<<Tuesday Morning - February 14, 2079 - Touristville, Redmond>>
It's Tuesday morning. Jawsey has been gone a few days and the general mood and has been down and unenergetic since he left. It doesn't help that the weather is cold and grey, with a damp fog that hangs in the air and lets the chill dig into your bones. It's good weather to stay indoors with a mug of tea and the trid on. The airwaves are plastered with advertisements for Valentines' Day, which do a good job of making you feel bad about your single status. There's a Horizon advertisement that's especially heart-wringing. Nice work, marketers.
The Sixth Word is being its usual unpredictable self. Ghostwalker has claimed the FRFZ as his own and has given notice that any foreign national who does not swear fealty to him - UCAS, CAS, Sioux, Aztec, etc. - will be evicted. Mato's been following the news closely, perhaps to distract himself from Jawsey being gone.
"This is nuts," he comments to no one in particular. "The Azzies brought down Sirrurg 4.5 years ago so they've got to be thinking it can be done again. But you have to figure that Ghostwalker knows that and has a plan to counter it." He shakes his head, not being an intellect that can compete at the level of dragons.
A call comes in to SIS for Razak:
<<Got the update about Guujaw Thompson. I've been reviewing your YTD financials. Impressive. You've established yourselves and now have the cash flow to expand.>>
<<I will send a couple assets your way. They should complement your existing skillsets and help fill the void left by Mr. Thompson. Integrate them as you see fit. I'll send you their dossiers.>>
<<Steesu Pandey goes by 'Tamarind'. She's a drone operator and should admirably fill that gap in the agency.>>
<<Rachel Moore goes by 'Raven'. She's been operating independently for quite a while, often in honey pot scenarios. She can help fill any social and summoning gaps now that Mr. Thompson has moved on.>>
<<Send me a status report at the end of the month with their progress.>>
Full Version: The Found Arcana - Eighth Interlude [IC]
@Tamarind
A message comes in from Razak in response to Tamarind's inquiry about options.
<<As you know, Ghostwalker has dropped the guillotine in Denver. The UCAS and CAS think it's a feint and the Azzies are gearing up to fight. However, my Pueblo colleagues and I agree that it's not a bluff. We're pulling our assets out immediately and ordering them to stay out for their own good. The UCAS has constitutional protections against self-incrimination but Ghostwalker has no such limitations. We have first-hand accounts of mind-probe interrogations with messy results. The lucky ones are expelled; the unlucky ones are disappeared. Rumor has it that Ghostwalker is eating them, which is a common intimidation tactic among dragons. Intel says that dragon metabolism isn't rapid enough to account for everyone rumored to be eaten, so we're taking these rumors with a grain of salt.>>
It's tough to tell if Razak is serious or is being amusing.
He sends you some coordinates. It's an address in Seattle, in Redmond specifically but not far from the border with Bellevue.
<<I need you here. There's an agency called Seattle Investigative Services. They're expecting your visit. Consider them your home away from home until we get this Denver situation sorted out. No need to live in your van: there will be a roof over your head and a paycheck in it for you.>>
~~~~~
@Raven
It's Valentines' Day, which is a complicated day for Raven. It's actually a pretty good day to pick up a lonely heart, although they tend to be depressed and maudlin and not as much fun. Either that or they want to immediately get married.
There's a buzz on her commlink. First she thinks it's an old flame looking for a booty call, but it turns out to be Captain Razak.
<<I have a line on something for you>> he says. <<Should be a good fit with your skillset.>>
He sends an address, which is in Touristville.
<<There's an investigative agency running out of Redmond. They've established themselves financially and are ready to expand. I know you like your comforts; they should be able to keep you housed, clothed, and fed.>>
<<Their resident mage just relocated. No, that's not a euphemism for something worse; he really did move. Now that he's gone, the remaining elements are the ones who have a harder edge to them. I need you to be the velvet glove for their iron fist. They'll be accustomed to less-traditional working arrangements. Should suit your personal patterns nicely.>>
<<They'll be expecting you.>>
A message comes in from Razak in response to Tamarind's inquiry about options.
<<As you know, Ghostwalker has dropped the guillotine in Denver. The UCAS and CAS think it's a feint and the Azzies are gearing up to fight. However, my Pueblo colleagues and I agree that it's not a bluff. We're pulling our assets out immediately and ordering them to stay out for their own good. The UCAS has constitutional protections against self-incrimination but Ghostwalker has no such limitations. We have first-hand accounts of mind-probe interrogations with messy results. The lucky ones are expelled; the unlucky ones are disappeared. Rumor has it that Ghostwalker is eating them, which is a common intimidation tactic among dragons. Intel says that dragon metabolism isn't rapid enough to account for everyone rumored to be eaten, so we're taking these rumors with a grain of salt.>>
It's tough to tell if Razak is serious or is being amusing.
He sends you some coordinates. It's an address in Seattle, in Redmond specifically but not far from the border with Bellevue.
<<I need you here. There's an agency called Seattle Investigative Services. They're expecting your visit. Consider them your home away from home until we get this Denver situation sorted out. No need to live in your van: there will be a roof over your head and a paycheck in it for you.>>
~~~~~
@Raven
It's Valentines' Day, which is a complicated day for Raven. It's actually a pretty good day to pick up a lonely heart, although they tend to be depressed and maudlin and not as much fun. Either that or they want to immediately get married.
There's a buzz on her commlink. First she thinks it's an old flame looking for a booty call, but it turns out to be Captain Razak.
<<I have a line on something for you>> he says. <<Should be a good fit with your skillset.>>
He sends an address, which is in Touristville.
<<There's an investigative agency running out of Redmond. They've established themselves financially and are ready to expand. I know you like your comforts; they should be able to keep you housed, clothed, and fed.>>
<<Their resident mage just relocated. No, that's not a euphemism for something worse; he really did move. Now that he's gone, the remaining elements are the ones who have a harder edge to them. I need you to be the velvet glove for their iron fist. They'll be accustomed to less-traditional working arrangements. Should suit your personal patterns nicely.>>
<<They'll be expecting you.>>
"Look everyone, Razzamatazz isn't done playing with us yet.". Tamarind shared the message those of her drones who were awake. "And naturally he comes through three hours after we rented this garage for the rest of the month, he wouldn't really be a man if he could be relied on, could he?". After a moment she admitted " that was sloppy speech, he can be relied on to further his own schemes and to be inscrutable, and for all I know to clean the soycaff maker. Just not relied upon to work to my convenience."
She continued cleaning and polishing her friends for a while, then wrapped a long burgundy and white knit scarf around Toothless's forecasters "I know you aren't used to the damp, it was colder in theFRFZ, but Seattle has such a damp cold." Stitch had already taped on his Everett Giants ball cap, but she did add a matching cuff to his arm and admired how jaunty he looked.
Finally all was to her satisfaction in the van. She climbed out double check that everything was neat in the bachelor apartment that had been created from the room over the garage, then finally they headed off to what these new prospective team-mates were like.
++++++++
She continued cleaning and polishing her friends for a while, then wrapped a long burgundy and white knit scarf around Toothless's forecasters "I know you aren't used to the damp, it was colder in theFRFZ, but Seattle has such a damp cold." Stitch had already taped on his Everett Giants ball cap, but she did add a matching cuff to his arm and admired how jaunty he looked.
Finally all was to her satisfaction in the van. She climbed out double check that everything was neat in the bachelor apartment that had been created from the room over the garage, then finally they headed off to what these new prospective team-mates were like.
++++++++
A quiet, productive, and sad weak.
It has been almost a full month without a high-paying job, and life appeared to become more about the intricacies of Redmond rather than making progress. SIS was safe thanks to the deal with Bellevue computer club that paid enough per month to keep the lights on, and with the occasional detective jobs, they could remain in business. AM is worried about moving to a more expensive location because it would make SIS more fragile and because she does not like it when people change things for her. Even if it is just a UI change for her matrix games, she likes her routines, she feels safe within her routines, and now everything feels changed.
Jawsey is gone; she has a room for herself for an entire week. Technically, Trouble has claimed dibs on Jawsey’s bed, and though he does not actually sleep, he stays on it occasionally when Mato is distanced, and everyone is asleep. A lot of the spirit's life goes by when the metahumans are sleeping. He tries to keep them safe without explicit instruction. AM being a shaman that treats spirits as her equals means that she rarely uses the magical leash to command him, and even when she does, she leaves him a lot of room for interpretation. He is not sure how he feels about that, having room for interpretation means that he is responsible, and Trouble does not want to mess up.
