Friday June 14th, 2075 1750, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle


The woman laughs and nods her head. "Why bless you, Miss Cynthia. And do you feel the same way, Miss Sandy and Miss Claudia?" At their nods, the woman smiles again. "Well then, of course we can put out the word. It might take a bit for all the folks in the area to learn that, but we will as try. I hope that a tip of the hat and a nod might suffice, then?"

Her husband nods to the children and they hustle the carriage through the large open doors of the stable and Brent turns to you, tipping his hat. "The carriage will as be waiting for you to return, Misses. Now, please excuse me as I need to make sure the carriage is unhitched proper like." He turns and walks off to the stable, giving his wife a gentle kiss as he passes her. The woman pats her stomach and nods to the three of you before turning towards the small attached house.

Claudia shakes her head. "OK. Is anyone else still finding this all a bit, no, really weird? I had thought I had seen what I could expect but it just keeps getting more. What is going on here? And it is like the people living here do not see any of the changes. In the best way I know how to say, W.....T.....F?"

[Cynthia Rawson - 17:50, Friday June 14th, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1060

Cynthia seemed really relieved. She smiled tightly "I'm not asking anyone to be rude. Just less..." She waved her hand "Less. Thank you."

She nodded when the two left, then sighed and shook her head "Oh, they see the changes just fine. Garner told us as much for example. As for the rest... No idea. I was kinda hoping he had to bring the carriage back and hoped we'd warn when we needed it, but with it being here..." She grimaced "That's going to require some time to get used to all that..."

She paused, pensive. After a minute, she said "I think the main problem is that not only is it weird but more than that, it's so much, and...we didn't do anything to earn any of it. All of it came from us simply asking if they had something to rent and that's all."

She shook her head "Alright, let's not think about it for a while, let's go." She started to walk in the direction of the gate, then turned around abruptly "Right, Renee first."

Friday June 14th, 2075 1752, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle


As you step away from the stable and onto the main road, the first thing that strikes you, and Sandy, is that the town seems a bit larger. There is a feedlot store and an assay agent that you do not remember seeing before, as well as several additional houses and what appears to be a second street off behind the first. It is a short walk to Renee's.

[Cynthia Rawson - 17:52, Friday June 14th, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1061

Cynthia stopped. She exchanged a glance with Sandy, then rubbed her eyes for a second before checking again "Is it just me or..." Noticing that there weren't any changes - or that they didn't go away - she grumbled "Well, the good news is, the house isn't any weirder than the town. Bad news..." She shook her head "Either I'm completely crazy, interned in some mental institution after a hack gone wrong, or... A town that grows by itself... No one would believe that..."

She laughed grimly "And I was worried I would get to the bottom of what the house has hidden some day... Well, even if I do, there'll still be the town itself..." She sighed, then walked into Renee's to see if some other stuff than what she was wearing at the moment - and what she had in the evening - was ready.

Friday June 14th, 2075 1752, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle


Sandy just shakes her head and grips your hand a bit tighter. "I would be laying in the same psych ward as you if that is the case."

Renee welcomes you with open arms. "Thank you so much for all of the new business, Misses. All of your staff have been here to gt something made, and I have brought on additional help to handle everything. And I have some clothes that might fit, including some for Miss Claudia, although that would require a fitting. Do you have time?"

[Cynthia Rawson - 17:52, Friday June 14th, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1062

Cynthia looked suspiciously at Claudia, nudging Sandy. She pretended to whisper "Maybe she's the nurse then."

At Renee's, Cynthia seemed almost disappointed, grumbling "Damn, and here I thought everything came from the house." Louder, she answered "No problem. The house pays for it though, we can't really take credit for that." She thought about the question for a second or two, then said "Maybe ten minutes? It's not a lot I know but we're expected and...well...we already got delayed a bit..." Given the slight red appearing on her cheeks, one could guess at the nature of the delay...

