Through all the discussions, Emilio has been cleaning the injured and the area around them. A moderate scent of disinfectant hangs in the air around SG and Zero.
"Now that things seem moderately stable, I am going to start reviving SG and Zero. Q, did you want to lay down over here?"
Full Version: IC: Daughter of Deep Silence
The Office
Widget pauses and her eye's take on an unfocused look briefly before she drags herself to clear spot on the floor and lays out on her back. The tension flows from her limbs leaving her looking wrung out and limp. She turns her head slightly as Emilio begins to pull out the medkit and smiles feebly.
"Any chance I can get some nanite love after you're done with them?"
The small house drone's speaker's tiny sound tries to cover the room.
"Boy you are on me today. Push come to shove then my to-do list starts with getting Miss Shot and Napping on the Floor to safety first. I would try to help those around her but if helping you means not getting her safe then sorry but better luck next time for you."
Rikik
A small ball of swirling code and pulsing numerals appears in the AR space around you - you can sense its eagerness to share with you and see an icon pop up with a request to transfer a file.
Widget pauses and her eye's take on an unfocused look briefly before she drags herself to clear spot on the floor and lays out on her back. The tension flows from her limbs leaving her looking wrung out and limp. She turns her head slightly as Emilio begins to pull out the medkit and smiles feebly.
"Any chance I can get some nanite love after you're done with them?"
The small house drone's speaker's tiny sound tries to cover the room.
"Boy you are on me today. Push come to shove then my to-do list starts with getting Miss Shot and Napping on the Floor to safety first. I would try to help those around her but if helping you means not getting her safe then sorry but better luck next time for you."
Rikik
A small ball of swirling code and pulsing numerals appears in the AR space around you - you can sense its eagerness to share with you and see an icon pop up with a request to transfer a file.
Q watches the elf intently as he leaves and then listens to Rikk and Widget quietly, noting their informal friendliness.
"Yea, ok..." Q says to Emilio. There's a bit of unusual drag in his voice as if he's quite tired. "Let's do it outside though. I feel the need for some peaceful scenery after our unpleasant visitor." To Widget, "Thank you very much for sending Rikk to help retrive our kiester's. I hope that SG and I will be able to return the favor." Turning to drone, "Thank you for aiding us with your knowledge Beneficent Bunny. I hope that you'll pardon me while I get some fresh air and calm my nerves." Q gives a polite bow before turning to exit and head out into the house's nice but modest garden.
<<Rikk[Q]: Please ask Fuzbunbun which of the two unconscious guys is the "her" that the polite bunny refers to. And when I get back, if you'd like, I'll help you search for any surprises our friend "Not Zero" might have left. And I'll help Fat Man do the same in the astral.>>
"Yea, ok..." Q says to Emilio. There's a bit of unusual drag in his voice as if he's quite tired. "Let's do it outside though. I feel the need for some peaceful scenery after our unpleasant visitor." To Widget, "Thank you very much for sending Rikk to help retrive our kiester's. I hope that SG and I will be able to return the favor." Turning to drone, "Thank you for aiding us with your knowledge Beneficent Bunny. I hope that you'll pardon me while I get some fresh air and calm my nerves." Q gives a polite bow before turning to exit and head out into the house's nice but modest garden.
<<Rikk[Q]: Please ask Fuzbunbun which of the two unconscious guys is the "her" that the polite bunny refers to. And when I get back, if you'd like, I'll help you search for any surprises our friend "Not Zero" might have left. And I'll help Fat Man do the same in the astral.>>
<<Q[Rikik]:I think she means Widget, the one who seemed to know her and is all feminine and bleeding on the floor.>>
"Uh, ok. Why the frak would you want me to heal you outside? I've been quite the Red-Samurai to the buggies and such in here, and so there's slightly more of a chance you'd have a complication outside. If you really want it, I'll see you after I hit these three."
Emilio's hand waves between SG, Zero, and Widget as the finishes talking.
He then starts working on SG.
EDIT: tweaked name of domineering bug killer
Emilio's hand waves between SG, Zero, and Widget as the finishes talking.
He then starts working on SG.
EDIT: tweaked name of domineering bug killer
Emilio works on SG, Zero, and Widget in turn. It takes him a moment to get to working well with the sprite, but he does. In a few minutes, he is able to make SG look much better than death warmed over, and he revives Zero and makes him ok.
Widget's bruises look better quite quickly, though he doesn't get them all.
Once all that is done, he heads outside and starts working on Q. After a while, Q looks much better as well.
Widget's bruises look better quite quickly, though he doesn't get them all.
Once all that is done, he heads outside and starts working on Q. After a while, Q looks much better as well.
Taking a minute to look at the team, their well-muscled medic moving through with clinical detachment as he sutures ripped flesh and sprays chemicals on burns, Rikik's eyes stop on Widget. She'd gotten him into this mess. She'd been shot and beaten trying to leave town. And, ultimately, she was honest and told him that she knew he should hang up and run, but asked for his help anyways.
He'd already cashed the check too.
One of these days, he'd have to learn to ask a few more questions rather than accept the first hand up that he was offered. Sometimes the hand had claws, and they dug deeper than just money until your life was almost owned by the other person to use as they saw fit.
Rikik took a deep breath and let it out. He opened the swirling icon of data.
He'd already cashed the check too.
One of these days, he'd have to learn to ask a few more questions rather than accept the first hand up that he was offered. Sometimes the hand had claws, and they dug deeper than just money until your life was almost owned by the other person to use as they saw fit.
Rikik took a deep breath and let it out. He opened the swirling icon of data.
As Eklipse watches Fat Man's strange ritual, the nuyen finally drops.
No wonder the elf was able to get the drop on me. Something or more likely someone is screwing with my chi.
He backs casually away from Rikik, feeling his senses sharpen and his mood improve.
Scheisser, he is some sort of localized background count. That will be a problem, and not just for me, if Widget wants to keep him around.
He moves to the door.
"I vill be outside. I am needing some fresh air to clear my head. Unless you are needing my assistance with ze injured, Herr Emilio?"
He takes Emilio's silence as a 'no' and slips out into the cool night air, feeling his abilities fully return as he moves out of Rikik's area of influence. He finds a quiet spot and closing his eyes, opens up his senses to his surroundings.
Meine Liebe, I thought I was going to join you tonight. Now I must continue my search to find out what fate befell you.
No wonder the elf was able to get the drop on me. Something or more likely someone is screwing with my chi.
He backs casually away from Rikik, feeling his senses sharpen and his mood improve.
Scheisser, he is some sort of localized background count. That will be a problem, and not just for me, if Widget wants to keep him around.
He moves to the door.
"I vill be outside. I am needing some fresh air to clear my head. Unless you are needing my assistance with ze injured, Herr Emilio?"
He takes Emilio's silence as a 'no' and slips out into the cool night air, feeling his abilities fully return as he moves out of Rikik's area of influence. He finds a quiet spot and closing his eyes, opens up his senses to his surroundings.
Meine Liebe, I thought I was going to join you tonight. Now I must continue my search to find out what fate befell you.
Emilio comes back inside after finishing with Q, and walks over to Fat Man.
"Fat Man, thank you for the spell. I was much more effective at First Aid than normal. And the assistant helped too. It is now time for what magical healing you can offer. After your magics, would you be able to re-cast the spell on me? I want to prepare their wounds for long-term healing, and the spell and the assistant will greatly help me."
"Fat Man, thank you for the spell. I was much more effective at First Aid than normal. And the assistant helped too. It is now time for what magical healing you can offer. After your magics, would you be able to re-cast the spell on me? I want to prepare their wounds for long-term healing, and the spell and the assistant will greatly help me."
"I'm going to see what I can piece together with all of this info--the who's and the when's so you can get in front of it or stay clear as you choose. Keep an eye open."
Rikik folds his jacket up and moves a pillow over so he can lean against the wall near Widget. Unclipping the holster, he sets his pistol within arms reach of the both of them. Leaning forward, he whispers to her.
"Safety is on, but its there if you need it."
Then, he leans back and slips into the flowing tide of VR. With the data laid out in front of him, small stones causing ripples and changes, he lets his mind wander and tries to find the common thread.
Rikik folds his jacket up and moves a pillow over so he can lean against the wall near Widget. Unclipping the holster, he sets his pistol within arms reach of the both of them. Leaning forward, he whispers to her.
"Safety is on, but its there if you need it."
Then, he leans back and slips into the flowing tide of VR. With the data laid out in front of him, small stones causing ripples and changes, he lets his mind wander and tries to find the common thread.
Rikik
You settle into the pull and rhythm of the matrix, feeling it flow around you and through you. Holding the data in your mind, a small bundle of code and icons, you release it into the stream and watch as it drifts apart. You feel your consciousness begin to diffuse as it stays to connected to each stream of code and flow out into the matrix. Each bit begins to fragment and make connections and you sense rather than see a vast network begin to form with each bit of code a seed germinating its own cluster of interconnecting points. You feel yourself growing more and more distant as the flow expands in every widening growths. You feel the structure reach its full size and draw your attention to the points with the most overlapping flows of resonance.
The first one brings you to a small herbalist shop - the floating symbols in Chinese cycle into English as The Bodhi Tree. The node is well kept but dated - you think it was probably current about 15-20 years ago. You access the public information and see its location in the International District here in Seattle. It boasts fresh herbal remedies and reagents along with teas and imported goods from China.
The next leads you to memorial page with list of Korean names on it. Accessing several of the links you quickly realize its a private site run to remember those killed during the purge of the Shotozumi-rengo in the early Forties. This was a graduate project of a young woman named Choon-Hee Gu who was studying the impact of Korean culture and communities in the Seattle region during this time period. You find several links that seem to be no longer supported and checking the forum discover she had to trim back the site due to costs and has moved most of the data off-line. Scanning it over something seems off to you about the idea of her being unable to afford to keep the site complete and up. Even back then data storage was cheap and free available.
The last cluster is almost ubiquitous business site for a small publishing company the name of the Brightman Group. Everything on the node is generic and put together like a seamless example of a component built interface. You see no individual style or signature anywhere in its structure. They just dropped their information into blank fields and launched the site. You can feel the subtle pulse and ebb of caution and danger flow through you as you examine it. It is almost too perfect in its caricature of a mass produced and meaningless node.