AM wanted to slack down and take off the pace, but she cannot do so. She needs to constantly keep busy and is unsatisfied with how she handled getting marked when hacking Huge’s host. She was careless and too spontaneous, and there was a price. When dealing with bombmakers, mediocrity is dangerous. So she spends a lot of time studying forceful matrix actions in a field named Cybercombat. So far, she has focused on tricking matrix devices to think that she is authorized for some action. Cybercombat was about forcing their hand, especially useful for erasing marks. In the future, if she is marked she will erase the mark and then hide her icon again. If she is fast enough, it is uncertain that the host would be alarmed, and she can finish doing what she was doing and check out rather than run for the hills. More of a meta note to herself, just because she has a small hammer does not mean that any problem is a nail. If they could solve the drone problem by tossing a screwdriver around, perhaps hacking was a needless risk.
She thinks about the last matrix crush and how much chaos it created for all the SINners around them. She was fifteen and happy. She thought they would now understand what it was to have no legal identity and that the Man would fix the glitch and give everyone some SIN. Well, that didn’t happen. Shared sufferings did not bring normative society any closer to the edges. They built a new matrix, and the world stayed pretty much the same - but this time Amy was keeping up on the new Trix and supporting her mother with remote computer jobs. When some SINNer employee felt lazy, Amy did the work for him, and he took all the credit, and she got crumbs. Thinking about the first days causes her to miss her mother, and AM decides to visit and perhaps smuggle her mother to Seattle - not that being SINless here is better and there, but perhaps if they can afford a good enough fake SIN then the old woman can have a good life...
Another pet project that AM was working on changing her body. The realization that Sorcery can allow her not to be the shortest elf in every room and to be considerably stronger and faster suddenly feels very appealing. AM always wanted to be taller, and after Mato was bombed, she felt even more vulnerable than usual. So when AM is not reading about Trix protocols, the (still) short elf reads about what universal magic theory calls quickening. The ability to create stable spells that remain indefinitely without a mage in the loop. Hermetics view it in symmetry; some shapes are more stable than others. Translating these concepts into Shamanism is very hard, and she is reluctant to ask for Iktomi’s help, knowing that pleading for higher powers always has consequences. So she talks with Bobby and with Fenghuang and reads a lot and posts in online forums.
Tamarind Arriving
Trouble is the first to notice Taramind. He quickly notifies AM and checks the new visitor with curiosity. He knows that captain Razak has sent them pieces of information about candidates to fill the void left by Jawsey - but none of these people was even in the right metatype or gender. How can they fill the void Jawsey left in Trouble's immortal soul? Why do friends leave? No, captain Razak did not send them for my emotional needs... I am not sure that he knows about me at all. The captain only cares about SIS and having the right people to do things.
“A penny for your thoughts?” AM thinks at the cat that hovers in the astral around the van, filled with many emotions and thoughts. She does not want to intrude on his privacy. “A woman is coming with a van and drones, but I do not feel like she can fill up the void left by Jawsey.” AM shrugs “Life is pain and disappointments and compromises. Jawsey leaving is just another scar in a soul that was scarred a thousand times before and would be scarred a thousand times more. We will be together as long as I live.” The cat wiggles his tail “I knew you’d say it, but I am happy that you did. You have been distanced for a while.” --- “I get distracted when I am sad.”
AM quickly ensures she is presentable, wearing a grey oversized long-sleeved shirt and black corduroy pants. All very casual, except for the golden spiderweb earrings that she never takes off. Partly because they make her long ears look gorgeous, but mostly because the earings help her with spellcasting. She opens the door and says, “You must be Steesu Pandey; Please come inside! I am Amy, but everyone calls me em. " AM offers to take the woman's coat and then asks, “Do you want some coffee or herbal tea? The rest will be here in a moment.” She gets into the kitchen to make hot drinks and look for cookies and texts >> Mato; Bobby rigger lady is here --- come quick and wear pants. Also, did you finish all the client's cookies? I can’t find any.
It has been almost a full month without a high-paying job, and life appeared to become more about the intricacies of Redmond rather than making progress. SIS was safe thanks to the deal with Bellevue computer club that paid enough per month to keep the lights on, and with the occasional detective jobs, they could remain in business. AM is worried about moving to a more expensive location because it would make SIS more fragile and because she does not like it when people change things for her. Even if it is just a UI change for her matrix games, she likes her routines, she feels safe within her routines, and now everything feels changed.
Jawsey is gone; she has a room for herself for an entire week. Technically, Trouble has claimed dibs on Jawsey’s bed, and though he does not actually sleep, he stays on it occasionally when Mato is distanced, and everyone is asleep. A lot of the spirit's life goes by when the metahumans are sleeping. He tries to keep them safe without explicit instruction. AM being a shaman that treats spirits as her equals means that she rarely uses the magical leash to command him, and even when she does, she leaves him a lot of room for interpretation. He is not sure how he feels about that, having room for interpretation means that he is responsible, and Trouble does not want to mess up.
AM wanted to slack down and take off the pace, but she cannot do so. She needs to constantly keep busy and is unsatisfied with how she handled getting marked when hacking Huge’s host. She was careless and too spontaneous, and there was a price. When dealing with bombmakers, mediocrity is dangerous. So she spends a lot of time studying forceful matrix actions in a field named Cybercombat. So far, she has focused on tricking matrix devices to think that she is authorized for some action. Cybercombat was about forcing their hand, especially useful for erasing marks. In the future, if she is marked she will erase the mark and then hide her icon again. If she is fast enough, it is uncertain that the host would be alarmed, and she can finish doing what she was doing and check out rather than run for the hills. More of a meta note to herself, just because she has a small hammer does not mean that any problem is a nail. If they could solve the drone problem by tossing a screwdriver around, perhaps hacking was a needless risk.
She thinks about the last matrix crush and how much chaos it created for all the SINners around them. She was fifteen and happy. She thought they would now understand what it was to have no legal identity and that the Man would fix the glitch and give everyone some SIN. Well, that didn’t happen. Shared sufferings did not bring normative society any closer to the edges. They built a new matrix, and the world stayed pretty much the same - but this time Amy was keeping up on the new Trix and supporting her mother with remote computer jobs. When some SINNer employee felt lazy, Amy did the work for him, and he took all the credit, and she got crumbs. Thinking about the first days causes her to miss her mother, and AM decides to visit and perhaps smuggle her mother to Seattle - not that being SINless here is better and there, but perhaps if they can afford a good enough fake SIN then the old woman can have a good life...
Another pet project that AM was working on changing her body. The realization that Sorcery can allow her not to be the shortest elf in every room and to be considerably stronger and faster suddenly feels very appealing. AM always wanted to be taller, and after Mato was bombed, she felt even more vulnerable than usual. So when AM is not reading about Trix protocols, the (still) short elf reads about what universal magic theory calls quickening. The ability to create stable spells that remain indefinitely without a mage in the loop. Hermetics view it in symmetry; some shapes are more stable than others. Translating these concepts into Shamanism is very hard, and she is reluctant to ask for Iktomi’s help, knowing that pleading for higher powers always has consequences. So she talks with Bobby and with Fenghuang and reads a lot and posts in online forums.
Tamarind Arriving
Trouble is the first to notice Taramind. He quickly notifies AM and checks the new visitor with curiosity. He knows that captain Razak has sent them pieces of information about candidates to fill the void left by Jawsey - but none of these people was even in the right metatype or gender. How can they fill the void Jawsey left in Trouble's immortal soul? Why do friends leave? No, captain Razak did not send them for my emotional needs... I am not sure that he knows about me at all. The captain only cares about SIS and having the right people to do things.
“A penny for your thoughts?” AM thinks at the cat that hovers in the astral around the van, filled with many emotions and thoughts. She does not want to intrude on his privacy. “A woman is coming with a van and drones, but I do not feel like she can fill up the void left by Jawsey.” AM shrugs “Life is pain and disappointments and compromises. Jawsey leaving is just another scar in a soul that was scarred a thousand times before and would be scarred a thousand times more. We will be together as long as I live.” The cat wiggles his tail “I knew you’d say it, but I am happy that you did. You have been distanced for a while.” --- “I get distracted when I am sad.”