Friday June 14th, 2075 1754, Renee's, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle


Renee smiles. "Ten minutes is more than I will need. We can do a better fitting when you have the time." She has Claudia strip as naked as you had been, which serves to embarrass the other girl about as much as it did you. Still, she is dressed a bit similarly to you in less than ten minutes. As she works, Renee talks. "Now Miss Cynthia and Miss Sandy, I have some clothes for you that I will be sending up to the house. You be sure to let me know if you are not satisfied with anything, here?"

[Cynthia Rawson - 17:54, Friday June 14th, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1063

Cynthia seemed amused at Claudia's discomfort. Well, until she realised it wasn't really nice, since Claudia hadn't been the one to shamelessly watch after all. She seemed quite relieved to hear about clothes arriving home soon "Great. It's no problem wearing those twice in a row, but tomorrow would have been stretching it a bit."

Once they were all set for Claudia, they went to the parking lot where the car was parked. She had planned talking to Sophie at some point, but it had to wait. They were already late enough as it was...

Friday June 14th, 2075 1759, Renee's, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle


There are a few people on the road, even some that are clearly tourists to the town. The three of you fit right in with the period as you walk to the arch. The deputy there is giving directions to a tourist family, but he does tip his hat and smile at you as you walk by and motions to where a long Rolls limo is parked before going back to the tourists.

The driver steps out of the car and nods at the three of you. "Good evening. My name is Alphonse and I will be driving you this evening. Do you have anywhere you would like to stop at before heading off to Lady Marisart's hotel?"

[Cynthia Rawson - 17:59, Friday June 14th, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1064

As she walked, Cynthia mostly ignored the tourists, barely even seeing them. She nodded to the deputy (but maybe it was that she nodded in the direction she knew the deputy would be?)., and came to a bit of an abrupt stop when they reached the car. She seemed a bit confused for a second then "Uh... Hi. Sorry for the delay..." and with a glance to the other two girls, she shook her head "Uh, well, I don't?"

She doubted the other two would, but let them answer the question by themselves. After that, she got into the limo, mumbling something about two days in a row. She settled down pretty fast then, looking pensive.

Friday June 14th, 2075 1805, Leaving Cajun Town, Seattle


Neither of the other two have anywhere to stop and Alphonse assists you all in getting into the large car. He points out a small refrigerator and some bottles of wine in a rack, as well as the controls to the sound system. "The road is mostly clear right now and we should be at the hotel in less than an hour. I will send a message ahead that you are in the car."

When he is satisfied that you are safely inside, he shuts the door and moves to the driver's compartment. This Rolls Royce Silver Phaeton is pretty much the standard for luxury limousines and comes with amenities that many other limos do not. The console between the rear seats has controls for climate settings, various parts of the entertainment system, the bar, and more. The seats are genuine leather and the woodwork is real rosewood and mahogany. You do not even hear the engine as the car pulls away from the curb. Claudia looks around and shakes her head. "This is the real thing. I have been in one before, but only a couple of times. Just who IS this person we are going to see?"

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:05, Friday June 14th, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1065

"Hmm?" Cynthia came back from wherever she was "Tanya." She shrugged "She probably didn't even pause to consider that a taxi would work just as well as a limo. And since she's loaded enough, she doesn't have to think about it." she frowned "Though maybe we should remind her that it's not exactly discreet and that we'd like to avoid drawing attention to us..." She grumbled "To which she'd probably reply that the mercenaries are looking for poor teenage girls in Seattle, and not crazy rich young ladies on the outskirts of town." She grumbled some more "We can try to argue, but... She'd probably be right. Maybe she won't think about it though."

She shook her head "Oh by the way, were you able to get somewhere regarding those FBI agents yet? If you had a sprite on it anyway, otherwise I'm not expecting a miracle. Even if it would be welcome?" She cocked an eyebrow at that.

Friday June 14th, 2075 1807, Limo Heading Downtown, Seattle


Claudia blushes. "I have been so busy that I have not checked with Millicent yet. Hold on." After a couple of minutes, she shakes her head. "So far she only has the same surface information you had, but she is still digging. She was quick to let me know that she has only been at the job a few hours and do I really expect miracles. Do you ever have issues with cheeky sprites? I don't know, but it seems that Millicent, and the others, are getting a bit more independent lately."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:07, Friday June 14th, Limo, Seattle streets, Seattle] #1066

"Cheeky sprites? Isn't that their natural state?" Cynthia grimaced, amused "I don't think I noticed anything specific no. Though I've been rather busy in the last few days and didn't really have time for some heavy contemplation of the behaviour of my sprites..."