With the last nexus you feel the snap of all the data flowing back to you and the once great tree dissolves to only leave behind the three sites of intersection in your memory.
You settle into the pull and rhythm of the matrix, feeling it flow around you and through you. Holding the data in your mind, a small bundle of code and icons, you release it into the stream and watch as it drifts apart. You feel your consciousness begin to diffuse as it stays to connected to each stream of code and flow out into the matrix. Each bit begins to fragment and make connections and you sense rather than see a vast network begin to form with each bit of code a seed germinating its own cluster of interconnecting points. You feel yourself growing more and more distant as the flow expands in every widening growths. You feel the structure reach its full size and draw your attention to the points with the most overlapping flows of resonance.
The first one brings you to a small herbalist shop - the floating symbols in Chinese cycle into English as The Bodhi Tree. The node is well kept but dated - you think it was probably current about 15-20 years ago. You access the public information and see its location in the International District here in Seattle. It boasts fresh herbal remedies and reagents along with teas and imported goods from China.
The next leads you to memorial page with list of Korean names on it. Accessing several of the links you quickly realize its a private site run to remember those killed during the purge of the Shotozumi-rengo in the early Forties. This was a graduate project of a young woman named Choon-Hee Gu who was studying the impact of Korean culture and communities in the Seattle region during this time period. You find several links that seem to be no longer supported and checking the forum discover she had to trim back the site due to costs and has moved most of the data off-line. Scanning it over something seems off to you about the idea of her being unable to afford to keep the site complete and up. Even back then data storage was cheap and free available.
The last cluster is almost ubiquitous business site for a small publishing company the name of the Brightman Group. Everything on the node is generic and put together like a seamless example of a component built interface. You see no individual style or signature anywhere in its structure. They just dropped their information into blank fields and launched the site. You can feel the subtle pulse and ebb of caution and danger flow through you as you examine it. It is almost too perfect in its caricature of a mass produced and meaningless node.
With the last nexus you feel the snap of all the data flowing back to you and the once great tree dissolves to only leave behind the three sites of intersection in your memory.
<<Widget, Fuzbun[Rikik]: Up for some talking about the data? I also need to put together what the team has been doing and for whom if you can share any of that. It looks like this whole mess goes back to before you and I were born.>>
He puts together the packet with the three sites and his feelings about each. The data packet flows out in a closed circuit to Fuzbun and Widget.
He puts together the packet with the three sites and his feelings about each. The data packet flows out in a closed circuit to Fuzbun and Widget.
Fat Man
"You're welcome, Emilio. Let me see what I can do magically.
Fat Man easily heals the last scrapes and bruises of Widget, and fixes Zero up slightly more, but frowns as he examines the seriousness of Strangeglove's wounds and the troll's extensive implants. He repairs the flow of Strangeglove's chi as best he can, but the strain of forcing energy through a channel it doesn't naturally go leaves Fat Man dizzy and lightheaded.
"He should be up in an hour or so. I'm going to sit down now."
"You're welcome, Emilio. Let me see what I can do magically.
Fat Man easily heals the last scrapes and bruises of Widget, and fixes Zero up slightly more, but frowns as he examines the seriousness of Strangeglove's wounds and the troll's extensive implants. He repairs the flow of Strangeglove's chi as best he can, but the strain of forcing energy through a channel it doesn't naturally go leaves Fat Man dizzy and lightheaded.
"He should be up in an hour or so. I'm going to sit down now."
Seeing some of the team stirring from their naps or restless sleep, Rikik sends out the packet to the others as he continues his conversation with his friend and her guardian bunny.
Fat Man
That sounds similar to the business James runs - maybe he knows about the Bodhi Tree?
<@James[Fat Man]: Do you know much about a place called the Bodhi Tree? I think they are in a similar line of business to you.>
That sounds similar to the business James runs - maybe he knows about the Bodhi Tree?
<@James[Fat Man]: Do you know much about a place called the Bodhi Tree? I think they are in a similar line of business to you.>
Zero sleeps peacefully, his wounds slowly healing. Beneath the veil of the Physical Realm, his aura is a violent cacophony of color. Wicked, green thorns of fear, anger, rage, and agony sprout from his usually placid astral form of white and gold. The thorns form gashes in the form, causing deep crimson stains to blot against the white. When Fat Man relieves the Astral Realm of the emotional wound Rikik's aura inflicts, the thorns subside.
A faint orb hangs near Zero in the Astral. It is a perfect sphere of white light. Each time one of the wicked thorns springs from Zero, it shines a ray of brilliant golden light upon it. Within seconds of being enveloped in the golden light, the thorns shrivel and dissipate to nothing more than ash and dust. Although the orb's presence helps dispatch the thorns, it is only moments later until a new tendril springs from Zero's Astral flesh to struggle against the light once more...
A faint orb hangs near Zero in the Astral. It is a perfect sphere of white light. Each time one of the wicked thorns springs from Zero, it shines a ray of brilliant golden light upon it. Within seconds of being enveloped in the golden light, the thorns shrivel and dissipate to nothing more than ash and dust. Although the orb's presence helps dispatch the thorns, it is only moments later until a new tendril springs from Zero's Astral flesh to struggle against the light once more...
Emilio makes sure the encryption's on in his commlink, then he contacts Vinny:
<<Vinny[Emilio]: Vinny, you asked when I could complete our business transaction. I find myself with sufficient funds, and look forward to completing it. How best should I arrange payment?>>
<<Team[Emilio]: Could we buy the wrecked cars and fix them? Do we know any mages who fix wrecks? I am ok as a mechanic, but I think that's beyond me.>>
<<Team[Emilio]: What all do we need to do to clean systems up after the mess? I have a "chemistry" shop under a fake ID that wasn't in Cypher's data burst. If it's safe (big IF), I can make us some parting gifts for, well, someone. I also will need to make rent payments at some point too...>>
<<Aideen[Emilio]: Howdy! I need to do some shopping, and I thought of you. I need a new comm link w/ OS, and am looking to sell my old one. I also am looking for some new armor. Here are the specs [attached file]. Do you think you could fix me up?>>
<<Vinny[Emilio]: Vinny, you asked when I could complete our business transaction. I find myself with sufficient funds, and look forward to completing it. How best should I arrange payment?>>
<<Team[Emilio]: Could we buy the wrecked cars and fix them? Do we know any mages who fix wrecks? I am ok as a mechanic, but I think that's beyond me.>>
<<Team[Emilio]: What all do we need to do to clean systems up after the mess? I have a "chemistry" shop under a fake ID that wasn't in Cypher's data burst. If it's safe (big IF), I can make us some parting gifts for, well, someone. I also will need to make rent payments at some point too...>>
<<Aideen[Emilio]: Howdy! I need to do some shopping, and I thought of you. I need a new comm link w/ OS, and am looking to sell my old one. I also am looking for some new armor. Here are the specs [attached file]. Do you think you could fix me up?>>
<<Rikik[Emilio]: When you get a chance, how hard would it be for you to find bullet and/or grenade plans? I lost all mine (and notes) to a virus a few weeks ago, and need new ones. I even had sweet plans for APDS and for flash-bangs which I'd tried once. The friend I got them through has "left Seattle" since then, so I am kinda stuck. I know my wish list is too long to get all at once, so anything you can help me with is great. Thanks!>>
When Zero is finally healed, he opens his eyes. He immediately erupts in a coughing fit, sitting up straight and hacking up black phlegm and saliva.
"What...where am I?" he says between coughs, using his native tongue. He looks about, his wide green eyes filled with confusion.
My friend, clear your lungs and then follow me. We have much to talk about, and I am afraid of what the past few events might have done to harm your spirit.
Of course, Follower. Please, lead the way.
Zero wheezes a few more times, struggling to breathe. He then lets himself collapse back down. He closes his eyes, and his astral form slips from his body, and he follows his mentor out of the room and into the sky.
Now that the body has healed, it is time to tend to your spirit...
"What...where am I?" he says between coughs, using his native tongue. He looks about, his wide green eyes filled with confusion.
My friend, clear your lungs and then follow me. We have much to talk about, and I am afraid of what the past few events might have done to harm your spirit.
Of course, Follower. Please, lead the way.
Zero wheezes a few more times, struggling to breathe. He then lets himself collapse back down. He closes his eyes, and his astral form slips from his body, and he follows his mentor out of the room and into the sky.
Now that the body has healed, it is time to tend to your spirit...
Rikik
You share the information and both seem to know very little about the information. Widget knows the area - the International District - but only by reputation. It houses a large temple there that does a lot of outreach to the local community and is rumored to be funded in part at least by shadow runners. The AI bunny comments that the its bullshit about the site being too expensive to host and suspects she uncovered some sort of deep dark nasty and it shut her down.
Widget says as to their employer - she looked for a bit but was having to go through shell after shell that she felt it was better to respect the obvious bid for privacy and left off. She doesn't think their employer is the matrix savvy one - her communications just don't have the flair she associates with those who live and breath in the Resonance. They seem stilted and formal which says to her someone who uses and respects the medium but not really comfortable with it like her or you. Fuzbunbun will add that it looked deeper and found it all lead to a hosting service connected to Rings that provides routing and communication services for the criminally inclined. Since that wasn't something that was directly dangerous she kept it to herself.
During the conversation you see shock and amazement on Widget's features at how much the AI was monitoring her and her activities. You get the impression from Fuzbunbun that with everything being kicked up to this level of threat and death, it has given up pretense of being an acquaintance and oddity that comes and goes from her life.
Fat Man
<< @Fat Man[James]: I know the place. It's small time and focuses mostly on the herbal medicine side of things. It's run by an old Korean man I think. It's nearly gone out of business several times I think but still seems to hanging on. I made offers to buy their stock each time - they seem to have a solid pipeline for fresh herbs from China. Good enough to be used for reagents but each time they have politely refused. Please tell me you're not causing them any trouble? >>
Emilio
As you sit keeping an eye over your charges, you see a reply come back from Vinny.