AM quickly ensures she is presentable, wearing a grey oversized long-sleeved shirt and black corduroy pants. All very casual, except for the golden spiderweb earrings that she never takes off. Partly because they make her long ears look gorgeous, but mostly because the earings help her with spellcasting. She opens the door and says, “You must be Steesu Pandey; Please come inside! I am Amy, but everyone calls me em. " AM offers to take the woman's coat and then asks, “Do you want some coffee or herbal tea? The rest will be here in a moment.” She gets into the kitchen to make hot drinks and look for cookies and texts >> Mato; Bobby rigger lady is here --- come quick and wear pants. Also, did you finish all the client's cookies? I can’t find any.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
Little hearts are flying through her field of vision, red roses pop up all around. To be fair, it does look kind of pretty.
"Oh, please, stop!"
Something... someone... is stirring next to her. "Hmm. What? Honey! I havn't done anyth..."
She immediately shuts him off. "Shh! Not you, silly! That darned Horizon advertisement. Must have left my contacts on. How do you shut those things down?"
Grabbing her commlink, she fumbles around with it for a moment. Yes, that works. Phew! Rachel sits up, takes a deep breath and blows some air up across her face and into her hair. The guy next to her certainly enjoys the visuals. What was his name again? Michael?
Feeling a little bad, Rachel purrs in her softest voice: "Good morning! Sorry for that." With a sheepish grin on her face, she leans down and gives him a long kiss as compensation. "I'm gonna take a shower. You wanna come?"
"Good morning! That was nice, Mi...chelle?" Okay, now she isn't feeling bad anymore. "And hell yeah!"
Back at her own apartment, she trades the slinky back dress for her business attire. She wants to look her best, well, in a more business professional way. The coat stays. It's the only one she got that is suitable for the weather.
Razak can be a bit intense, but Rachel does appreciate what he is doing for her. The little jobs can be quite fun, sometimes at least, and they pay better than her usual stuff, and often enough make the difference to actually keeping some change after paying her expenses, at least until she has blown it all on pretty things. She really needs to work on that.
Standing in front of the mirror, she turns left and right and makes sure everything looks great. She looks like one of those federal agents in the trids. Orange-tinted sunglasses and all. Minus the gun, of course. A few deep breaths and a little motivational speech to herself later, she is ready to go.
A cab brings her to the appointed destination.
Standing in front of the building for a moment, she looks around, takes it all in. Then she switches her senses to the astral to get an impression of the place.
Little hearts are flying through her field of vision, red roses pop up all around. To be fair, it does look kind of pretty.
"Oh, please, stop!"
Something... someone... is stirring next to her. "Hmm. What? Honey! I havn't done anyth..."
She immediately shuts him off. "Shh! Not you, silly! That darned Horizon advertisement. Must have left my contacts on. How do you shut those things down?"
Grabbing her commlink, she fumbles around with it for a moment. Yes, that works. Phew! Rachel sits up, takes a deep breath and blows some air up across her face and into her hair. The guy next to her certainly enjoys the visuals. What was his name again? Michael?
Feeling a little bad, Rachel purrs in her softest voice: "Good morning! Sorry for that." With a sheepish grin on her face, she leans down and gives him a long kiss as compensation. "I'm gonna take a shower. You wanna come?"
"Good morning! That was nice, Mi...chelle?" Okay, now she isn't feeling bad anymore. "And hell yeah!"
* * * * *
Back at her own apartment, she trades the slinky back dress for her business attire. She wants to look her best, well, in a more business professional way. The coat stays. It's the only one she got that is suitable for the weather.
Razak can be a bit intense, but Rachel does appreciate what he is doing for her. The little jobs can be quite fun, sometimes at least, and they pay better than her usual stuff, and often enough make the difference to actually keeping some change after paying her expenses, at least until she has blown it all on pretty things. She really needs to work on that.
Standing in front of the mirror, she turns left and right and makes sure everything looks great. She looks like one of those federal agents in the trids. Orange-tinted sunglasses and all. Minus the gun, of course. A few deep breaths and a little motivational speech to herself later, she is ready to go.
A cab brings her to the appointed destination.
Standing in front of the building for a moment, she looks around, takes it all in. Then she switches her senses to the astral to get an impression of the place.
@Thanee Looking astral it is not difficult to notice a black cat-shaped spirit located near the door existing only in the astral (it is too cold and wet). The cat spirit seems to be checking her out, and then when he notices that you can see him he says "Hi, I am Trouble - what is your name?"
[ Spoiler ]
Bobby appeared to be in a pretty bad funk throughout the week - almost every waking moment he spent in the form of a raven. The same form over and over. And apparently, he never slept, instead meditating the need for sleep away while keeping his transformation.
It became a little creepy when he started to greet people entering the living room with a croaked "NEVERMORE".
Even when AM asked to convene the circle to study for her initiation, he stayed in this form, relying on telepathy. At about the end of the week, Trouble and by extension AM noticed a change in Bobby's aura. Now it no longer looked like he was an awakened human, but an awakened raven.
And still he kept to this form - until finally a casual glance in the astral no longer was able to identify his aura as anything else than a healthy corvus, sitting on a table and picking a piece of day old soy-bread apart.
Only when Trouble came in and was about to chase the foreign bird, he finally reverted.
"Yeehaa!" He exclaimed "Praise the trickster, it finally worked." At Mato's irritated look he replied: "Yeah sorry, didn't want to spoil your breakfast - I'll put on some pants."
It became a little creepy when he started to greet people entering the living room with a croaked "NEVERMORE".
Even when AM asked to convene the circle to study for her initiation, he stayed in this form, relying on telepathy. At about the end of the week, Trouble and by extension AM noticed a change in Bobby's aura. Now it no longer looked like he was an awakened human, but an awakened raven.
And still he kept to this form - until finally a casual glance in the astral no longer was able to identify his aura as anything else than a healthy corvus, sitting on a table and picking a piece of day old soy-bread apart.
Only when Trouble came in and was about to chase the foreign bird, he finally reverted.
"Yeehaa!" He exclaimed "Praise the trickster, it finally worked." At Mato's irritated look he replied: "Yeah sorry, didn't want to spoil your breakfast - I'll put on some pants."
The last week.
... and so just when Jawsey leaves, Bobby turns wired and changes semi-permanently into a crow. Praise the Trickster for having such a wonderful sense of humor. SIS turns even more empty and quiet there is Mato, Trouble, and herself - as well as a crazy crow.
She religiously admires Bobby despite the grief it causes her; the man is performing an act of dedication that she is unwilling to perform. Bobby's spiritual connection has grown especially strong these months, and AM begins to wonder if perhaps the man has taken too much power from the spirits and is beginning to lose his grip on humanity. It is a noble sacrifice but still... Yet she tries to be as supportive as she can when he calls his terrible crow cry in the middle of the living room before she has her morning coffee.
Somehow talking to a crow with telepathy is not as satisfying as talking to a person, but Bobby does have some insightful comments and is fun to bounce around. She feels like she just had another ally spirit; no, on second thought, Trouble behaved more human than Bobby did. She smiles every time she sees the annoying Crow - because she is also seeing her totem. If that stunt does not get the Trickster's attention, then nothing does.
That morning
... and So Trouble report that another woman is entering. AM quickly loads her file and curses silently, "Razak sent both of them at the same time?!" she never once interviewed a person, and withhowy Bobby was behaving, leaving a good impression would be tricky. Mato was once a normative person; perhaps he would know what to ask people in an interview. Perhaps he worked somewhere that interviews people. AM feels so out of her element, but she is skilled enough not to let the guests know and asks Troubles if he can keep the other lady occupied for a few moments. So she gets to set up the table, and Mato arrives.
"I hope he wears pants and not feathers." she whispers and as if the Trickster has done her a little courtesy, she finds the cookie box misplaced.
AM would set the table and make tea coffee for the guests, anxious to see her colleagues joining the table and wishing that Razak would have left scheduling a meeting with them rather than drop people on them. Then again, Razak is not to blame - when the Trickster is present things get out of hand.
... and so just when Jawsey leaves, Bobby turns wired and changes semi-permanently into a crow. Praise the Trickster for having such a wonderful sense of humor. SIS turns even more empty and quiet there is Mato, Trouble, and herself - as well as a crazy crow.
She religiously admires Bobby despite the grief it causes her; the man is performing an act of dedication that she is unwilling to perform. Bobby's spiritual connection has grown especially strong these months, and AM begins to wonder if perhaps the man has taken too much power from the spirits and is beginning to lose his grip on humanity. It is a noble sacrifice but still... Yet she tries to be as supportive as she can when he calls his terrible crow cry in the middle of the living room before she has her morning coffee.