She shrugged "Alright, no miracles it is then." for a minute, Cynthia did nothing specific, but then reconstructed the university: she hadn't had any answer to her question about virtual meeting, so she proposed 16:00 on the next day. It would be close, but with her doctor appointment in the morning, and since she had to see Paige at 15:00, she couldn't really do it before that. And even then, they'd have to be quick with Paige...

Friday June 14th, 2075 1807, Limo Heading Downtown, Seattle


At this time of day, all you get from the university is a return message indicating that your was received and that someone would get back to you on the next business day, which, of course, is Monday.

Sandy is rooting around in the bar and grabs a bottle of cold water then asks if anyone else would like one.

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:08, Friday June 14th, Serenity, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1067

Cynthia grumbles after the university. Had they answered her message earlier... She sighed. When Sandy proposed some water, she shook her head. She had drunk more than enough while they were "interviewing" after all, and didn't feel the need to drink again.

She glanced at Claudia, then looked at Sandy "Did you explain to her the house's...weird...things..?"

Friday June 14th, 2075 1807, Limo Heading Downtown, Seattle


Both girls nod and Sandy smiles. "At least I told her about them, even if I could not really explain it. Maybe you can do better."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:08, Friday June 14th, In the Limo, Seattle streets, Seattle] #1068

Cynthia seemed about to try for a second, but she shook her head instead "Probably not. Plus, seeing is believing in this case any way."

After a second or two, she completely changed the subject to ask "If we're going to New York next week, is there stuff you need?"

Friday June 14th, 2075 1808, Limo Heading Downtown, Seattle


Claudia shrugs her head. "Are we wearing these clothes? If so, we might be good. If not, I have nothing to wear except what I had on when you brought me to the house."

Sandy nods. "You know, I almost feel like we should wear this. Not sure why, but it just feels right."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:08, Friday June 14th, In the Limo, Seattle streets, Seattle] #1069

"Well..." When she had asked about stuff to bring, Cynthia had been thinking of tools, gadgets, maybe even weapons...but she hadn't thought at all about clothes. Still, it probably was a good question "I suppose we can for most of it, assuming we have enough by then. In some cases though we'll need something more discreet, which this is definitely not." she paused, grimacing slightly "We might even need to bring the dresses, in case we need to go to one of those evenings again... When we go to Bogota after that though, we'll need more...usual...clothes though. There's no way we'd be fine with this." she shrugged "But we'll be able to buy that in New York and send the other clothes back home easily." she frowned then "I hope none of the maids follows us there... They're more attached to the house than us though, right?"

Friday June 14th, 2075 1808, Limo Heading Downtown, Seattle


Both of the others go silent and all three of you look at each other when you mention the maids. Claudia is the first to speak. "I would think so, but this is all so crazy that I do not know. I guess we will find out."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:08, Friday June 14th, In the Limo, Seattle streets, Seattle] #1070

"I suppose..." Cynthia shook her head. Maybe they should keep their plans to themselves until the very last minute. To be sure... After a minute, she asked Claudia "Have you ever met Dissonant Sprites? Or do you have any idea if they have a specific weakness or something that could help against them? With the two of us and our sprites we could probably take the two I saw, but it would probably be dangerous, and we'd have no way to do it stealthily I think..."

Friday June 14th, 2075 1809, Limo Heading Downtown, Seattle


Claudia's eyes go wide. "You have seen them, too? Frag, I thought I was making it up or something. My sprite friends have been reporting "bad sprites" for a year or so now. Nothing much, just that there are some. We might be able to take one or two down, but, yes, I think it would be noisy and perhaps messy. I am not sure I want to risk losing a friend, sprite or human, until I know more. Do you have an idea?"