<< @Emilio[Vinny]: I'm always happy to take my money back with interest from people. You can wire the money to the following account (flashing icon) or feel free to drop by my offices. Give it to me or one of my boys and we will consider the loan done. >>
As you look over the message you see a flashing icon indicating an incoming call - taking a quick glance at the ID you see its Aideen. You click it and watch an AR window springs up in the air in front of you showing her in her usual casual dress in her dome at the community. Her voice sounds annoyed and at her limit - like a woman pushed to the edge by a man she doesn't understand.
"What the hell is going on? I had a date with John Wayne but he cancelled last minute because of car trouble? He's not answering any of my calls? Are we over now?"
You see a layer of code spring up and an icon asking for an encrypted line - accepting it you see it do a quick scan of the line and your end - flashing green indicating the line is as secure as you can get in a world where people can think at machines. She nods a second after and drops the act.
"Thanks for accepting. When I spoke to him last it sounded like the shit was hitting the fan and then being spread every which way. I can get the armor no problem - give me 4 or 5 days - but I really want to know how he is and what's going on? I looked over the site and it looked like a a bad rerun of Urban Warriors complete with a funeral pyre composed of several cars."
Her voice is sincere and full of concern as she asks her questions.
You share the information and both seem to know very little about the information. Widget knows the area - the International District - but only by reputation. It houses a large temple there that does a lot of outreach to the local community and is rumored to be funded in part at least by shadow runners. The AI bunny comments that the its bullshit about the site being too expensive to host and suspects she uncovered some sort of deep dark nasty and it shut her down.
Widget says as to their employer - she looked for a bit but was having to go through shell after shell that she felt it was better to respect the obvious bid for privacy and left off. She doesn't think their employer is the matrix savvy one - her communications just don't have the flair she associates with those who live and breath in the Resonance. They seem stilted and formal which says to her someone who uses and respects the medium but not really comfortable with it like her or you. Fuzbunbun will add that it looked deeper and found it all lead to a hosting service connected to Rings that provides routing and communication services for the criminally inclined. Since that wasn't something that was directly dangerous she kept it to herself.
During the conversation you see shock and amazement on Widget's features at how much the AI was monitoring her and her activities. You get the impression from Fuzbunbun that with everything being kicked up to this level of threat and death, it has given up pretense of being an acquaintance and oddity that comes and goes from her life.
Fat Man
<< @Fat Man[James]: I know the place. It's small time and focuses mostly on the herbal medicine side of things. It's run by an old Korean man I think. It's nearly gone out of business several times I think but still seems to hanging on. I made offers to buy their stock each time - they seem to have a solid pipeline for fresh herbs from China. Good enough to be used for reagents but each time they have politely refused. Please tell me you're not causing them any trouble? >>
Emilio
As you sit keeping an eye over your charges, you see a reply come back from Vinny.
<< @Emilio[Vinny]: I'm always happy to take my money back with interest from people. You can wire the money to the following account (flashing icon) or feel free to drop by my offices. Give it to me or one of my boys and we will consider the loan done. >>
As you look over the message you see a flashing icon indicating an incoming call - taking a quick glance at the ID you see its Aideen. You click it and watch an AR window springs up in the air in front of you showing her in her usual casual dress in her dome at the community. Her voice sounds annoyed and at her limit - like a woman pushed to the edge by a man she doesn't understand.
"What the hell is going on? I had a date with John Wayne but he cancelled last minute because of car trouble? He's not answering any of my calls? Are we over now?"
You see a layer of code spring up and an icon asking for an encrypted line - accepting it you see it do a quick scan of the line and your end - flashing green indicating the line is as secure as you can get in a world where people can think at machines. She nods a second after and drops the act.
"Thanks for accepting. When I spoke to him last it sounded like the shit was hitting the fan and then being spread every which way. I can get the armor no problem - give me 4 or 5 days - but I really want to know how he is and what's going on? I looked over the site and it looked like a a bad rerun of Urban Warriors complete with a funeral pyre composed of several cars."
Her voice is sincere and full of concern as she asks her questions.
Q
You head out into the world feeling relatively secure with your altered appearance and begin to make the rounds in the shadow community to see what fall out, if any is out there. As you begin to ask questions and listen to the conversations you hear people talking about a huge blow out the other night. You hear that a runner team was set up and blown away by yet another back stabbing Johnson or that a team bit off more than it can chew with a job last night. That Federated Boeing slagged a group that was trying to sneak their way onto their compound and were blown away before they even breached the outer defenses. You quickly disregard them as tall tales and people filling in the blanks with their own versions of events.
You finally find something more credible floating around - that a local shadow merchant is looking for a new head of security after something personal they did blew up at their place of business. The former head was given his pink slip and there was a brief but violent disagreement over the severance package being offered. It ended with the security personnel being fewer in number when they were "escorted" from the building. The merchant is claiming false pretenses on the part of security and that they were fraudulent in some way. The word on the street is the team is going to have trouble getting work locally considering the way they tried to negotiate the termination of their contract. A few interested parties - mostly info brokers and snitches claim that the NeoNET reward being collected played a part and that you should always check who you work with to make sure their troubles don't follow you home.
The search for the impact of the data dump is ridiculously easy by comparison. It only involves turning on your trid and watching your local news broadcast. You see the main story of the day is the data sent to major news groups - the information suggests a major power struggle is underway in the Yakuza and seems to prove beyond shadow of doubt that several members of the Seattle community were indeed connected to criminal activities and were in fact, calling the shots. Several companies have launched suits against the assets of the late Kenichi Yamamoto for reparations against them. In addition, several medical centers and hospitals are faced with investigations regarding a Dr. Takayasu who is presumed dead but a search is being conducted. The largest element propelling this forward is the potential for Saeder-Krupp to be involved directly. There are replays of the SK rep speaking to a large gathering of news agencies firmly stating his company's non-involvement in this matter and promising to seek out the source of this slander and to set the records straight. Every news agency with any clout is offering rewards for any information about the other recipients of the data. You see the list of IDs scroll by over and over again, channel after channel as your world gets smaller and smaller. International feeds are carrying the story and you hear it repeated in several other languages, all presented by a too perfect earnest reporter looking to get to the truth. The car fire and attempted break in at a local warehouse is almost missed in the flood of this breaking story - it's offered as a local color piece about the improvement in security and the rapid response of law keeping forces.
The underbelly of the city is a buzz with the scent of blood in the water and sweet siren song of easy money. The Yakuza have already offered substantial rewards for transfer of custody of anyone named in the data transmission to them. You hear people talking of bounty hunters gearing up to hunt the poor unfortunate souls down - some for the fame, others to clear a debt or stain with the Yaks or as a way to break into the big league. There are clear signs of young hot blooded junior members of the Yakuza preparing to head out and make their bid for a meteoric rise in the ranks with the capture of these people. The other syndicates appear to be bracing for war by strengthening their places of power and pulling people back into their territories - turtling and gathering numbers in case the opportunity arises for them to use this to their advantage. You think in a few more days this ripple will work its way down the food chain and anyone's contacts or business associates who aren't blood brothers or ex-lovers will be dead, bought off or selling the you all out to the highest bidder. The chill settles on your spine as you are being transformed from predator to prey, hunter to hunted.
You head out into the world feeling relatively secure with your altered appearance and begin to make the rounds in the shadow community to see what fall out, if any is out there. As you begin to ask questions and listen to the conversations you hear people talking about a huge blow out the other night. You hear that a runner team was set up and blown away by yet another back stabbing Johnson or that a team bit off more than it can chew with a job last night. That Federated Boeing slagged a group that was trying to sneak their way onto their compound and were blown away before they even breached the outer defenses. You quickly disregard them as tall tales and people filling in the blanks with their own versions of events.
You finally find something more credible floating around - that a local shadow merchant is looking for a new head of security after something personal they did blew up at their place of business. The former head was given his pink slip and there was a brief but violent disagreement over the severance package being offered. It ended with the security personnel being fewer in number when they were "escorted" from the building. The merchant is claiming false pretenses on the part of security and that they were fraudulent in some way. The word on the street is the team is going to have trouble getting work locally considering the way they tried to negotiate the termination of their contract. A few interested parties - mostly info brokers and snitches claim that the NeoNET reward being collected played a part and that you should always check who you work with to make sure their troubles don't follow you home.
The search for the impact of the data dump is ridiculously easy by comparison. It only involves turning on your trid and watching your local news broadcast. You see the main story of the day is the data sent to major news groups - the information suggests a major power struggle is underway in the Yakuza and seems to prove beyond shadow of doubt that several members of the Seattle community were indeed connected to criminal activities and were in fact, calling the shots. Several companies have launched suits against the assets of the late Kenichi Yamamoto for reparations against them. In addition, several medical centers and hospitals are faced with investigations regarding a Dr. Takayasu who is presumed dead but a search is being conducted. The largest element propelling this forward is the potential for Saeder-Krupp to be involved directly. There are replays of the SK rep speaking to a large gathering of news agencies firmly stating his company's non-involvement in this matter and promising to seek out the source of this slander and to set the records straight. Every news agency with any clout is offering rewards for any information about the other recipients of the data. You see the list of IDs scroll by over and over again, channel after channel as your world gets smaller and smaller. International feeds are carrying the story and you hear it repeated in several other languages, all presented by a too perfect earnest reporter looking to get to the truth. The car fire and attempted break in at a local warehouse is almost missed in the flood of this breaking story - it's offered as a local color piece about the improvement in security and the rapid response of law keeping forces.
The underbelly of the city is a buzz with the scent of blood in the water and sweet siren song of easy money. The Yakuza have already offered substantial rewards for transfer of custody of anyone named in the data transmission to them. You hear people talking of bounty hunters gearing up to hunt the poor unfortunate souls down - some for the fame, others to clear a debt or stain with the Yaks or as a way to break into the big league. There are clear signs of young hot blooded junior members of the Yakuza preparing to head out and make their bid for a meteoric rise in the ranks with the capture of these people. The other syndicates appear to be bracing for war by strengthening their places of power and pulling people back into their territories - turtling and gathering numbers in case the opportunity arises for them to use this to their advantage. You think in a few more days this ripple will work its way down the food chain and anyone's contacts or business associates who aren't blood brothers or ex-lovers will be dead, bought off or selling the you all out to the highest bidder. The chill settles on your spine as you are being transformed from predator to prey, hunter to hunted.