Somehow talking to a crow with telepathy is not as satisfying as talking to a person, but Bobby does have some insightful comments and is fun to bounce around. She feels like she just had another ally spirit; no, on second thought, Trouble behaved more human than Bobby did. She smiles every time she sees the annoying Crow - because she is also seeing her totem. If that stunt does not get the Trickster's attention, then nothing does.
That morning
... and So Trouble report that another woman is entering. AM quickly loads her file and curses silently, "Razak sent both of them at the same time?!" she never once interviewed a person, and withhowy Bobby was behaving, leaving a good impression would be tricky. Mato was once a normative person; perhaps he would know what to ask people in an interview. Perhaps he worked somewhere that interviews people. AM feels so out of her element, but she is skilled enough not to let the guests know and asks Troubles if he can keep the other lady occupied for a few moments. So she gets to set up the table, and Mato arrives.
"I hope he wears pants and not feathers." she whispers and as if the Trickster has done her a little courtesy, she finds the cookie box misplaced.
AM would set the table and make tea coffee for the guests, anxious to see her colleagues joining the table and wishing that Razak would have left scheduling a meeting with them rather than drop people on them. Then again, Razak is not to blame - when the Trickster is present things get out of hand.
Tamarind had driven around the area a couple of times, augmenting what she'd found online with an up to date view of the site. Fortunately Touristville hadn't changed in substance since she'd last been flying out deliveries of Saumya's samosas and biryani and other dishes. In fact Saumya's Shack is still there, although not open yet this early in the day.
She doesn't spot any tough hanging around to be bribed to ensure the safety of parked vehicles. Hopefully that means nobody is on the duty of breaking into vehicles that failed to pay the appropriate fee, but she'll check with theses detectives once she is talking to them.
She parks beside the building, then takes a few minutes to store Backbones, Mimic, and all the Harriets into the van's hidden compartment, sends the Pellip sisters out to patrol the skies to look for trouble -- and further update her data-- and puts Beauty in her usual place on her left shoulder. The rest she puts on alert and swarms them to her RCC, booting up the autosofts for maneuvering Stitch and Uncle and the Aunties, Clearsight, and targeting for the tasers some of the drones carried currently.
Security dealt with as best as she could in the circumstances, she locked the van behind her and went to ring the bell at Seattle Investigative Services.
+++++++++
The pretty, and petite, elf who answers the door seems nice, so Tamarind tries to be nice back. "Hello Amy, or Em. Which do you prefer? i am Steesu, which means "corn woman" which I think is a silly name. My usual nickname is Tamarind, which is a lumpy brown fruit that doesn't grow around here."
Gesturing to the shiny chrome pigeon on her shoulder she continues with introductions "and this is Beauty, my primary walking around drone. She is well trained and won't fly around in doors unless invited."
"And yes, I would like some tea. Beauty won't have anything."
She doesn't spot any tough hanging around to be bribed to ensure the safety of parked vehicles. Hopefully that means nobody is on the duty of breaking into vehicles that failed to pay the appropriate fee, but she'll check with theses detectives once she is talking to them.
She parks beside the building, then takes a few minutes to store Backbones, Mimic, and all the Harriets into the van's hidden compartment, sends the Pellip sisters out to patrol the skies to look for trouble -- and further update her data-- and puts Beauty in her usual place on her left shoulder. The rest she puts on alert and swarms them to her RCC, booting up the autosofts for maneuvering Stitch and Uncle and the Aunties, Clearsight, and targeting for the tasers some of the drones carried currently.
Security dealt with as best as she could in the circumstances, she locked the van behind her and went to ring the bell at Seattle Investigative Services.
+++++++++
The pretty, and petite, elf who answers the door seems nice, so Tamarind tries to be nice back. "Hello Amy, or Em. Which do you prefer? i am Steesu, which means "corn woman" which I think is a silly name. My usual nickname is Tamarind, which is a lumpy brown fruit that doesn't grow around here."
Gesturing to the shiny chrome pigeon on her shoulder she continues with introductions "and this is Beauty, my primary walking around drone. She is well trained and won't fly around in doors unless invited."
"And yes, I would like some tea. Beauty won't have anything."
AM says Both names are fine. Looking at the drone, she adds ... and it is nice to meet you too, Beauty; feel free to fly around. We are a bird-friendly home. We often have a Raven wandering in; Perhaps it wants to play , she says, hoping to pull a fast one on Bobby and academically curious how sophisticated the drone's AI is. Leading the woman to their kitchen table, she comments "I grow the tea herbs myself using a grow light. Gives me a part of nature in the city. My colleagues would be right there; in the meanwhile, perhaps you can tell me how did Steesu become Tamarind?
'I am trouble.' Not just you, sweety. Have been called that before as well, Rachel thinks.
"Hello there! Aren't you beautiful. I'm Rachel, but you can call me Raven. How's it going?"
When looking a bit closer, she realizes that this isn't just some spirit hanging around in the neighborhood.
"I suppose, you belong here, then? Should I ring the bell, or will you tell them that I am here?"
"Hello there! Aren't you beautiful. I'm Rachel, but you can call me Raven. How's it going?"
When looking a bit closer, she realizes that this isn't just some spirit hanging around in the neighborhood.
"I suppose, you belong here, then? Should I ring the bell, or will you tell them that I am here?"
[ Spoiler ]
Trouble responds, "I am doing alright! and yes, I live here with my family. I keep them safe and they keep me entertained... Well, most of the time they have this annoying tendency to sleep at the same time. He pauses and then adds, hoping to keep Raven at her place for a moment or two as he enjoys the conversation, and AM suggested he does. Raven is a good name; they are black like me and difficult to hunt. Why do you call yourself Raven?" When she asks about the bell, he says "Oh feel free to announce yourself to the humans. They should almost be ready for you.
[ Spoiler ]
Tamarind tells her friends back in the van <<the first one that I've met seems very nice!>> She tells Beauty <<Stay on my shoulder, this place is a bit small for you to fly in>>
To AM she explains her names "I was working in the motor pool for Sioux Defense Force. I guess Atzlan started growing tamarinds because a visiting colonel from there had brought a bunch up with him, but he wasn't getting a lot of takers on trying them. I was his designated driver and he ended up giving me a bundle of them. I ate one at lunch each day for two weeks, and they were strange enough looking that people made comments about them. I joked that I liked them because they were a small, lumpy, and brown, like me. Really I just liked the variety from the usual army food. But one of the mechanics started calling me 'Tamarind' and it stuck."
"That is exciting that you can grow your own herbs here. I've planted wildflowers, but mostly I was working places that we were trying to make look like they were still abandoned, so I could never plant a real garden."
"Your offices seem very nice. Have you been here long?" Conversations usually go so much better if she can keep other people talking. Far better to ask questions and listen! But maybe detectives would know that same trick? That was a worrying thought.
To AM she explains her names "I was working in the motor pool for Sioux Defense Force. I guess Atzlan started growing tamarinds because a visiting colonel from there had brought a bunch up with him, but he wasn't getting a lot of takers on trying them. I was his designated driver and he ended up giving me a bundle of them. I ate one at lunch each day for two weeks, and they were strange enough looking that people made comments about them. I joked that I liked them because they were a small, lumpy, and brown, like me. Really I just liked the variety from the usual army food. But one of the mechanics started calling me 'Tamarind' and it stuck."
"That is exciting that you can grow your own herbs here. I've planted wildflowers, but mostly I was working places that we were trying to make look like they were still abandoned, so I could never plant a real garden."
"Your offices seem very nice. Have you been here long?" Conversations usually go so much better if she can keep other people talking. Far better to ask questions and listen! But maybe detectives would know that same trick? That was a worrying thought.
"It is, right? You know, most of our names are actually not chosen, but given, but in this case you are correct. It connects me to my family, and I definitely appreciate to be difficult to hunt. Also, black clearly suits me. Most of my clothes are black. Though, some of them are really shiny. Gotta break character occasionally. So, the bell then? Sure."
Rachel steps forward to ring the bell, then takes a step back again.
"I have a friend like you, actually. Well, not quite like you. But she also kept me safe when I most needed it. And I suppose I do keep her entertained. She's a lot more reclusive, though. I hope your family likes me."
Rachel steps forward to ring the bell, then takes a step back again.
"I have a friend like you, actually. Well, not quite like you. But she also kept me safe when I most needed it. And I suppose I do keep her entertained. She's a lot more reclusive, though. I hope your family likes me."