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:09, Friday June 14th, In the Limo, Seattle streets, Seattle] #1071

"For a year? Uh..." Cynthia shook her head "Only saw two yesterday, protecting the Yaks lieutenant I'm really interested in. Two of those, so between you and our sprites, we could take them. Except... I've never compiled my Sprites that powerful. I think I could come close easily, but for more..." she grimaced "That would hurt..."

She sighed "So no, I don't have any good idea for now. Especially considering that I want the stuff inside the Yaks 'link... I wonder if he's the Grand Marquis..." For the remainder of the journey, Cynthia looked by the window, pensive. Trying to find a solution to that problem.

Friday June 14th, 2075 1851, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


The limousine pulls up to the main lobby entrance of the Gates Undersound Hotel and a valet immediately opens the door and assists you out, welcoming you to the hotel. Several people standing near the entrance give the three of you a once over, some looking more than once. A uniformed doorman opens the wide dontrance door as you walk up and tips his hat to you. The lobby is huge and takes up the first three floors of the hotel, with sweeping stairways that lead to several observation spots where guests can look out over Puget Sound. The motif of the decor is the sea and the carved pillars that reach to the ceiling, as well as the walls, reflect that theme.

Monique is waiting just inside the entrance. "Good evening, ladies. Welcome to the Gates. I am to escort you to Lady Marisart's suite." She nods to Claudia. "You must be Claudia, I am Monique, Lady Marisart's personal maid. It is nice to make your acquaintance."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:51, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1072

When they reached their destination, Cynthia thanked the driver and the valet, and enters the hotel. With a little snort when she noticed the amount of attention they were getting, she said "See what I meant by 'not discreet'?" She shook her head, grumbling a bit. Inside, she whistled softly muttering something about a nice view, which left some time for Claudia to greet Monique. Then, she greeted the woman with a nod, and said a bit tentatively "Bonsoir, je suis enchantée d'être ici." The accent was...well...it could certainly be improved but the words were there at least.



Good evening, I'm pleased to be here.

Friday June 14th, 2075 1851, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Monique gives you a big smile. {French}"Very good, Cynthia. Thank you."

She looks about at the all of you and nods as she switches back to English. "Please follow me. I should tell you that the private elevators are well secured and you will need an escort to use them, coming or going."

Monique leads you through the lobby past the main bank of elevators to a small corridor that leads to a room with three elevators and two armed guards wearing the uniforms of the hotel. They smile at her, and watch as she puts her eye to a receptacle in the wall, not relaxing until the light goes green. She smiles as one of the elevators opens and ushers you in. The only buttons in the elevator are L, U1, U2, and U3 and Monique pushes the U3. The ride is smooth and quick and the door open onto a plushly carpeted corridor.

Monique steps out of the elevator and leads you down the corridor to a set of double doors marked with the letter "A". She opens the door and ushers you into a large entryway. As she closes the door behind you she holds out a hand. "I will take your shawls unless you want to keep them. Please go through to the living room, where Lady Marisart will join you soon. I will be out to serve drinks in just a minute so please make yourselves comfortable." She takes your shawls and disappears into a large closet to hang them up.

Walking into the huge huge living room that is easily larger than most people's houses, your eyes are immediately brought to the floor to ceiling windows at the far end. The drapes are pulled away, letting you look right out into the Sound. You are completely below the water here, very close to the seabed. Muted lighting out in the water allows you to see a wide variety of fish swimming about. The view is at once both breathtaking and a bit intimidating. The carpet of the living room is a thick pile and is very comfortable. A large fireplace is on the left wall with what has to be one of the longest sofas you have ever seen placed in front of it. Elsewhere around the room are several comfortable chairs arranged in conversation groups.

A large formal dining room is just off to the left. The mahogany table looks like it could easily seat twenty people, although right now there are only five place settings. Besides the openings that lead to the entryway and the dining room, there are four other doors from the living room and another opening that leads to the kitchen, from which you smell some very nice aromas. Fresh cut flowers are skillfully arranged around the room in crystal vases and bowls and the other decorations give off a muted and tasteful declaration of wealth.