Rikik
You finish up the conversation with the group and find a quiet place to do some work, to look for what you can find out in the matrix. You feel the world drop away and the Resonance swallow you up, its warm and solid embrace soothes your nerves as you weave the flows around you and begin seeking.
The Bodhi Tree it turns out is a small and locally owned business. Originally started by a Mr Bae Yong and Mrs Eun Yong, a married couple who started the business in 2031 as it sole owners and investors. It seems they have had more than their share of tough times. It seems they reported their income faithfully over the years and the shop barely breaks even on average with a few good years. They seem to have four times avoided closure by a sudden influx of cash from an undisclosed investor. Nothing stands out about the business other than its inability to thrive. Eun Yong's share was transferred to her husband after her death 10 years ago from an armed robbery at their shop.
Choon Hee Gu is currently teaching at a local Korean education center. It's set up to help those of Korean descent to get help to improve their lot in life. They offer night classes for Associate Degrees to transfer to more traditional schools, language and culture classes, access to legal aid and help with resources. She started with a promising academic career on a clear track to some of the top colleges in the world. She was a bold and energetic new voice in the field of sociology and brought keen insights to the field. Her ability to build connections between emerging social phenomenas and the its basis in the communities that birthed them slated her for media power houses or working in a corporation designing memes and socially engineering branded consciousness. The bubble popped shortly after her thesis was completed and she dropped off the radar for almost 5 years before returning to Seattle to take her current position. She declined scholarships and grants, interviews and job offers with no real explanation until she lost momentum and the spotlight. It seems she returned to Korea for a sabbatical to work on a book that apparently never was heard of or finished it seems.
The Brightman Group is clearly a shadow asset of some sort as you find all the warning signs of a shell corporation in play. You dig around and find a few books published by them that actually turn out to be legitimate authors and were received with mediocre reviews. Just enough to keep the illusion intact and they have cultivated a reputation of producing true crime memoirs and collections. Looking over the earnings report you see a pattern of these published criminals making significant money on their work. The reviews attribute their success to the further decay of morality and the banal appetites of the wage slave. You see a perfect way to launder money - digital copies are bought and cost nothing to produce and the money is given a legal skin to be used in the world. Digging deeper you see a persistent rumor that its run by the Komun'Go Seoilpa Ring who are known for playing in pools that people don't notice. This would fit their model of gathering resources while staying well below the radar. You find there is an actual physical office here in Seattle - a micro store front at the southern edge of the downtown core.
You step back and begin to cross reference the material present to see what emerges if anything. You quickly find two of the names on the memorial - Hana Long and Jung-Su Long - pop up as birth records as being born to the owners of The Bodhi Tree. You begin to access news feeds and data stores to discover that both their son and daughter were believed killed during the purge. There appears to be a body on record for Jung-Su and Hana was found in a mass grave that was discovered three years after when a new sub level was being built under an old building that was once owned by the Yakuza. Both investigations still carry a dubious "open" marker on their files. You find an announcement of the funeral for both children held at a local temple located in the International District by the name of the Naiteki Assarishita Retreat Center. Bae Yong is listed as an active member of the center. You see reports that the daughter may have started to work with the Seoulpa Rings - you find case files listed her as a potential member but after her disappearance and the discovery of her DNA amongst the others in the mass grave, she was removed from the active list.
You finish up the conversation with the group and find a quiet place to do some work, to look for what you can find out in the matrix. You feel the world drop away and the Resonance swallow you up, its warm and solid embrace soothes your nerves as you weave the flows around you and begin seeking.
The Bodhi Tree it turns out is a small and locally owned business. Originally started by a Mr Bae Yong and Mrs Eun Yong, a married couple who started the business in 2031 as it sole owners and investors. It seems they have had more than their share of tough times. It seems they reported their income faithfully over the years and the shop barely breaks even on average with a few good years. They seem to have four times avoided closure by a sudden influx of cash from an undisclosed investor. Nothing stands out about the business other than its inability to thrive. Eun Yong's share was transferred to her husband after her death 10 years ago from an armed robbery at their shop.
Choon Hee Gu is currently teaching at a local Korean education center. It's set up to help those of Korean descent to get help to improve their lot in life. They offer night classes for Associate Degrees to transfer to more traditional schools, language and culture classes, access to legal aid and help with resources. She started with a promising academic career on a clear track to some of the top colleges in the world. She was a bold and energetic new voice in the field of sociology and brought keen insights to the field. Her ability to build connections between emerging social phenomenas and the its basis in the communities that birthed them slated her for media power houses or working in a corporation designing memes and socially engineering branded consciousness. The bubble popped shortly after her thesis was completed and she dropped off the radar for almost 5 years before returning to Seattle to take her current position. She declined scholarships and grants, interviews and job offers with no real explanation until she lost momentum and the spotlight. It seems she returned to Korea for a sabbatical to work on a book that apparently never was heard of or finished it seems.
The Brightman Group is clearly a shadow asset of some sort as you find all the warning signs of a shell corporation in play. You dig around and find a few books published by them that actually turn out to be legitimate authors and were received with mediocre reviews. Just enough to keep the illusion intact and they have cultivated a reputation of producing true crime memoirs and collections. Looking over the earnings report you see a pattern of these published criminals making significant money on their work. The reviews attribute their success to the further decay of morality and the banal appetites of the wage slave. You see a perfect way to launder money - digital copies are bought and cost nothing to produce and the money is given a legal skin to be used in the world. Digging deeper you see a persistent rumor that its run by the Komun'Go Seoilpa Ring who are known for playing in pools that people don't notice. This would fit their model of gathering resources while staying well below the radar. You find there is an actual physical office here in Seattle - a micro store front at the southern edge of the downtown core.
You step back and begin to cross reference the material present to see what emerges if anything. You quickly find two of the names on the memorial - Hana Long and Jung-Su Long - pop up as birth records as being born to the owners of The Bodhi Tree. You begin to access news feeds and data stores to discover that both their son and daughter were believed killed during the purge. There appears to be a body on record for Jung-Su and Hana was found in a mass grave that was discovered three years after when a new sub level was being built under an old building that was once owned by the Yakuza. Both investigations still carry a dubious "open" marker on their files. You find an announcement of the funeral for both children held at a local temple located in the International District by the name of the Naiteki Assarishita Retreat Center. Bae Yong is listed as an active member of the center. You see reports that the daughter may have started to work with the Seoulpa Rings - you find case files listed her as a potential member but after her disappearance and the discovery of her DNA amongst the others in the mass grave, she was removed from the active list.
Rising and stretching out from sitting still for so long, Rikik pulls a small handheld scanner from a backpack. He walks through with quiet beeping, waving it near walls with half a thought. The flow of the Resonance had a purpose, too many things were drawing back to the past.
Koreans were killed by the Yakuza--a vicious vendetta is released against the Yakuza. The Seoulpa Rings had fingers in hiding the team's benefactor, money laundering, and a woman who tried to bring up the names was shut down hard. She lost her career chasing that dream. She went to Korea to build a story and that fell apart too. A family who lost their children, and a mysterious benefactor providing enough money for them to continue their work.
There has to be something I'm missing, unless...
When he gets back to the main room after his sweep of the house, Rikik looks to Widget.
"Do you have a commcode for the team's employer? I want to check a theory."
<<@Emilio [Rikik]: I can look and see what I can find.>>
Gathering up the data that he collected so far, Rikik sends it to the team, including Fuzbun.
<<@Team [Rikik]: It looks like the Seoulpa have their fingers in a lot of pies. Pies that tie back to the Yakuza. They also look to have plenty of motive and resources to cause a world of hurt for a group that started to tear itself apart at the seams. What I don't see is how anyone outside could have caught wind of what people in the heart of the Yakuza were doing.>>
Stepping outside to the van, Rikik puts his scanner away. He reaches out to the Resonance streams, finding the course of the river pushing past him. His thoughts reach out, searching for something that can find the answers that he needs. A small ferret, its skin covered in glyphs and code wraps around him.
Go forth, find these people and tell me where they are. I have the information for the first and will send more to you soon.
Koreans were killed by the Yakuza--a vicious vendetta is released against the Yakuza. The Seoulpa Rings had fingers in hiding the team's benefactor, money laundering, and a woman who tried to bring up the names was shut down hard. She lost her career chasing that dream. She went to Korea to build a story and that fell apart too. A family who lost their children, and a mysterious benefactor providing enough money for them to continue their work.
There has to be something I'm missing, unless...
When he gets back to the main room after his sweep of the house, Rikik looks to Widget.
"Do you have a commcode for the team's employer? I want to check a theory."
<<@Emilio [Rikik]: I can look and see what I can find.>>
Gathering up the data that he collected so far, Rikik sends it to the team, including Fuzbun.
<<@Team [Rikik]: It looks like the Seoulpa have their fingers in a lot of pies. Pies that tie back to the Yakuza. They also look to have plenty of motive and resources to cause a world of hurt for a group that started to tear itself apart at the seams. What I don't see is how anyone outside could have caught wind of what people in the heart of the Yakuza were doing.>>
Stepping outside to the van, Rikik puts his scanner away. He reaches out to the Resonance streams, finding the course of the river pushing past him. His thoughts reach out, searching for something that can find the answers that he needs. A small ferret, its skin covered in glyphs and code wraps around him.
Go forth, find these people and tell me where they are. I have the information for the first and will send more to you soon.
Rikik
With the commcode from Widget you send out the tasks you need done to the entity that answered your call. It ripples out and disperses into the matrix though you can still feel your connection to it stretch out through the currents of the Resonance around you. You return to the sweep of the house and again only find the micro drones Widget brought with her and then the AI leaves a distinct feel in the matrix as it nestles down into the household drone network. With your sweep finished and the house is still clean as you get a surge of excitement from the matrix around you as the ferret returns.