At the ringing of the bell, Bobby huried to find a clean pair of pants. Not having participated in doing laundry for a week was biting him in the hoop right now. He went for a clean, orange button down shirt (magnet buttons for quickly getting out of) and a pair of light blue trainers, giving him the appearance of a color blind new age adherant. Definitely not the best way to make a great impression - especially since there was no time for a shower now and all he could do was apply a healthy dose of sweat-ex and a wet comb through his short hair.
He heard the coffee machine and wondered what message their guests would receive today. For good measure he changed his aura to look like that of a perfectly mundane human.
Only then he sauntered into the small concerence room.
"Good morning", he greeted, "You must be the drone slinger. I'm Bobby. Are you any good with armorer work?" He took a seat, looking at AM for confirmation that he wasn't interrupting anything with his small talk.
He heard the coffee machine and wondered what message their guests would receive today. For good measure he changed his aura to look like that of a perfectly mundane human.
Only then he sauntered into the small concerence room.
"Good morning", he greeted, "You must be the drone slinger. I'm Bobby. Are you any good with armorer work?" He took a seat, looking at AM for confirmation that he wasn't interrupting anything with his small talk.
"Slinger? Not in the sense of loading my drones in a sling or a sling shot, but sometimes 'sling' is used to mean throw, and sometimes I do throw some of them. Actually it is an idea, Uncle might like being launched from a sling shot, I'll have to try it sometime."
She realized that she was going down the proverbial rabbit hole, and changed tack. It is nice to meet you, Bobby. You can call me Steesu or Tamarind. This is Beauty." Touching her drone. "I like your shirt. I'm used to wearing muted colours on the last position that Razama... -- I mean Captain Razak, helped me find. And I'm still in my travel clothes for dealing with border agents and landlords. I haven't done Seattle shopping yet. I'm glad that brighter colours suit this association."
She remembered to ask questions. "Is there a dress code?"
She realized that she was going down the proverbial rabbit hole, and changed tack. It is nice to meet you, Bobby. You can call me Steesu or Tamarind. This is Beauty." Touching her drone. "I like your shirt. I'm used to wearing muted colours on the last position that Razama... -- I mean Captain Razak, helped me find. And I'm still in my travel clothes for dealing with border agents and landlords. I haven't done Seattle shopping yet. I'm glad that brighter colours suit this association."
She remembered to ask questions. "Is there a dress code?"
Mato
Mato is Mato, which is to say that's he's not terribly emotional about Jawsey's departure. A keen eye might detect an extra frown here and there, or perhaps a scowl curling his lips, but he could also be reacting to the news out of Denver, or the proposed prices for his new chrome, or relocation plans for SIS sleeping quarters.
Mato has been up since 0500 so he's showered, shaved, and ready when the call from Razak comes in. He's not wearing a jacket but he has a pair of slacks on and an ironed dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Might as well let them see the chrome and know what they're dealing with, he thinks to himself. His arms are black carbon-fiber-and-titanium cyberarms. His legs are too, not that you can see them through his slacks but they're obvious enough on the astral. He also has cyberears and a bunch of headware, plus an essence hole that doesn't seem to be connected to any obvious ware. He must have had some implants removed recently.
"Razak," he mutters to himself. Razak and Bobby are friendly but the Captain is all business with Mato. Mato files the financials monthly like clockwork and was the one to pass along the report about Jawsey's departure. Mato isn't sure whether he should be feeling grateful for the two referrals or resentful not to have more of a say in the matter. Like it or not, the agency isn't really his nor any of theirs. Razak provided the start-up capital and so now he gets a say in things forevermore.
"I did not eat the client cookies," he says to AM while looking over the dossiers. "I believe the sprite that was affecting our soykaf machine has graduated to our BusyBuddy and may have relocated them in a fit of mischief, praise Iktomi. Check in the cupboard with the cleaning supplies."
He then taps the dossiers, which he holds in his hand.
"These two are good fit on electronic paper. Let's give them a stress test. I'll ask the business questions. AM, you be nice. Bobby... you be yourself."
~~~~~
Tamarind and Raven
SIS HQ was probably a residence back when Redmond was a nice place to live... pre-Crash 50 years ago. There's a garage on the ground floor that's big enough for a single vehicle. There are a few stairs leading up to the front door, and once inside more stairs leading up to the next level. That floor has the living spaces, plus a room that functions as the office. It has a round table big enough for several people and mismatched furniture of varying quality.
Contrary to Tamarind's opinion, it's not particularly nice. It's warm and it's clean-ish, although a discerning eye will detect rude drawings in the dust left by the BusyBudy. Raven might feel a slight wave of dread and could be wondering why Razak thought that it would be up to her standards. The good news is that there's obviously been some maintenance done: all the windows on the street side are brand new, for example. That must be a good sign, right?
Mato is Mato, which is to say that's he's not terribly emotional about Jawsey's departure. A keen eye might detect an extra frown here and there, or perhaps a scowl curling his lips, but he could also be reacting to the news out of Denver, or the proposed prices for his new chrome, or relocation plans for SIS sleeping quarters.
Mato has been up since 0500 so he's showered, shaved, and ready when the call from Razak comes in. He's not wearing a jacket but he has a pair of slacks on and an ironed dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Might as well let them see the chrome and know what they're dealing with, he thinks to himself. His arms are black carbon-fiber-and-titanium cyberarms. His legs are too, not that you can see them through his slacks but they're obvious enough on the astral. He also has cyberears and a bunch of headware, plus an essence hole that doesn't seem to be connected to any obvious ware. He must have had some implants removed recently.
"Razak," he mutters to himself. Razak and Bobby are friendly but the Captain is all business with Mato. Mato files the financials monthly like clockwork and was the one to pass along the report about Jawsey's departure. Mato isn't sure whether he should be feeling grateful for the two referrals or resentful not to have more of a say in the matter. Like it or not, the agency isn't really his nor any of theirs. Razak provided the start-up capital and so now he gets a say in things forevermore.
"I did not eat the client cookies," he says to AM while looking over the dossiers. "I believe the sprite that was affecting our soykaf machine has graduated to our BusyBuddy and may have relocated them in a fit of mischief, praise Iktomi. Check in the cupboard with the cleaning supplies."
He then taps the dossiers, which he holds in his hand.
"These two are good fit on electronic paper. Let's give them a stress test. I'll ask the business questions. AM, you be nice. Bobby... you be yourself."
~~~~~
Tamarind and Raven
SIS HQ was probably a residence back when Redmond was a nice place to live... pre-Crash 50 years ago. There's a garage on the ground floor that's big enough for a single vehicle. There are a few stairs leading up to the front door, and once inside more stairs leading up to the next level. That floor has the living spaces, plus a room that functions as the office. It has a round table big enough for several people and mismatched furniture of varying quality.
Contrary to Tamarind's opinion, it's not particularly nice. It's warm and it's clean-ish, although a discerning eye will detect rude drawings in the dust left by the BusyBudy. Raven might feel a slight wave of dread and could be wondering why Razak thought that it would be up to her standards. The good news is that there's obviously been some maintenance done: all the windows on the street side are brand new, for example. That must be a good sign, right?
Inside
AM is thrilled that Mato knows how to interview. She nods to Tamarind's story when she asks about the dress code. The small woman responds , "No dress code, but you have to be dressed. We have a walk-in client every few days. Sometimes we need to visit places and try to look like we belong there." With all the shapechanging Bobby has been up to recently - being dressed was not strictly a requirement, but a job interview was a poor time to mention the oddities. AM braces for accepting the mage wrapping her head as to how that would go with two of them simultaneously. Job interviews in TV did not go like that, but they did not have many interviews in the trids.
Outside
The black cat response Your friend sounds awesome! Is she a cat? When Raven comments about his family, Trouble responds What not to like? and does the astral equivalence of a smile.
AM is thrilled that Mato knows how to interview. She nods to Tamarind's story when she asks about the dress code. The small woman responds , "No dress code, but you have to be dressed. We have a walk-in client every few days. Sometimes we need to visit places and try to look like we belong there." With all the shapechanging Bobby has been up to recently - being dressed was not strictly a requirement, but a job interview was a poor time to mention the oddities. AM braces for accepting the mage wrapping her head as to how that would go with two of them simultaneously. Job interviews in TV did not go like that, but they did not have many interviews in the trids.
Outside
The black cat response Your friend sounds awesome! Is she a cat? When Raven comments about his family, Trouble responds What not to like? and does the astral equivalence of a smile.