Claudia nods and whistles. "Holy................well, something. My mother would prostitute herself for that painting over there and............I guess all I can really say is wow. What a nice place."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:51, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1073

Cynthia grinned slightly, and whispered "I bet you I could hack that thing easily." she grimaced "The guards would be a pain to do more than that though..."

In the suite, she gave one of her two shawl, but kept the one she had on her head, the one hiding the massacre of earlier in the day. And the lack of hair. At first interested by the huge windows, Cynthia took a few steps back, clearly not at ease. She knew it didn't change much but all that water scared her. What happened if there was a problem? She looked for any possible exits and stayed way back.

In the end, she turned away from the windows. It didn't change the fact that they were there, but at least she didn't have to see it. "Hum... Yeah, It's nice." She shrugged, and grinned after a second or two "But you know, the house is probably worth even more. And it's pretty easy to decorate, you just have to think about it. Give it a bit of time, and I'm sure we'll have something at least as nice as this, so you don't have to feel jealous." She winked, amused.

Friday June 14th, 2075 1852, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Sandy is walking about the room while Claudia seems stuck near the windows, just looking out into the water. "Yeah, probably. But what it makes are copies and I bet there is not one copy of anything in this entire room. I took some are classes and I bet these paintings are all originals. Just who is she, Cynthia?"

Before you have a chance to say anything, a voice comes in from one of the doors and Tanya walks into the living room. "Just a small-time thief who had made it big by using her name, her body, and some skills learned over a lifetime of sinful deeds. Plus it does not hurt that I the surviving daughter of a Viscount. So many people are willing to accept true nobility. I have found that the UCAS is just as much into class snobbery as Britain is and that has proved so fortunate to me. Now, how are you three?" She walks up to where Claudia is standing. "You must be Claudia, how do you do? I am Tanya Marisart, but please call me Tanya. You like the view? I cannot get enough of it, myself and often spend hours at a time just looking out there. It is constantly changing and a bit mesmerizing. The master bedroom has similar windows and I can lay in bed and watch everything out there. Fortunately, the windows are all one-way and no one can see in or they would get a good show every once in a while."

Monique comes into the room with a tray of canapes, which she takes around to everyone. Tanya thanks her politely before going to the bar to one side of the fireplace. She turns to look at all of you. "Drinks? I am told that dinner will be in about thirty minutes."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:52, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1074

Cynthia took a couple of the canapés "Thanks, a coke please." Juices were nice and all, but once in a while, going back to one's roots was quite nice too. To Claudia, she said "It's copies if you want copies. But... It can also be whatever you imagine I think." She cocked an eyebrow "I'd be disappointed if you can only imagine copies of stuff..."

She bit into one of her canapés, and grumbled "Now that I think about it, I didn't get to eat too many of those yesterday... Maybe I should require them to send a few, I paid for those after all." She grumbled some more, avoiding looking at the windows all the while, then asked "So, do you have news? I suppose that's why you wanted to see us?"

Friday June 14th, 2075 1852, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Claudia laughs as she remains looking out the window. "Would not do to have two originals of some of these things, Cynthia. It could raise questions we have no answers for."

Tanya fills the drink orders and nods. "Straight to business. Alright, yes, I have some news. Some bad and some worse. The Azzies have closed off all access to Bogota to outsiders and it seems that the Amazonians are considering the same thing. What little news is coming out of there seems to be well controlled and an asset I have on the ground is in hiding, afraid for her life. Her last message out of there was that the city government is in shambles, with the mercenaries in almost total control, but that Aztlan and Amazonian forces were also involved in an effort to "establish control to the lawfully elected officials of the city". It is all crap, in my opinion. Those two nations have been warring over Bogota for a long time and the introduction of the mercenaries just gives them license to go at it. I am concerned about your safety if I try to send you in now, and I frankly am not sure I can trust my normal pipeline."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:52, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1075

Cynthia shrugged "If we take care of business first, we'll be able to enjoy dinner better." she paused, frowning "There's no way Sampson didn't plan for this. While it may come as a surprise to most people, Aztlan and Amazonia's reaction was pretty obvious. So you can bet it doesn't hinder their operations. In fact, it could very well protect them. But it probably also means that they almost certainly have some way to get people in and out for cases like that. Probably not too many people but small groups certainly. So either smugglers or one of the two militaries. Or both for that matter..." She paused thoughtful "Finding out which it is would be interesting. Maybe to hinder their operations, or to use it ourselves. One way or another, we can't let them do as they please but..." she tapped her lips for a second "Given the readiness state of the GM, we at least can be pretty sure we have some time before they're ready to do anything. We don't have to go there today, so there's that."