It hovers near you and you feel the connection open up between you. You see it sliding and slipping through the flows of data and the tickling sensation of it along its body. It swims and wiggles its way through the streams of code and you feel the flash of recognition as it senses the goal it was sent to find. It dives and twists as it hops streams into the one holding the scent it seeks. The flows flash into bright line that coils and writhes through the deep matrix. You ride the connection and see the two points flare into your awareness. One point is the node for Brightman Group and the other connects to a small node a few blocks from the Bright Future Korean education center. It identifies as a small studio apartment being leased by a non-profit organization under the name of the Korean Cultural Enrichment Fund.
As you pull back from the remembrance, you are pulled back into its memory and you once again find yourself sliding and twisting through the matrix. The cool currents of code slip past you as it searches deeper and longer this time. You feel its growing frustration at the task as more and more time for it passes by. You feel the distortion of its place in the pace of time. Seconds feel like minutes and minutes like hours as it continues to search until it finally catches the scent of its goal. It jumps and dives deep into another stream and it flares to life showing the connection in your mind. One end is an unregistered node in the area of Seattle known as the Ork Underground in the downtown area. You see the winding coil of light work its way back to the node for the Brightman Group. The knowledge flares into your memory as the entity releases you from the sharing.
With the commcode from Widget you send out the tasks you need done to the entity that answered your call. It ripples out and disperses into the matrix though you can still feel your connection to it stretch out through the currents of the Resonance around you. You return to the sweep of the house and again only find the micro drones Widget brought with her and then the AI leaves a distinct feel in the matrix as it nestles down into the household drone network. With your sweep finished and the house is still clean as you get a surge of excitement from the matrix around you as the ferret returns.
It hovers near you and you feel the connection open up between you. You see it sliding and slipping through the flows of data and the tickling sensation of it along its body. It swims and wiggles its way through the streams of code and you feel the flash of recognition as it senses the goal it was sent to find. It dives and twists as it hops streams into the one holding the scent it seeks. The flows flash into bright line that coils and writhes through the deep matrix. You ride the connection and see the two points flare into your awareness. One point is the node for Brightman Group and the other connects to a small node a few blocks from the Bright Future Korean education center. It identifies as a small studio apartment being leased by a non-profit organization under the name of the Korean Cultural Enrichment Fund.
As you pull back from the remembrance, you are pulled back into its memory and you once again find yourself sliding and twisting through the matrix. The cool currents of code slip past you as it searches deeper and longer this time. You feel its growing frustration at the task as more and more time for it passes by. You feel the distortion of its place in the pace of time. Seconds feel like minutes and minutes like hours as it continues to search until it finally catches the scent of its goal. It jumps and dives deep into another stream and it flares to life showing the connection in your mind. One end is an unregistered node in the area of Seattle known as the Ork Underground in the downtown area. You see the winding coil of light work its way back to the node for the Brightman Group. The knowledge flares into your memory as the entity releases you from the sharing.
Hours later, Zero's astral form slips back into his body. His eyes open once more, and he weakly pushes himself up to standing. He gives a weak smile to the group.
"I...um... Thank you for helping me. Can...can someone tell me...what happened?"
"I...um... Thank you for helping me. Can...can someone tell me...what happened?"
"You were at a warehouse, something about some kids as far as I can tell. No one is sharing many details on that. Things blew up, Widget called me. I drove the team away. They bartered the kids for some credit and then bandaged everyone up. That guy doesn't look like the bandaging is working very well."
Rikik gestures towards the still body of Cypher.
"Now, when everyone gets back it may be time to figure out what you are doing next. I have a few more tricks up my sleeve in the data corner, but it's shaping up like the Brightman Group is a shell company for laundering money for the Seoulpa Rings. The woman who tried to blow the whistle on the Yakuza purges back before any of us were born had her life ruined--all real prospects kicked straight to the curb. Which can make a person ponder some truly reckless ideas, let me tell you... Now, anonymous donations are going out to families who lost children in the purge. Someone is paying you guys to do some heavy lifting at tearing the Yaks apart. And strangely both Choon Hee Gu and your mysterious benefactor are routing their matrix activity through the Brightman Group.
"My best guess is that when her life got shit-canned, she went back to Korea and made some connections. Then, she did the whole 'academic scholar to criminal mastermind' conversion and is now doing her best to kill everyone responsible for the massacres of her people and ruin their lives the way they ruined hers.
"What I don't see is how she got in close enough to some of these people without tipping her hand. Widget says that your boss isn't a matrix guru like her and I, so hacking everything on the down low is out. So what does that leave?"
Rikik gestures towards the still body of Cypher.
"Now, when everyone gets back it may be time to figure out what you are doing next. I have a few more tricks up my sleeve in the data corner, but it's shaping up like the Brightman Group is a shell company for laundering money for the Seoulpa Rings. The woman who tried to blow the whistle on the Yakuza purges back before any of us were born had her life ruined--all real prospects kicked straight to the curb. Which can make a person ponder some truly reckless ideas, let me tell you... Now, anonymous donations are going out to families who lost children in the purge. Someone is paying you guys to do some heavy lifting at tearing the Yaks apart. And strangely both Choon Hee Gu and your mysterious benefactor are routing their matrix activity through the Brightman Group.
"My best guess is that when her life got shit-canned, she went back to Korea and made some connections. Then, she did the whole 'academic scholar to criminal mastermind' conversion and is now doing her best to kill everyone responsible for the massacres of her people and ruin their lives the way they ruined hers.
"What I don't see is how she got in close enough to some of these people without tipping her hand. Widget says that your boss isn't a matrix guru like her and I, so hacking everything on the down low is out. So what does that leave?"
The Office
The shock ripples through Widget at the mention of Cypher's body and she seems to realize finally that they are all in a room with a dead body and have been for some time. She gets up and goes into a bedroom, returning with a large duvet which she throws over the corpse.
"We should do something with his remains though I have no fucking idea what other than dumping it out in the Barrens somewhere."
She suddenly starts giggling as she realizes she's in the Barrens before catching herself and choking it down. She turns to Zero after she gets herself under control.
"Your......brother came by and words were exchanged. I have a copy of the conversation for you."
Zero
An icon flares to life showing a file being transferred to you from Widget.
The shock ripples through Widget at the mention of Cypher's body and she seems to realize finally that they are all in a room with a dead body and have been for some time. She gets up and goes into a bedroom, returning with a large duvet which she throws over the corpse.
"We should do something with his remains though I have no fucking idea what other than dumping it out in the Barrens somewhere."
She suddenly starts giggling as she realizes she's in the Barrens before catching herself and choking it down. She turns to Zero after she gets herself under control.
"Your......brother came by and words were exchanged. I have a copy of the conversation for you."
Zero
An icon flares to life showing a file being transferred to you from Widget.
Zero stands up. Those who can see beyond the Physical Veil into the Astral notice that the wicked vines no longer surround his aura. He looks at Cypher's remains, saddened at his fall.
"Follower told me what he could of him. Thank you, I shall listen to it in a moment. I do not know of a place to bury Cypher, or his wishes upon death. I do know that my church provides services for the poor, and remember some of it. If you like I will do what I can, and trust in His Grace to grant Cypher rest."
He closes his eyes, and begins to sing a short chant.
"In paradisum deducant te Angeli,
"In tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres,
"et perducant te
"in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem.
"Chorus angelorum te suscipiat,
"et cum Lazaro quondam paupere
"æternam habeas requiem."
With the chant completed, he accesses the icon.
"Follower told me what he could of him. Thank you, I shall listen to it in a moment. I do not know of a place to bury Cypher, or his wishes upon death. I do know that my church provides services for the poor, and remember some of it. If you like I will do what I can, and trust in His Grace to grant Cypher rest."
He closes his eyes, and begins to sing a short chant.
"In paradisum deducant te Angeli,
"In tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres,
"et perducant te
"in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem.
"Chorus angelorum te suscipiat,
"et cum Lazaro quondam paupere
"æternam habeas requiem."
With the chant completed, he accesses the icon.
"Apparently some matrix spirit contacted Cypher and was very unhappy about how we were extracting those kids. She possessed Strangeglove's arm and used it to create some very large explosions.
"That seems reasonable, Rikik. I think we should do our best to accelerate the tearing apart of the Yakuza, and maintain a high level of paranoia until we do.
"Cypher was from this land, so it seems appropriate to provide him funeral arrangements in its customs. Zero, can you handle those arrangements?"
"That seems reasonable, Rikik. I think we should do our best to accelerate the tearing apart of the Yakuza, and maintain a high level of paranoia until we do.
"Cypher was from this land, so it seems appropriate to provide him funeral arrangements in its customs. Zero, can you handle those arrangements?"
Q is distressed by what he learns and makes his way back to the group at the safehouse while doing his best to not be followed. He informs the group of all of what he's heard, making special note of Saeder-Krupp being some how connected, the Yakuza setting a flattering bounty, and that he thinks One will let the tension rises for only a day or two before dumping this safehouse with his brother in it for a hefty finder's fee; if he doesn't come for the reward himself. Q didn't spend enough time out htere to learn about One's cryptic taunting to Zero.
Eklipse had slipped away in the night. He drove his bike out of the Barrens and onto the highway, opening up the throttle as he went. He drove for almost an hour, no clear direction in mind, then turned around and headed towards Chinatown. It was early morning before he arrived at the Naiteki Assarishita Retreat Center. A bleary-eyed monk opened the door and let him in without a word. He stashed his weapons and helmet in one of the lockers and collapsed in empty cot.
At midday he was awoken by one of the monks bringing him a simple meal and some water. None of the monks ever spoke to him, which suited him just fine right now. He joined the afternoon's tai chi lesson, his mind focused on the forms rather than his troubled mind. Later, he sat under one of the trees and contemplated his next actions.
By evening a course of action had made itself clear. He packed up his gear and with a bow to the monk at the door, returned to his bike and to the 'office' in the Barrens in time to hear Q's information. The mention of S-K leaves him cold.
The dragon is taking an interest! No perhaps the dragon always had an interest. Perhaps Heidi was working with the doctor all along to take down the oyabun. But what had happened to her? If only we had not killed the doctor! How much do I reveal to them?