"A cat? I do not know that, actually. She might very well be. But I have never seen her. As I said, she is pretty reclusive. Ah, the door opens. Guess that's me. Thank you for the nice welcome! You brightened my day, already."
With that, Rachel steps inside. Then she waits and looks around. She wrinkles her nose a little bit and wonders if this would be a step up or a step down from where she currently is. But she does trust Razak and so she embraces the thought that this is her first step into a better life.
With that, Rachel steps inside. Then she waits and looks around. She wrinkles her nose a little bit and wonders if this would be a step up or a step down from where she currently is. But she does trust Razak and so she embraces the thought that this is her first step into a better life.
AM answers the door and says Hi there! Welcome to SIS. You must be Rachel Moore like the captain promised. Common in, have a seat. Once she seats, AM says I am Amy or AM for short. Can I offer you some coffee or perhaps herbal tea? We also have okay chocolate-flavored cookies if you want.
AM is a short elf (160 cm) wearing oversized male clothes that obscure most of her athletic body and make people focus more on her face.
She is currently wearing a grey oversized long-sleeved shirt and black corduroy pants, which seem rather homey. She has green eyes and short blond hair, which is still moist from a recent shower. Her long pointy ears are decorated with elaborate golden spiderweb earrings.
Aura: She has no augmentations, has slightly weaker magic than Raven (5), and is currently in good health.
AM is a short elf (160 cm) wearing oversized male clothes that obscure most of her athletic body and make people focus more on her face.
She is currently wearing a grey oversized long-sleeved shirt and black corduroy pants, which seem rather homey. She has green eyes and short blond hair, which is still moist from a recent shower. Her long pointy ears are decorated with elaborate golden spiderweb earrings.
Aura: She has no augmentations, has slightly weaker magic than Raven (5), and is currently in good health.
In stark contrast to her fairly poor living conditions, that are probably outlined in her dossier, Rachel Moore just looks high-class. She could have stepped out of a big hotel in the better parts of Bellevue or Downtown and wouldn't seem out of place. Only about as tall (or short) as AM, maybe a little more petite, she just fills the space she is in with her presence. Her dark brown hair is in a long ponytail, orange-tinted sunglasses cover her eyes, but cannot hide the fact, that she is very pretty. She wears a trés chic business suit (from Zoé, for those who have an eye for designer clothes), all black, and a warm overcoat, as well as heeled boots. The brunette definitely gives off a bit of a federal agent vibe.
"Hello, AM! Yes, I'm Rachel. Thank you! Tea sounds great. Already had enough coffee this morning." She chuckles lightly. "Didn't sleep all that much."
Her astral senses are still active and so she takes everthing in as she moves along.
"Hello, AM! Yes, I'm Rachel. Thank you! Tea sounds great. Already had enough coffee this morning." She chuckles lightly. "Didn't sleep all that much."
Her astral senses are still active and so she takes everthing in as she moves along.
She comments Is that a Zoé? You wear it so well! I use their second skin occasionally, and I am very satisfied. Then she pours herbal tea from the jug, where the herbs are still popping out. Mint, sage, and lemongrass this time.
Well, welcome to our humble home and office. We are a private detective agency specializing in magic and technology.
We are mostly autonomous and mainly sustain ourselves from the demand for detective services. Day to day is pretty quiet, and we have a lot of spare time. A few times a week, we have a walk-in, often at odd hours, and we listen to their story, negotiate occasionally, and then go solve their problems. We have seen our share of infidelity and taken pictures too. It tends to make you cynical after a while, but once in a while there is a job that makes you feel good inside like finding a missing kid, or a lost baseball card.
However, the main reason you are here is that there also are special works on occasion. Either from the captain or word-of-mouth references. These are highly discreet and often include a significant risk, but the compensation is high, which is how we make a living. We don't discuss these with anyone but the most trustworthy of friends. In Redmond, if you advertise your successes, the local criminals would want a higher cut. What can I tell you, when in Rome...
Pausing, she says, "Perhaps we start with a bit of introduction, and then Mato would ask some professional questions. So I am AM, short for Amy and Maka, my given and Shaman names. I received my shaman name after leading my first successful ritual.
I am a decker and a sorcerer. I also have an adorable spirit child cat spirit which I call Trouble. I think he is now watching Tmarind's van but he might materialize here if our conversation gets too interesting for him to miss. Immortal cats can be very curious. So I hope none of you is allergic to cats." Her face is asking 'whose next'.
Well, welcome to our humble home and office. We are a private detective agency specializing in magic and technology.
We are mostly autonomous and mainly sustain ourselves from the demand for detective services. Day to day is pretty quiet, and we have a lot of spare time. A few times a week, we have a walk-in, often at odd hours, and we listen to their story, negotiate occasionally, and then go solve their problems. We have seen our share of infidelity and taken pictures too. It tends to make you cynical after a while, but once in a while there is a job that makes you feel good inside like finding a missing kid, or a lost baseball card.
However, the main reason you are here is that there also are special works on occasion. Either from the captain or word-of-mouth references. These are highly discreet and often include a significant risk, but the compensation is high, which is how we make a living. We don't discuss these with anyone but the most trustworthy of friends. In Redmond, if you advertise your successes, the local criminals would want a higher cut. What can I tell you, when in Rome...
Pausing, she says, "Perhaps we start with a bit of introduction, and then Mato would ask some professional questions. So I am AM, short for Amy and Maka, my given and Shaman names. I received my shaman name after leading my first successful ritual.
I am a decker and a sorcerer. I also have an adorable spirit child cat spirit which I call Trouble. I think he is now watching Tmarind's van but he might materialize here if our conversation gets too interesting for him to miss. Immortal cats can be very curious. So I hope none of you is allergic to cats." Her face is asking 'whose next'.
Rachel smiles. "Thank you! Yeah, it is. You got an eye for fashion, I see."
One of her eyebrows raises a little when AM mentions the second skin. She cannot exactly imagine the elf in that kind of clothes at the moment. From the advertisements she has seen, it is mostly used to show off excessive amounts of skin. Not that she would mind. Also, looks deceive. She of all people knows that very well. And it's also very expensive.
"Soo... this whole place here is just a front then? Makes sense, if I think about it. And, yeah, I know Lakota. A little bit. My father taught me, before... well, you probably know my background from the Captain."
She takes a deep breath, then puts on a slightly forced smile again, which soon enough becomes more genuine, as she goes on.
"I already met Trouble outside. Nice... cat."
"Anyways, as you will undoubtedly know, I'm a mage. I call myself a witch. I never had formal training or anything, but a lot of practice. Sorcery, Conjuring, Alchemy, the whole trinity. Still, there is a lot to learn and I'm always eager to gain more insight. Got some other talents, too, of course. I learned how to keep a low profile early on, and I'm pretty good with people, mostly in wrapping them around my finger, I suppose. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Razak also had some use for my special talents in the past. I think he calls it 'honey pot'."
One of her eyebrows raises a little when AM mentions the second skin. She cannot exactly imagine the elf in that kind of clothes at the moment. From the advertisements she has seen, it is mostly used to show off excessive amounts of skin. Not that she would mind. Also, looks deceive. She of all people knows that very well. And it's also very expensive.
"Soo... this whole place here is just a front then? Makes sense, if I think about it. And, yeah, I know Lakota. A little bit. My father taught me, before... well, you probably know my background from the Captain."
She takes a deep breath, then puts on a slightly forced smile again, which soon enough becomes more genuine, as she goes on.
"I already met Trouble outside. Nice... cat."
"Anyways, as you will undoubtedly know, I'm a mage. I call myself a witch. I never had formal training or anything, but a lot of practice. Sorcery, Conjuring, Alchemy, the whole trinity. Still, there is a lot to learn and I'm always eager to gain more insight. Got some other talents, too, of course. I learned how to keep a low profile early on, and I'm pretty good with people, mostly in wrapping them around my finger, I suppose. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Razak also had some use for my special talents in the past. I think he calls it 'honey pot'."
Tamarind does her best to disappear into the paint once Rachel enters. Captain Razak hadn't mentioned anything about two of them being interviewed for the position! And the newly arrived mage looks the private detective part so well, and SIS could probably charge more just by having someone like as their representative.
Tamarind is at least grateful that she hadn't changed her clothes after interviewing for the apartment. She'd be more comfortable in her usual flannel shirt and well broken in jeans or overalls, but at least these clothes -- dark grey slacks and and a plain green long sleeved pull-over top were clean, and the material didn't wrinkle much.
