget’s fills in a mental check list of things to do, with more items and details to be added as he learns more, and makes progress.
@self:Submersion prep; Things to do:

• Monitor forums for references to resonance parties or guilds
• Ask around about additional forums
• Ask around about where to search|hunt for Free Sprites
• Talk to Fre∑dom about resonance networks and Free Sprites

Start with Fre∑dom.  Let’s see Try Jazz first I guess.  Attitude or no, she is likely to know who else to talk to.

Picking the commcode from his address book, and initiating the call, he gets.

@Caller[Jazz]:<<Sorry and all that.  I’m discomm atm.  Leave a message or try later>>.

@self:Frak, I don’t feel like doing the careful|polite message right now!

Disconnecting, he considers,
@self:Who else to try?  That will take a call from a Mechanical, and should know enough to point to the right place?  Maybe Tweak?  Pretty young|juvenile for a breeder.  I don’t know him that well, but he seems to be nosy|inquisitive|curious, and probably knows about most of the people|activities going on at the mall|with the tribe.  Probably more than he is supposed to know.

That commcode, Sprogget does not have on is own list, but it only takes half a minute to look it up in the “Friends Of” database on the tribal server.
@self:Tweak, no other name shown, but there is a commcode.  Alright, let’s see if he is home.
The call goes through almost immediately, and Sprogget can hear him still talking excitedly to someone else.

@Sprogget[Tweak]:<<I told you, jump right, or that trap will squish you flat.  Hello.>>

@self:Must be a game in progress, though sounds like someone just got flattened.

@Tweak[Sprogget]: <<Hello Tweak.  Sprogget from Mechanicals here.  Wonder if you could do me a favor?  I’m looking for who best to talk to at Freedom about learning more about Technomancer things.  I don’t know everybody over there yet, but figured you probably know the best place to start.>>
Sprogget hears a muffled exclamation, then the background sounds cut off.

@Sprogget[Tweak]:<<Ah, learning about Technomancer things?>>

@self:He can’t decide whether to be pleased to be asked, or nervous cause he is not sure how much to say.
@Tweak[Sprogget]: <<Right.  If you did not already know, I’m a TM myself though I work more with drones and tech than straight matrix stuff.  I’d just as soon that info did not get outside the tribes,>>
@self:But you already knew that last part.
@Tweak[Sprogget]: <<and I’m looking to talk to others.  Not a lot of other TMs here.>>
There is silence on the line, but Sprogget patiently waits for Tweak to decide how to handle this.  He seems to decide that he does not want to be directly involved in tribe business.

@Sprogget[Tweak]:<<I seen some of your stuff, but can’t go passing friends contact info around, even to Mechanicals.>>

@Tweak[Sprogget]: <<Wouldn’t want you too.  But you do know who I should talk to?  You can pass on that I’m looking?  This commcode is good, and I expect I’m in your database.>>

@Sprogget[Tweak]:<<Yeah, I can do that.>>

@Tweak[Sprogget]: <<Much appreciated.  Now go show them how to avoid that trap.  See you around.>>

@E:Tribes, Crow;


The words ring true for Crow, he nods a confident acknowledgement to the other of his 'kin' sizing him up, simultaneously slinging the weapon to his side
Walking to the transport, although it's not far to their destination, he is loathe to abandon his first contact
and then risk having to making another impression on the owners or operators of Fre∑dom Mall, especially at a time of obvious conflict. Strangers usually gettign the cold treatment.

"Survived this long alone, to know I got your back! Name's Crow by the way, They got some good grub up there?" he enquires indicating the mall with another nod of his head.

But the other Ork is already walking away and doesn't hear the question, obviously satisfied in his appraisal that regardless of outcomes, he can handle the newcomer.

"Looks like you're off the menu Jack, ya lucky bird! .. real food for us tonight" He chuckles under his breath, trying to make light of the situation
despite his fears that after all his time alone, he is now reliant on 'people' and in turn, they will be reliant on him.

September 1, 2072 22:32; Fre∑dom Mall, Loading Bay

The amalgam of sounds and smells and the volume of activity in the mall takes Crow aback at first
"Too long away Jack, too long!" the shadow of the bird perched atop a rusting but obviously well used and maintained loading crane assembly Cawws back at him in response "Yeah, just keep your beak clean while we look around, you'd look stupid if it got chopped off!"
Trying, now to remember not to vocalise with the spirit in the presence of others he wanders after his newfound associates into the mall proper, looking for supplies and ammunition, listening to the interactions as they occur, one question arises and he speaks outloud
"The Drakes, I don't recall them being so organised nor equipped, not even so motivated ... what's gotten them so riled up to attack directly ?"

@E:PL/Chi Town
[July 9th, 2072, 00:26; Ghoul central, CZ, Chicago]
SIN: Spencer Lovett, PAN: Hidden

Blue. Just like his. Mordred barely stops himself from recoiling as the man's corpse hits the ground. He hadn't done that since he was a teenager. He fights on. The hesitation might have cost him valuable time. And the carnage was somehow preferable to considering his victim's reasons for being part of the mob. Nonetheless, in between cleaving swings of his limbs and pulled triggers, a few grim thoughts form.

That this man who had eyes like his descended into savagery and cannibalism, somehow managing to blend in with the ghouls in the process. That a wendigo was somehow involved. Depressingly, the "best" possibility was of the man being simply a resident of the city who saw an opportunity. Mordred catches a glimpse of the other runner. Change of plans, then. If the adept didn't make sure he survived trying to save his friend, they'd be down to just him and Gemeaux. Mordred's elbow collides with a ghoul's (or was it another human's?) temple as he moves to help the runner.