He clears his throat.
"Our enemies know who ve are. Our first course of action must be to secure new identities. Transport is our second priority. Ve only have ze dubious van from Herr Rikik and a couple of bikes, likely tied to our compromised identities. I vould suggest zat Widget and Rikik work on IDs and also on securing our comms and equipment against cyber-attacks. Fleet should look into acquiring new vehicles. He knows best what he needs. Finally, ve should be looking for a new safehouse. If ze 'brother' of Zerone can find us here, so too can others. I am suspecting zis will eat up much of ze reward for rescuing ze kids. Have I missed anything? Is everyone okay with zis? "
At midday he was awoken by one of the monks bringing him a simple meal and some water. None of the monks ever spoke to him, which suited him just fine right now. He joined the afternoon's tai chi lesson, his mind focused on the forms rather than his troubled mind. Later, he sat under one of the trees and contemplated his next actions.
By evening a course of action had made itself clear. He packed up his gear and with a bow to the monk at the door, returned to his bike and to the 'office' in the Barrens in time to hear Q's information. The mention of S-K leaves him cold.
The dragon is taking an interest! No perhaps the dragon always had an interest. Perhaps Heidi was working with the doctor all along to take down the oyabun. But what had happened to her? If only we had not killed the doctor! How much do I reveal to them?
He clears his throat.
"Our enemies know who ve are. Our first course of action must be to secure new identities. Transport is our second priority. Ve only have ze dubious van from Herr Rikik and a couple of bikes, likely tied to our compromised identities. I vould suggest zat Widget and Rikik work on IDs and also on securing our comms and equipment against cyber-attacks. Fleet should look into acquiring new vehicles. He knows best what he needs. Finally, ve should be looking for a new safehouse. If ze 'brother' of Zerone can find us here, so too can others. I am suspecting zis will eat up much of ze reward for rescuing ze kids. Have I missed anything? Is everyone okay with zis? "
"I'm not a forger, but I will see what I can do. Here is the data packet with everything I have found. While Widget and I work, you guys may want to build up a plan on who to talk with and which places you want to do your thing at. Everything I can see says that the temple and herbalist were wrapped up in this--guilt by association style. That doesn't mean they aren't involved, but I haven't found anything to link them anywhere except burying the dead and taking some money to keep afloat."
The data packet from Rikik floats as an ARO in front of everyone.
"Let me call a friend and see what I can do about some IDs and gear. The Red Queen takes cred but she also trades favors--do you have a preference on your currency?"
The data packet from Rikik floats as an ARO in front of everyone.
"Let me call a friend and see what I can do about some IDs and gear. The Red Queen takes cred but she also trades favors--do you have a preference on your currency?"
"If we can afford it, I'd rather pay in money. If we want to do her a favor later, she can pay us the money.
"We should also start being more careful about our security. Once we find a new safehouse, we can put up a ward. We also need better security with the computer things. Rikik, do you know how to ward our commlinks?"
"I prefer to be careful about misusing it, but one of the powers the shen granted me is the ability to read minds. If we need to figure out who to go after, that might help us, but I don't intend to go violating the minds of innocent people without good reason.
"Any of our magicians can summon spirits that can find people who aren't similarly well-protected quite quickly - but we need a mental image. If we can find good pictures of people we need to track down, we can work with that."
<@James[Fat Man]: I don't want to cause trouble for them, but they may already be involved in trouble. As am I. The Yakuza are after my head at the moment - I'm going to clear out, but they may send people looking for me. I would suggest you go underground or skip town before they do. I apologize for the trouble I have brought on you - but I think the best protection I can provide is staying away while you keep yourself clear.>
<@Q, Jon[Fat Man]: I don't mean to be disrespectful of your privacy, but I am concerned that keeping too many secrets from one another could get us all killed. It should be obvious by now that none of us is human, or we'd have been able to walk through wards at that warehouse. Might I suggest we lay our cards on the table, as it were?>
"We should also start being more careful about our security. Once we find a new safehouse, we can put up a ward. We also need better security with the computer things. Rikik, do you know how to ward our commlinks?"
"I prefer to be careful about misusing it, but one of the powers the shen granted me is the ability to read minds. If we need to figure out who to go after, that might help us, but I don't intend to go violating the minds of innocent people without good reason.
"Any of our magicians can summon spirits that can find people who aren't similarly well-protected quite quickly - but we need a mental image. If we can find good pictures of people we need to track down, we can work with that."
<@James[Fat Man]: I don't want to cause trouble for them, but they may already be involved in trouble. As am I. The Yakuza are after my head at the moment - I'm going to clear out, but they may send people looking for me. I would suggest you go underground or skip town before they do. I apologize for the trouble I have brought on you - but I think the best protection I can provide is staying away while you keep yourself clear.>
<@Q, Jon[Fat Man]: I don't mean to be disrespectful of your privacy, but I am concerned that keeping too many secrets from one another could get us all killed. It should be obvious by now that none of us is human, or we'd have been able to walk through wards at that warehouse. Might I suggest we lay our cards on the table, as it were?>
Nodding to Fat Man, Rikik looks to Widget and then the rest of the team.
"Between us, I think we can take care of the matrix stuff. We'll need everything that you plan on taking with you when we leave the office. From your underwear to the bullets in your gun. Erase all the tags on your gear then figure out what needs to stay wireless and what has to be turned off and go from there.
"Widget can you find a skillsoft for forgery? Even if it's pirated, we will probably only need it for a couple of hours, then make a copy and toss the originals. The more stuff we do here and the bigger our datatrail is, the more people will come here. Then we just need to vanish and turn off everything with a battery until we get to wherever the next safehouse is. No trails out of here except the fake one that Widget lays down should keep us off the grid while people talk with the teacher-girl. She'd be the only person I can point mind-reading at right now.
"You should be careful though. If she is your benefactor, she may not like the mind-reading. Maybe have someone call your boss and tip your hand. It's a risk, but right now, really, so is everything else that you do."
Stepping outside, Rikik walks around to the garden. The front of the house felt too exposed, like he was waiting to be shot from a mile away. Dialing a number that had been seared into his mind from the moment he woke up in the hospital, and he made the first of many bad choices, the changeling sent a message to the Red Queen.
<<@RQ [Rikik] I need a favor. Two changelings and their friends need new lives. Nine lives altogether, befitting the cheshire cat.>>
"Between us, I think we can take care of the matrix stuff. We'll need everything that you plan on taking with you when we leave the office. From your underwear to the bullets in your gun. Erase all the tags on your gear then figure out what needs to stay wireless and what has to be turned off and go from there.
"Widget can you find a skillsoft for forgery? Even if it's pirated, we will probably only need it for a couple of hours, then make a copy and toss the originals. The more stuff we do here and the bigger our datatrail is, the more people will come here. Then we just need to vanish and turn off everything with a battery until we get to wherever the next safehouse is. No trails out of here except the fake one that Widget lays down should keep us off the grid while people talk with the teacher-girl. She'd be the only person I can point mind-reading at right now.
"You should be careful though. If she is your benefactor, she may not like the mind-reading. Maybe have someone call your boss and tip your hand. It's a risk, but right now, really, so is everything else that you do."
Stepping outside, Rikik walks around to the garden. The front of the house felt too exposed, like he was waiting to be shot from a mile away. Dialing a number that had been seared into his mind from the moment he woke up in the hospital, and he made the first of many bad choices, the changeling sent a message to the Red Queen.
<<@RQ [Rikik] I need a favor. Two changelings and their friends need new lives. Nine lives altogether, befitting the cheshire cat.>>
Emilio continues chatting with Aideen.
"Cypher didn't mention he had made contact with some cyber protector of one of the kids we were after. Unfortunately one of the mages mistook the kid for a guard and let him get caught in a stun blast. He goes nighty-night, and the protector goes bonkers. It ends up hacking Strange Glove's arm and gear, throws a bag of grenades, then makes them go boom. Wiped out all the cars. Plus something went screwy with the mages and Q got trapped in a ward, trapping him and summoning the magical overwatch. Net total is Cypher dead, two others almost, and us limping away. Cypher evidently had some deep deep dirt, and broadcast it along with our IDs. I have no idea what's up with it, but it's got some other spooked. Sounds like it's new-ID time. So this will be the last or next-to-last time I'll chat you from this ID, the only other thing being if I need help getting a new ID.
"
<<Vinny[Emilio]: Here it is.>>
"Cypher didn't mention he had made contact with some cyber protector of one of the kids we were after. Unfortunately one of the mages mistook the kid for a guard and let him get caught in a stun blast. He goes nighty-night, and the protector goes bonkers. It ends up hacking Strange Glove's arm and gear, throws a bag of grenades, then makes them go boom. Wiped out all the cars. Plus something went screwy with the mages and Q got trapped in a ward, trapping him and summoning the magical overwatch. Net total is Cypher dead, two others almost, and us limping away. Cypher evidently had some deep deep dirt, and broadcast it along with our IDs. I have no idea what's up with it, but it's got some other spooked. Sounds like it's new-ID time. So this will be the last or next-to-last time I'll chat you from this ID, the only other thing being if I need help getting a new ID.
"<<Vinny[Emilio]: Here it is.>>
Zero does nothing to hide his reactions to Widget's data packet. He leans against the wall, crestfallen and disappointed with what he sees and hears. His glances at Widget for a moment before returning his gaze down to the ground.
Zero listens to the others as they discuss their fate.
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8, Verse 32.
Indeed, my friend. All journeys are fraught with dangers, and life is a tapestry of different experiences. Some are happy, while others are tragic. Nevertheless, it is through our experience that we test our faith. And how should we view such tests?
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything."
James 1, Verses 2-4. Very good, my friend. Remember, there are those who may insult and revile you, and others who might seek to maim and kill you. However, do not let their persecution jade you towards the touchstone of His Will: Love.
Thank you, Follower.
Of course, my friend. I am your companion on this path you walk, and the least I can do is remind you that He is with you. Always.
Zero looks at the others, smiling weakly.
"If it pleases you," he says, "I can summon a ravmalakh to cremate Cypher and return him to the Earth once more. I do not know his faith, or his wishes, but this is the least I can do for him.