But the clothes didn't change that she was short (although for a change her 157cm wasn't especially short in this room). Or that as a human woman in her forties, who had spent a lot of her life in some mixture of poverty and working outside, her face was closer to an aerial map of the foothills than it was to anyone's idea of pretty or handsome. Not that her face had ever been anything but plain, and she never had much bothered with cosmetics -- sometimes in the SDF when she pulled driver duty she'd but on something light, but in all her many years as a shady drone operator there hadn't been many occasions when she'd bothered. And her body never had received the memo that it was supposed to either be an hourglass or else petite all over, and had instead chosen 'lumpy' as its governing esthetic.
Not that she particularly cared if most people found her uninteresting to look at. But this job sounded interesting, so for once it would have been nice to be one of those people whose looks intrigued.
On top of which, almost all of these people had magic so could no doubt see her minor enhancements, and the reactions to that were usually "how could you tamper with your body like that" or else "is that all that you have? No wired reflexes? No control rig? Too slow, too weak, not committed enough to carve away even more."
All of this made her hands feel twitchy, but she'd left her knitting in the van. Moving gently so as not to attract attention she took Beauty off her shoulder and started using the end of her sleeve to polish the already gleaming chrome pigeon. Her movements settling into the rhythm of the conversation between the others, further helping her fit into the situation without pulling attention.
Tamarind is at least grateful that she hadn't changed her clothes after interviewing for the apartment. She'd be more comfortable in her usual flannel shirt and well broken in jeans or overalls, but at least these clothes -- dark grey slacks and and a plain green long sleeved pull-over top were clean, and the material didn't wrinkle much.
But the clothes didn't change that she was short (although for a change her 157cm wasn't especially short in this room). Or that as a human woman in her forties, who had spent a lot of her life in some mixture of poverty and working outside, her face was closer to an aerial map of the foothills than it was to anyone's idea of pretty or handsome. Not that her face had ever been anything but plain, and she never had much bothered with cosmetics -- sometimes in the SDF when she pulled driver duty she'd but on something light, but in all her many years as a shady drone operator there hadn't been many occasions when she'd bothered. And her body never had received the memo that it was supposed to either be an hourglass or else petite all over, and had instead chosen 'lumpy' as its governing esthetic.
Not that she particularly cared if most people found her uninteresting to look at. But this job sounded interesting, so for once it would have been nice to be one of those people whose looks intrigued.
On top of which, almost all of these people had magic so could no doubt see her minor enhancements, and the reactions to that were usually "how could you tamper with your body like that" or else "is that all that you have? No wired reflexes? No control rig? Too slow, too weak, not committed enough to carve away even more."
All of this made her hands feel twitchy, but she'd left her knitting in the van. Moving gently so as not to attract attention she took Beauty off her shoulder and started using the end of her sleeve to polish the already gleaming chrome pigeon. Her movements settling into the rhythm of the conversation between the others, further helping her fit into the situation without pulling attention.
Bobby wanted to reiterate his question about armoring, but before he could, the second candidate came in. He shrugged, realizing that going directly for questions of competence and skill apparently weren't how you did these things.
He lazily waved at Raven, but didn't get up. Bobby had good posture, making him look taller than his actual 179 cm. His short cropped hair was black and stubbly - though his colleagues knew all too well, that this was a very mutable feature and that every day could bring a different style - depending if Bobby needed the extra warmth. For the moment at least he did not sport excessive body hair to obscure his wiry frame. He certainly didn't sport excessive muscle tone, but neither did he have fat to spare. Deep lines, speaking of lots of sun as well as cold winds gave his face a lot of character - if you were charitable.
The only thing standing out were the very intense, dark brown eyes that were easily to mistake for black in insufficient lighting - or if you wore sunglasses inside.
"Yeah, welcome and all that. Everyone grab a seat, damn it. I've just spend a week perching without sleep and could really do with a nap. So come on, let's get this going - the sooner we do, the sooner we can sign whatever contract we have or get you back on your way.
Mato, what's it called when you get more than one potential recruiter together to assess them? Ah right, an assessment. So yeah, I not only want to know what you do, but what you could do and how you'd be going about it.
So let's talk about a hypothetical: You walk through a desert and you find a turtle lying on its back. The sun is hot, it's struggling with its tiny legs, but there is no chance it can right itself. What do you do?"
He lazily waved at Raven, but didn't get up. Bobby had good posture, making him look taller than his actual 179 cm. His short cropped hair was black and stubbly - though his colleagues knew all too well, that this was a very mutable feature and that every day could bring a different style - depending if Bobby needed the extra warmth. For the moment at least he did not sport excessive body hair to obscure his wiry frame. He certainly didn't sport excessive muscle tone, but neither did he have fat to spare. Deep lines, speaking of lots of sun as well as cold winds gave his face a lot of character - if you were charitable.
The only thing standing out were the very intense, dark brown eyes that were easily to mistake for black in insufficient lighting - or if you wore sunglasses inside.
"Yeah, welcome and all that. Everyone grab a seat, damn it. I've just spend a week perching without sleep and could really do with a nap. So come on, let's get this going - the sooner we do, the sooner we can sign whatever contract we have or get you back on your way.
Mato, what's it called when you get more than one potential recruiter together to assess them? Ah right, an assessment. So yeah, I not only want to know what you do, but what you could do and how you'd be going about it.
So let's talk about a hypothetical: You walk through a desert and you find a turtle lying on its back. The sun is hot, it's struggling with its tiny legs, but there is no chance it can right itself. What do you do?"
"You must have some pretty strange clients at times. Are there even turtles that live in the desert?"
"Anyways, my first instinct, if I find myself in this situation, would probably be to wake up. But let's assume it is for real."
"With a spell or with the help of a spirit, I could easily do it, but let's also assume, this isn't possible for some reason."
"I don't think I am strong enough, if it is a big turtle, which is kind of what I am imagining right now."
"So, I would shovel away some of the sand on one side, so it is easier to flip the turtle around, or maybe the turtle can even manage by itself. Also, I would give the poor thing some of my water, which I hopefully have, because otherwise I would have way more serious problems out there."
"Anyways, my first instinct, if I find myself in this situation, would probably be to wake up. But let's assume it is for real."
"With a spell or with the help of a spirit, I could easily do it, but let's also assume, this isn't possible for some reason."
"I don't think I am strong enough, if it is a big turtle, which is kind of what I am imagining right now."
"So, I would shovel away some of the sand on one side, so it is easier to flip the turtle around, or maybe the turtle can even manage by itself. Also, I would give the poor thing some of my water, which I hopefully have, because otherwise I would have way more serious problems out there."
QUOTE (Jack_Spade @ Jul 28 2022, 05:22 PM) 
"So let's talk about a hypothetical: You walk through a desert and you find a turtle lying on its back. The sun is hot, it's struggling with its tiny legs, but there is no chance it can right itself. What do you do?"
Tamarind thinks and strokes Beauty while Raven talks. When the other woman is done then Tamarind tasl
"I check the matrix to see if there is a signature associated with it, as that could change a lot. Is it someone's drone, if so can I tell whose? Is there a trap underneath it, is there a camera watching, that sort of thing. If there is no further information there, then it may matter if I'm working or not, because if I'm working there may be orders that guide me one way or the other. If there is no matrix information and I'm on my own judgement, well I still don't know if it is a spirit, there are some that are mischief and can look quite realistic, so I'd be careful. I'd start by sending in one of my smaller drones and trying to talk to it. All evidence pointing to it just being a turtle, I probably Have Stitch approach it, and take command of his arm to carefully turn the turtle over. And then because Turtles don't belong in the middle of the dessert probably we take it with us until we get to somewhere more suitable to let it go."
"That sort of word painting and 'then what do you do' reminds me of games my grandmother told me about, that were popular when she was young, where a group would all sit around a table and have sort of collective make-believe, without even an AR overlay or anything, just the power of words, where they would make up a world and talk out the adventures of characters in there."
"Earlier you asked about armorer skills. Sorry, not personally. It shouldn't be too hard to get an autosoft for Stitch to be at least competent at it, if you need someone to take care of your collective armory. In the past I've been with organizations that were big enough to have specialists of various types, including that. I can re-load small weapons reliably enough, but I'm really not an armorer."