She grumbled a moment, Finally adding "One way or another, all we're coming back to is that we do not have enough jnfotmation. I'm pretty sure I know one of the board members of the Yaks, and where he is, but that doesn't help as much as one could hope. And I still have no way to find out more about that Grand Marquis dude at the moment. Well, unless we manage to find that smoking gun in New York, and go in the blackmail business." after a small pause, she added "Which isn't a bad idea in fact. We could even start talking to one or both of Luke Franklin's brothers. It may give us some information we do not have at the moment. I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the risks though..."

She walked a bit, pensive for a few seconds, before she reached the windows. She looked outside and...yelped, taking a.step back at the same time. It wasn't particularly loud, but quite noticeable. She quickly turned away and, a bit flustered but trying to hide it, asked "Do you have news about the mercenaries here? Were Spokane, Dog and Steve able to find anything at the location we got Wednesday?"

Friday June 14th, 2075 1854, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Tanya nods at your points. "Good analysis, Cynthia. Yes, I think we need additional information and I agree that some of that can be found in New York. I would still like you to go there, if you are up to it. Now, as to the mercenaries. There seems to be two operations here. One, the group that you were dealing with, the guys that destroyed your house and were killed at the warehouse, is separate from the guys at the warehouse we were at. The first group is skilled, but not nearly as much as the second group." Tanya shrugs her shoulders. "I guess I still need more information about that as well."

"I am still waiting for additional word from Spokane and am tempted to make another strike at that warehouse, but I am not sure that I want to alert them that we are aware of the location."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:54, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1076

"Hum." Cynthia thought about all that for a second then grimaced "The problem is that since we don't want to reveal anything, it really limits our options." After a small pause, she added "There's still the GB and Roger, but that's not easy either. Oh and of course, Renraku's side too. But at this point, I think we can be fairly sure your suitcase is at the warehouse at best. Or with the Yak."

She paused again, a bit longer, then grimaced "No idea what we can do at the moment to be honest..."

Friday June 14th, 2075 1854, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Tanya laughs as she sips from her drink. "Well, I guess that makes more than one of us, then. I am of the opinion that rushing about without a direction is worse than waiting to get more information. How do you really feel about going to New York and following the money?"

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:54, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1077

"I don't mind." Cynthia smiled "Could be interesting even. Claudia proposed her parents' apartment there. We could go... I don't know, on Monday or Friday maybe?" She frowned "But I'm pretty sure none of us have any experience in this kind of things, so don't expect miracles. Following matrix trails, sure, no problem, easy. Following things in the meat world... That'll be a first..." She tapped her lips "Though I'll be contacting someone who should know a lot more than that soon, maybe I'll ask for advice then..." She looked teasingly at Claudia "Well, as soon as she has found the right man anyway. Or woman."

Friday June 14th, 2075 1855, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Tanya nods. "I will leave that up to you when you leave. I can arrange the transportation on fairly short notice, but I would appreciate at least a day or so. So, who is it that Claudia is contacting?"

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:55, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1078

Cynthia snorted derisively "Oh, at the moment, no one, that's the problem." She waved her hand airily, as if she were utterly disappointed by the worst pupil of the class. She grinned and chuckled, then added more seriously "I have a lot of data about parts of the Yaks operations. I think it would be a waste to do nothing with it so I want to hand that to the FBI. But since I want it to be used, and in more productive ways than milking the Yaks for money, I have to be careful of who I choose for that. I narrowed it down to four agents, and Claudia is looking into details about them to pick the best one."