"I can also ask another ravmalakh to peer beyond the veil of time and seek out the possibilities of our futures."
Zero listens to the others as they discuss their fate.
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8, Verse 32.
Indeed, my friend. All journeys are fraught with dangers, and life is a tapestry of different experiences. Some are happy, while others are tragic. Nevertheless, it is through our experience that we test our faith. And how should we view such tests?
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything."
James 1, Verses 2-4. Very good, my friend. Remember, there are those who may insult and revile you, and others who might seek to maim and kill you. However, do not let their persecution jade you towards the touchstone of His Will: Love.
Thank you, Follower.
Of course, my friend. I am your companion on this path you walk, and the least I can do is remind you that He is with you. Always.
Zero looks at the others, smiling weakly.
"If it pleases you," he says, "I can summon a ravmalakh to cremate Cypher and return him to the Earth once more. I do not know his faith, or his wishes, but this is the least I can do for him.
"I can also ask another ravmalakh to peer beyond the veil of time and seek out the possibilities of our futures."
Jon, reviews the data packet that was sent. his normally calm demeanor showing signs of cracking. He looks up at the ceiling for a moment, as he fights an inner struggle. Finally resolute, Jon stops leaning against the wall.
"Sorry guys, this is too much for me, I came to Seattle to find someone, and that is more important than the Yak's. I can't be involved in this right now."
Jon leaps forwards head first his naked tone body growing hair and changing so as he lands he lands on all fours. and the Jaguar continues through the door and out into the night.
"Sorry guys, this is too much for me, I came to Seattle to find someone, and that is more important than the Yak's. I can't be involved in this right now."
Jon leaps forwards head first his naked tone body growing hair and changing so as he lands he lands on all fours. and the Jaguar continues through the door and out into the night.
The Office
Widget nods assent to Rikik's request as she finds a comfortable spot in the living room area and begins to open a series of AR windows and begins the hunt for the needed program. While she does that, the small house drone slides its way over to what remains of Cypher's body. A small tiny voice projects out of it, just below the threshold where it would distort.
"Burn him, melt him, or send him to the Great Here After but you should do something with the body."
Rikik
You wait for the reply, you almost feel her running her hand up the back of your neck - her nails just pricking your skin as it settles at the nape of your neck. She was.......possessive to say the least. You shake off the foreboding and make your shoulders settle back at their usual place.
<< @Rikik [RQ]: Curious request and curiouser still that this request arrives now - does it have to do anything with the news casts I have seen of late? Don't answer my sweet and gifted boy, it matters little in the long run. I am happy to provide for our kin at no charge - just tell them of the source of their good fortune so they may make informed decisions at a later date should the need arise. As to the other identities - I am more than capable of providing such things but alas we have come to tricky part of it - how will I be compensated? Money is a trifling thing but I understand its need and would be fine with that or you are welcome to deepen our bond for the sake of your acquaintances. Let me know and I will see to this task personally. >>
Emilio
You watch her face grow grim at the tragic tale as it unfolds.
"I can start working on the SINs but I am going to tell you right now I just don't have the juice to get you solid ones on short notice. I could swing something that might hold up to a stiff shake once or twice in a day or so. If you need a place to hide out I have a few spots that should be safe for a week or two. They are remote and should give you some breathing room to regroup. I can get some basic supplies - food, ammo, and camping gear for no charge. Consider us even for me sending you on the run that went south and I like to keep my books clear. Anything else you all need?"
Eklipse
You see an icon pop up in your field of vision - it is addressed to Gunther and is from MR. It is marked as urgent.
Widget nods assent to Rikik's request as she finds a comfortable spot in the living room area and begins to open a series of AR windows and begins the hunt for the needed program. While she does that, the small house drone slides its way over to what remains of Cypher's body. A small tiny voice projects out of it, just below the threshold where it would distort.
"Burn him, melt him, or send him to the Great Here After but you should do something with the body."
Rikik
You wait for the reply, you almost feel her running her hand up the back of your neck - her nails just pricking your skin as it settles at the nape of your neck. She was.......possessive to say the least. You shake off the foreboding and make your shoulders settle back at their usual place.
<< @Rikik [RQ]: Curious request and curiouser still that this request arrives now - does it have to do anything with the news casts I have seen of late? Don't answer my sweet and gifted boy, it matters little in the long run. I am happy to provide for our kin at no charge - just tell them of the source of their good fortune so they may make informed decisions at a later date should the need arise. As to the other identities - I am more than capable of providing such things but alas we have come to tricky part of it - how will I be compensated? Money is a trifling thing but I understand its need and would be fine with that or you are welcome to deepen our bond for the sake of your acquaintances. Let me know and I will see to this task personally. >>
Emilio
You watch her face grow grim at the tragic tale as it unfolds.
"I can start working on the SINs but I am going to tell you right now I just don't have the juice to get you solid ones on short notice. I could swing something that might hold up to a stiff shake once or twice in a day or so. If you need a place to hide out I have a few spots that should be safe for a week or two. They are remote and should give you some breathing room to regroup. I can get some basic supplies - food, ammo, and camping gear for no charge. Consider us even for me sending you on the run that went south and I like to keep my books clear. Anything else you all need?"
Eklipse
You see an icon pop up in your field of vision - it is addressed to Gunther and is from MR. It is marked as urgent.
Shivering as spectral nails rake down his spine, Rikik's jaw drops as bits of cloth fall to the floor exploding off the sudden jaguar. He looks to the others, then back to the giant cat bounding out of the house. This group was going to get him killed or drive him insane, maybe both.
"I'm going to pretend that didn't happen, so I don't have to ask if anyone else is a monster in people skin...so, umm yeah...the Red Queen is able to provide IDs for all of you. Q and Eklipse yours come free of charge, courtesy of the Red Queen, remember her fondly in times of joy and think of her when you are in need of a friend. The rest of you, she's willing to take cred if you have it, or she can be bartered with for services--present or future."
"I'm going to pretend that didn't happen, so I don't have to ask if anyone else is a monster in people skin...so, umm yeah...the Red Queen is able to provide IDs for all of you. Q and Eklipse yours come free of charge, courtesy of the Red Queen, remember her fondly in times of joy and think of her when you are in need of a friend. The rest of you, she's willing to take cred if you have it, or she can be bartered with for services--present or future."
"Not everything that isn't a metahuman is a monster, Rikik. Jon appeared to be a large cat. As for the money - how much does she want?"
"Sorry, monster is the wrong word, but I'm pretty sure it was big enough that it could have eaten me and the word just slipped out. If there are any other giant hunting cats walking around as people, please either tell me now or promise that you'll warn me before you do the weird foldy-stretchy-bone-popping thing. It's kinda creepy. As far as new lives, generally the more you pay, the better you get. The Red Queen is really good with the bargains, you'll get what you pay for."
Emilio takes it all in.
"It sounds like we have a line on IDs, thanks. I think though we may take you up on that offer of a hidie-hole. Let me see what we need. Actually wait a bit on the com link; I may need cash for the ID and I don't want to strand you."
<<Team[Emilio]: I have a line on a place to lay low for a week or two. Should give us time to regroup. Camping gear and food included. Anything else we need? Rikik, how much are we talking? Also, is it possible for the new ID to fit us but not be exactly the same as our old IDs under a new number? I'd hate for someone to stick our old biometrics into a system and get our new IDs. I care more that the ID isn't a beacon for the Yaks than that someone might think it's fishy.>>
<<Team[Emilio]: Oh, mages, can you fix the cars? I can ask my fixer if she can get them from the scrap yards. If we can fix them up, that's a way to bounce back faster. I'm thinking magic fix up if possible... Is that possible?>>
"It sounds like we have a line on IDs, thanks. I think though we may take you up on that offer of a hidie-hole. Let me see what we need. Actually wait a bit on the com link; I may need cash for the ID and I don't want to strand you."
<<Team[Emilio]: I have a line on a place to lay low for a week or two. Should give us time to regroup. Camping gear and food included. Anything else we need? Rikik, how much are we talking? Also, is it possible for the new ID to fit us but not be exactly the same as our old IDs under a new number? I'd hate for someone to stick our old biometrics into a system and get our new IDs. I care more that the ID isn't a beacon for the Yaks than that someone might think it's fishy.>>
<<Team[Emilio]: Oh, mages, can you fix the cars? I can ask my fixer if she can get them from the scrap yards. If we can fix them up, that's a way to bounce back faster. I'm thinking magic fix up if possible... Is that possible?>>
Fleet pushes himself up from the floor, leaving the battered body of the poor rotodrone still dangling a few of what looked like necessary parts.
"Look, anything we do is going to need money, and Zuzana just fired her security staff. I say we call up Emilio's contact with the truck, and hit that place now for everything it's worth. We can steal vehicles, but we're going to need cred for cash and safehouses, and that money's going away quick. The longer we wait, the more money we're spending, and we don't have any resources immediately available to replace it." He glances at Eklipse.
"You need to make the call, and now. We need new gear, we need money, Zuzana's got that. We originally picked her place because it had everything all together. We need to stop all the long range stuff right now, and do this. We're just going to flounder without something to start with. We can go in hard and fast, have the mage's waiting to drop the hammer on the security mage the minute she shows up, tap Rikik into the security system once we get inside, and drop everything that's moving. They're all other 'runners, we're not talking innocent civilians, or even corp wage slave security."
"Look, anything we do is going to need money, and Zuzana just fired her security staff. I say we call up Emilio's contact with the truck, and hit that place now for everything it's worth. We can steal vehicles, but we're going to need cred for cash and safehouses, and that money's going away quick. The longer we wait, the more money we're spending, and we don't have any resources immediately available to replace it." He glances at Eklipse.
"You need to make the call, and now. We need new gear, we need money, Zuzana's got that. We originally picked her place because it had everything all together. We need to stop all the long range stuff right now, and do this. We're just going to flounder without something to start with. We can go in hard and fast, have the mage's waiting to drop the hammer on the security mage the minute she shows up, tap Rikik into the security system once we get inside, and drop everything that's moving. They're all other 'runners, we're not talking innocent civilians, or even corp wage slave security."