Friday June 14th, 2075 1855, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Claudia gives you a good rendition of a chastised child and nods her head. "Yes, I have not delivered with some information. I could lay the blame at the feet of my investigator, but I am responsible, after all. I have spoken to my investigator sprite and she has agreed to hurry the process along."

[Cynthia Rawson - 18:55, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1079

Cynthia shook her head "Meh, don't worry about it. I won't do anything with it tonight, I have a doctor's appointment in the morning tomorrow, and another one for armours and weapons at 15:00. So at best, I'd take care of it at around 16:00, assuming we avoid that trek in the swamp. That leaves you at least that long, and if you don't have anything at that point..." She shrugged "Not the end of the world and I can always help anyway."

Friday June 14th, 2075 1920, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Claudia gives you a smile and a nod then walks back to look out the windows. Sandy stays with Tanya and engages her in small talk. After a bit, Monique comes back into the room wearing a pair of oven mitts and an apron and announces that dinner is served. As Tanya ushers the three of you into the dining room, Monique removes the mitts and apron , placing them on the back of an unused chair. Tanya takes a seat at the head of the table and motions for the rest to find a seat .

"So, what have you prepared for us this evening, Monique?"

"Orange duck and wild rice, My Lady."

"One of my favorites. Thank you, cherie."

Monique takes the last seat available after the three of you have sat down and motions for everyone to dig in. Monique may not be quite at Sophie's level, but she could probably get a job in just about any five-star restaurant. The meal is delicious, the wine at a perfect temperature, and the conversation kept to non-business topics during the meal.

[Cynthia Rawson - 19:20, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1080

When it was time to chose a place around the table, Cynthia made a quick decision, and took a chair with her back to the windows. She didn't want to be reminded they were under the sea level. While she seemed to enjoy the dinner however, it became quite clear she wasn't used to smalltalk, but she seemed content to just listen. There were only two topics for which she'd act otherwise: Matrix Games and Astronomy.

For games, she wouldn't say too much, but it was pretty obvious she had tried a lot of the current offer, and moat of the main stream games before she settled on her love of the moment which was Mars: the Apocalyspe. The hardcore rule, the settings, the mysteries and the freedom of actions were just doing it for her.

The topic she would the most freely talk about though would be Astronomy. Not only because she liked the thing, but also because it was dream material. If pressed a bit, she'd say one of her project/dream was to build and send to orbit her space telescope. She had plenty of ideas regarding that (even some preliminary blueprints) and she was pretty sure she'd be able to do it relatively easily...assuming she found some way to get the mirrors done. And someone who would know how to get from a blueprint to the real stuff. For the mirrors, she had an idea: she had heard that some Mages were able to shape matter. Maybe she could pay one of those to make her the most perfect mirrors possible? She just didn't know if they could reach nanometers precision.
As for the building itself she intended to get help from some sprites. She was pretty sure some of them would be really interested - and able - to help, but...up to now she hadn't had the possibility to try it. While she didn't say so, it was obvious she hoped Sandy would be able to help with that. And maybe to "pilot" the rocket to its destination.
She was perfectly aware she wouldn't be able to compete against the best telescopes out there, but the simple idea that it would be her telescope, that she would be seeing things through something that was hers and made herself, plus the simple fact that she'd be able to point the mirrors wherever she wanted...

Friday June 14th, 2075 2029, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


Tanya had perked up a bit when the topic of trideo games had come up. "Mars: The Apocalypse", huh? Didn't we discuss that a few days ago? I have it loaded on the console, if you want to pull it up after dinner"

She gives you a look for a moment when you bring up the topic of astronomy, then says, "The man who runs the Seattle Observatory is a close friend of mine. Would you like me to make an introduction for you? I think he might be interested in your project and could at least give you some ideas of where to go and who to talk to about getting it off the ground."

[Cynthia Rawson - 20:29, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1081

"Well, since its a pure VR game, I'm not sure how interesting it would be to watch me play..." Cynthia shrugged "But sure."

At the mention of the Seattle Observatory, Cynthia cocked an eyebrow "Is there anyone you do not know in the city? But sure. Maybe he knows someone who could take care of the mirrors. The rocket stuff is pretty easy, and almost everything can be done easily by 3D-printing the components - there are some awesome printers able to do that, and it's not that expensive, the fuel isn't an issue at all, everything would be perfectly legal, so the only true chokepoints are the mirrors and the assembly of all that." she paused, then added "Though I suppose I should build a small version of the rocket and the payload to test things out. And maybe get a Host..."



Note that we already talked about Mars with Tanya here. Sorry, I should have linked that before.

Friday June 14th, 2075 2029, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle


"Ah, but I have the update that allows for multi-player interaction, so we should be able to play together Let me know if you are interested."

Tanya laughs at your comment and shakes her head. "I hope not. I have tried very hard to get to know the important movers and shakers in the sprawl and I think I have done quite well in that regard. If you like, I can send a note to Professor Green and ask if he can spare some time for you." She sits and listens to your thought process, smiling as Sandy puts a hand on your arm.

[Cynthia Rawson - 20:29, Friday June 14th, Gates Undersound Hotel, Downtown, Seattle] #1082

Focused as she was, Cynthia barely noticed Sandy's hand on her arm. Which was probably why she didn't blush this time "I wouldn't have thought the observatory's boss would be a 'mover and shaker' around here..." she paused, frowning "I'm not sure we'll have all that much time, my agenda tends to fill faster than I can get things done lately..." She shrugged "But sure, it doesn't hurt to see if he'd agree to talk."

She tapped her lips "I could have the specifications I want...or would like to have at any rate... pretty easily. I just need to take a couple of hours to work on that. I'll see what I can prepare." And apparently...she was going to do just that on the spot...

Friday June 14th, 2075 2240, Cajun Town, Seattle


A gentle touch on your arm and Sandy's voice brings you back from your design process just as you are almost done. "Hey, Cynthia, we're here. Are you OK to walk?"

Looking around, you find yourself standing outside the archway to Cajun Town with both of your friends looking at you with concern. "You have been sort of lost for a couple of hours. Tanya had said to let you work, but Claudia and I were getting a bit worried."

[Cynthia Rawson - 22:40, Friday June 14th, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1083

"Oh yeah, I'm almost..." Cynthia blinked a few times in surprise, looking around. She seemed...confused...then a bit scared. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, before finally managing to say "What the... How the... It's..." She inhaled deeply, rubbing her neck "Wow... How did that happen... Losing track of time when I'm playing or in the Matrix, sure, but that..." She looked at her legs "I don't even remember getting in the car nor getting out of it..."

She looked down "Sorry... It's... Wow..." She shook her head, obviously confused and disturbed.

Friday June 14th, 2075 2240, Cajun Town, Seattle


Sandy nods. "Yeah, we noticed. You were sort of zoned out there. I was really worried for a bit, but Claudia said you were probably off with your sprites and after that I was only partly worried. We got you to the car alright, but I thought it would be best if you were not seen walking like a zombie through the town. I got Claudia to agree and, well, here we are. Are you alright?"

The care and concern seems to be quite sincere.

[Cynthia Rawson - 22:40, Friday June 14th, Cajun Town, Seattle] #1084

"Uh, I..." Cynthia grimaced, then shrugged "I suppose I'll be, yeah..." she shook her head "Let's get home."

Cynthia walked silently, obviously disturbed. Had she been lying on a bed or a sofa, playing a game, or looking stuff on the Matrix, she wouldn't have minded losing her sense of time. Hell, it had happened often enough in the past. But here, they had been talking... Frag, how many things had she had to do to get from there to here without even realising it!? That was freaky as hell, and quite a bit disconcerting.

She rubbed her eyes, and sent a short message >>Tanya [Cynthia]: I don't know what happened, but that was rude of me, sorry...<< At least she was almost done, she even found some pretty interesting blueprints and design concepts. Of course, She had needed to scale them down quite a bit, Which required some tests to make sure everything was alright, but...she was mostly done. The main issue now, as before, would be the mirrors. That would be pretty difficult to get...