Eklipse returns the hobgoblin's glance.
"You make a valid point, mein freund. On ze plus side, we now know a little more about zere capabilities and zere vill be no angry matrix entities trying to kill us. On ze downside, ze are likely to be more on ze edge after our recent attack. Plus we need a new hacker unless Herr Rikik is volunteering for ze position."
As the jaguar runs out the door he adds,
"And ve are also at least one man down. Have ze others fully recovered? I agree zat if we do zis we go in hard. Zerone and Fat Man vill need to be on ze standby to take out their mage the minute she shows up and Rikik would need to be able to take over zere security system more or less directly or ve vill all be ending up like Cypher."
He looks down to the covered corpse on the floor then his head swings up as he spots the incoming URGENT message. He holds up a hand, signing to the group for a moment's pause so he can check it.
"You make a valid point, mein freund. On ze plus side, we now know a little more about zere capabilities and zere vill be no angry matrix entities trying to kill us. On ze downside, ze are likely to be more on ze edge after our recent attack. Plus we need a new hacker unless Herr Rikik is volunteering for ze position."
As the jaguar runs out the door he adds,
"And ve are also at least one man down. Have ze others fully recovered? I agree zat if we do zis we go in hard. Zerone and Fat Man vill need to be on ze standby to take out their mage the minute she shows up and Rikik would need to be able to take over zere security system more or less directly or ve vill all be ending up like Cypher."
He looks down to the covered corpse on the floor then his head swings up as he spots the incoming URGENT message. He holds up a hand, signing to the group for a moment's pause so he can check it.
"I think waiting for the magician to show up is a mistake. That means we're confronting her where she's strongest, in a situation where only some of us can hurt her and in a way that ensures she can gather her allies. We're better off attacking her in the physical world at the same time, ideally by surprise."
Fleet seems to lose some of the intensity as others agree with the general concept, at least.
"Sure, fine. I don't know anything about it. Can we put Zero and SG outside her front door to kick it in when we punch through the wards this time? You found her once, I don't think she knows that we know where she lives."
He turns and eyes Rikik. "I think you're already in this, kid, so I won't try and lie and say what we're going to do won't splash back on you. It might, might not. Hard to say at this point. We've got a decent plan, a fencer for most of it waiting, and we're going to go black immediately afterwards anyway. It's basically your chance to get paid, at least a little, for all the drek you dove into."
"Sure, fine. I don't know anything about it. Can we put Zero and SG outside her front door to kick it in when we punch through the wards this time? You found her once, I don't think she knows that we know where she lives."
He turns and eyes Rikik. "I think you're already in this, kid, so I won't try and lie and say what we're going to do won't splash back on you. It might, might not. Hard to say at this point. We've got a decent plan, a fencer for most of it waiting, and we're going to go black immediately afterwards anyway. It's basically your chance to get paid, at least a little, for all the drek you dove into."
Fat Man considered Fleet's reply.
"She's a more skilled magician than myself or Zero, but she's still only human. I think the main problem will be not attracting attention and getting away. I'd suggest Zero and one or two of our less colorful mundanes. Any machines you have would be helpful as well - many spells that are effective against living opponents won't work on them.
"My recommendation would be to set up a hit-and-run outside her building, wait, and time the assault on Zuzane's building to a good opportunity to hit her, rather than the other way around. We should probably look into her area a bit more, too."
"She's a more skilled magician than myself or Zero, but she's still only human. I think the main problem will be not attracting attention and getting away. I'd suggest Zero and one or two of our less colorful mundanes. Any machines you have would be helpful as well - many spells that are effective against living opponents won't work on them.
"My recommendation would be to set up a hit-and-run outside her building, wait, and time the assault on Zuzane's building to a good opportunity to hit her, rather than the other way around. We should probably look into her area a bit more, too."
<<Team[Zero]: Unfortunately, Emilio, I cannot use magic to repair things. I do not know how.>>
Zero begins going about the solemn business of disposing of Cypher's remains. He begins reciting a psalm, weaving the magic about himself. The process is about as fluid as one should expect from someone who has recently been concussed, scorched, and left close to the precipice of death. Once he feels confident in his preparations, he recites a new psalm. He lets his Astral voice soar into the Empyrean, and join the chorus of the ravmalakhim. One voice among the many responds, and descends to the Physical realm. She appears in the safehouse with a blaze of golden white flames. They coalesce into a shimmering figure dressed in a robe of flickering flames, armed with a brilliant arc, and a marble mask with a serene expression covering her face.
"I am Camilla of the Fiery Sphere of Archangel Michael. You have called me, young one, and I have answered. What aspect of His work would you have me do?"
"Sister Camilla, I ask that you help us return this one's body back to ashes and dust."
Despite the mask covering her face, Camilla's body language betrays her confusion.
"Young one, this is an odd request to make of me. However, I shall do as you ask."
Camilla picks up Cypher's remains. The flames that lick at her robes grow in intensity. They grow and swirl around her. Within moments, Camilla is engulfed in a pillar of golden white fire. The body in her arms quickly combusts, disintegrating into ashes. Once the body is nothing more than a swirling cloud of ashes, the fires subside. Camilla stands with the ashes in her hands.
Zero finds the closest container he can find, an empty trash can. He offers the container to Camilla. She lets the ashes fall into the receptacle, seemingly eager to be done with the deed.
"Now that this is done, young one, what would you have me do?"
"Sister Camilla, I have nothing else to ask of you. I shall not waste your time, and will let you go back to doing His work. Thank you." Zero bows gratefully to the spirit. Camilla politely returns the gesture.
"And so my service to you is at an end. Walk His path, young one, and remember this. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Camilla fades from sight, much like a candle extinguished. The ravmalakh's words linger in the room after she leaves.
Zero puts the trash can down.
"So...um...what should we do with this?"
Zero begins going about the solemn business of disposing of Cypher's remains. He begins reciting a psalm, weaving the magic about himself. The process is about as fluid as one should expect from someone who has recently been concussed, scorched, and left close to the precipice of death. Once he feels confident in his preparations, he recites a new psalm. He lets his Astral voice soar into the Empyrean, and join the chorus of the ravmalakhim. One voice among the many responds, and descends to the Physical realm. She appears in the safehouse with a blaze of golden white flames. They coalesce into a shimmering figure dressed in a robe of flickering flames, armed with a brilliant arc, and a marble mask with a serene expression covering her face.
"I am Camilla of the Fiery Sphere of Archangel Michael. You have called me, young one, and I have answered. What aspect of His work would you have me do?"
"Sister Camilla, I ask that you help us return this one's body back to ashes and dust."
Despite the mask covering her face, Camilla's body language betrays her confusion.
"Young one, this is an odd request to make of me. However, I shall do as you ask."
Camilla picks up Cypher's remains. The flames that lick at her robes grow in intensity. They grow and swirl around her. Within moments, Camilla is engulfed in a pillar of golden white fire. The body in her arms quickly combusts, disintegrating into ashes. Once the body is nothing more than a swirling cloud of ashes, the fires subside. Camilla stands with the ashes in her hands.
Zero finds the closest container he can find, an empty trash can. He offers the container to Camilla. She lets the ashes fall into the receptacle, seemingly eager to be done with the deed.
"Now that this is done, young one, what would you have me do?"
"Sister Camilla, I have nothing else to ask of you. I shall not waste your time, and will let you go back to doing His work. Thank you." Zero bows gratefully to the spirit. Camilla politely returns the gesture.
"And so my service to you is at an end. Walk His path, young one, and remember this. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Camilla fades from sight, much like a candle extinguished. The ravmalakh's words linger in the room after she leaves.
Zero puts the trash can down.
"So...um...what should we do with this?"
Emilio considers the discussion, and winces:
"I'm not so sure about hitting the magician. It feels like a mistake. If she's as good as she sounded, we may be opening ourselves up for more hurt. If she's serious magical security, I'm sure she's thought of the idea of someone coming at her with a gun. I agree though that just letting her come to us when she wants how she wants is bad. So let's give her something else to go after. How about we figure out who all she protects, and trip her alarms on five or eight places at once. Give her lots of things to figure out before she gets around to dealing with us. Maybe if any of us have good mage friends, pay them to summon a spirit to go to other clients and make a ruckus. Don't trash the places, but make a situation she has to deal with. Like she has to destroy the summoned spirit. Maybe just have a spirit run around trip alarms. Either way, make her worry about other stuff. We'd need some data searching to find the clients, which I think would be good. Also, knowing about her other clients will tell us how much of a threat she really is. I would say maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm not sure if that's possible with everyone after us like we have now."
"I'm not so sure about hitting the magician. It feels like a mistake. If she's as good as she sounded, we may be opening ourselves up for more hurt. If she's serious magical security, I'm sure she's thought of the idea of someone coming at her with a gun. I agree though that just letting her come to us when she wants how she wants is bad. So let's give her something else to go after. How about we figure out who all she protects, and trip her alarms on five or eight places at once. Give her lots of things to figure out before she gets around to dealing with us. Maybe if any of us have good mage friends, pay them to summon a spirit to go to other clients and make a ruckus. Don't trash the places, but make a situation she has to deal with. Like she has to destroy the summoned spirit. Maybe just have a spirit run around trip alarms. Either way, make her worry about other stuff. We'd need some data searching to find the clients, which I think would be good. Also, knowing about her other clients will tell us how much of a threat she really is. I would say maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm not sure if that's possible with everyone after us like we have now."
Fleet nod to Emilio's idea.
"That sounds better, actually. Then we don't have to deal with her at all, and maybe she won't take it so personally when we hit the place she's protecting a second time. Rikik, if we give you a physical location and point her out to you, can you hack her 'link and find all the other places she visits regularly? We've got enough magic to check them for wards, and then the mages can trigger them all at once."
"That sounds better, actually. Then we don't have to deal with her at all, and maybe she won't take it so personally when we hit the place she's protecting a second time. Rikik, if we give you a physical location and point her out to you, can you hack her 'link and find all the other places she visits regularly? We've got enough magic to check them for wards, and then the mages can trigger them all at once."
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