Bobby nodded, as if making a hashmark on an imaginary checklist
"Next question: You’re now in the desert walking along in the sand when all of the sudden you look down, and you see a tortoise, it’s crawling toward you. You reach down, you flip the tortoise over on its back. The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs trying to turn itself over, but it can’t, not without your help. But you’re not helping. Why is that?"
"Next question: You’re now in the desert walking along in the sand when all of the sudden you look down, and you see a tortoise, it’s crawling toward you. You reach down, you flip the tortoise over on its back. The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs trying to turn itself over, but it can’t, not without your help. But you’re not helping. Why is that?"
Tamarind goes quite still at that question, looking off into a corner of the room, while Beauty stares at Bobby. (meanwhile Tamarind brings up the visuals from Beauty onto her contact lenses so that she can stare at Bobby without staring at Bobby)
"Presumably because I have orders to do so. Ones that I felt I had to complete rather than leave the organization. And if this sort of question is how you usually operate I don't know that I'd be a good fit in your organization."
"Presumably because I have orders to do so. Ones that I felt I had to complete rather than leave the organization. And if this sort of question is how you usually operate I don't know that I'd be a good fit in your organization."
AM’s first reaction to Bobby taking over and skipping the intro is frowning, but since she has no idea what job interviews are, and she does not like attention. It only takes her a brief moment to realize that she is more grateful than anything else; she lets herself relax and is eager to learn how job interviews are done. In the meantime, she holds the teacup in her hands, enjoying the heat, and she starts drinking it before it gets cold.
She is surprised when Bobby, who has no patience for introductions and stories, decides it is very important to ask about turtles. Like Turtles?! he wore pants to ask questions about turtles but not to study.
She tries to wrap her mind around how it is all relevant and the end goal.
... and out of all things, both ladies would save a random turtle, but why? she struggles to comprehend. "Why don't they ignore the turtle and let some predator feed its babies with turtle meat.”
Do people feel empathy toward helpless turtles? How is it relevant who flipped the turtle?... and how come Bobby, who killed a cute deer himself, thinks that saving helpless turtles is normative? I really am wired differently than the rest of them, I just never realized it because I never did job interviews.
She is surprised when Bobby, who has no patience for introductions and stories, decides it is very important to ask about turtles. Like Turtles?! he wore pants to ask questions about turtles but not to study.
She tries to wrap her mind around how it is all relevant and the end goal.
... and out of all things, both ladies would save a random turtle, but why? she struggles to comprehend. "Why don't they ignore the turtle and let some predator feed its babies with turtle meat.”
Do people feel empathy toward helpless turtles? How is it relevant who flipped the turtle?... and how come Bobby, who killed a cute deer himself, thinks that saving helpless turtles is normative? I really am wired differently than the rest of them, I just never realized it because I never did job interviews.
"What's the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?"
"Again, assuming there is no trickery at work. Only reason I can think of right now would be survival. Though, I honestly wouldn't know what to do with it. Is there some way to get water from it? Or is its meat edible? Is the shell itself useful, especially to get water. That would be the main concern, when you are in the desert, after all. I've never been in the desert, though."
"Again, assuming there is no trickery at work. Only reason I can think of right now would be survival. Though, I honestly wouldn't know what to do with it. Is there some way to get water from it? Or is its meat edible? Is the shell itself useful, especially to get water. That would be the main concern, when you are in the desert, after all. I've never been in the desert, though."
Bobby nodded: "Good answers. Turtles are usual living in the water, while tortoises live on land - and on occassion in deserts, like the desert tortoise of the Mojave desert.
You are both alright in my book. Just wanted to make sure you aren't meat puppets or replicants or whatnot.
Any of you allergic to animal hair of any kind? Vegan? Fruit - especially strawberries?"
You are both alright in my book. Just wanted to make sure you aren't meat puppets or replicants or whatnot.
Any of you allergic to animal hair of any kind? Vegan? Fruit - especially strawberries?"
Tamarind re-engages visually with the room, and answers in a more relaxed way.
"I'm fortunate to be allergy free so far, and I have never really had the luxury of being picky about food. And by the way I'm capable of taking my turn at cooking and turning out something fairly edible. I spent a lot of days in various low amenity camps where cooking was a part of the job. Do you share cooking here?"
She makes a mental note to add a cooking autosoft for Stitch to her shopping list once she has some money to spare. She has wanted one for a while, but they aren't available commercially and she just hasn't chased one down in the hobbyist market.
And then, because she has been here a while and it is time to see how her hosts are behaving, she launches her agent in her datajack+ and gives it the usual command to use her RCC to access the matrix and then to start scanning Tamarind and all of her drones for marks.
"I'm fortunate to be allergy free so far, and I have never really had the luxury of being picky about food. And by the way I'm capable of taking my turn at cooking and turning out something fairly edible. I spent a lot of days in various low amenity camps where cooking was a part of the job. Do you share cooking here?"
She makes a mental note to add a cooking autosoft for Stitch to her shopping list once she has some money to spare. She has wanted one for a while, but they aren't available commercially and she just hasn't chased one down in the hobbyist market.
And then, because she has been here a while and it is time to see how her hosts are behaving, she launches her agent in her datajack+ and gives it the usual command to use her RCC to access the matrix and then to start scanning Tamarind and all of her drones for marks.
Mato's clothing is closer to Raven's than Tamarind's. He appreciates Tamarind's self-awareness with the small, brown, and lumpy comment.
"My name is Miguel Ángel Torres. I usually go by my initials, which spell Mato."
He's an ork in his mid-20s, although that makes him seasoned by robustus standards. He's maybe 5cm shorter than average but he's also much leaner. He doesn't have the barrel chest or prominent shoulders that orks do. From behind, he might even be able to pass for a human or a thick elf, but from the front his prominent brow and strong jaw clearly mark him as an ork. His skin is bronze, reflecting his half-Sioux, half-Aztec heritage. His black hair isn't military-short but is short enough that you couldn't pull it in a fight. His black matte cyberarms are clearly high end.
Mato's aura is a fright. In addition to the missing arms and legs, he's an emotional black hole. On top of that, he's been banged up recently and is still on the mend. But, on the bright side, he's relatively free of turmoil. He looks calm, neutral, as he passively watches and listens.
Good, he thinks to himself. Bobby's doing what I hoped he would and putting them in uncomfortable situations. They're responding suitably given their respective backgrounds.
"I wouldn't call us a front, per se," Mato interjects when Raven uses the term. "We have a financial backer, perhaps with an agenda of his own, but in the last six months we've received no commands or orders."
This somewhat ignores Razak's instructions to help Cutty set up his gym, but this is minor enough that Mato is willing to sweep it under the rug for narrative convenience.
"We're not laundering money or running a hidden enterprise; we're operating a private business with positive cash flow that would pass an independent audit. We offer grey-market services on the outskirts of society, neither completely legal nor illegal. This lets us keep a foot in both worlds at once. As such, we need assets at both end of the scale." He looks meaningfully from Tamarind to Raven, who seem to embody the polarity of the scale nicely.
"We're in charge of day-to-day operations. We do things the Sioux way, which is to say communally. We share the chores evenly, including cooking and cleaning. Everyone is the boss and nobody is the boss, savvy? Everyone has a share, and everything gets split equally. Is that acceptable?"
Before Tamarind and Raven can answer, the mischievous BusyBuddy buzzes in the room, ostensibly to clean. This compact cleaning drone with two caterpillar-tracks vacuums, wet/dry sweeps, mops, polishes, and shampoos an extensive variety of floorings. Sensors in the drone analyze flooring composition and condition to provide optimal cleaning results. It should know better than to interrupt, but a sprite has been having fun with the Central Home Node (CHN) every since the 50-year anniversary of the Crash of '29 last week.
"Now celebrating NINE days without an explosion hahaha" the BusyBuddy cackles while vaccuuming the hardwood and wet-mopping the carpet. Mato scowls and looks tempted to kick it aside, but refrains.
"My name is Miguel Ángel Torres. I usually go by my initials, which spell Mato."
He's an ork in his mid-20s, although that makes him seasoned by robustus standards. He's maybe 5cm shorter than average but he's also much leaner. He doesn't have the barrel chest or prominent shoulders that orks do. From behind, he might even be able to pass for a human or a thick elf, but from the front his prominent brow and strong jaw clearly mark him as an ork. His skin is bronze, reflecting his half-Sioux, half-Aztec heritage. His black hair isn't military-short but is short enough that you couldn't pull it in a fight. His black matte cyberarms are clearly high end.
Mato's aura is a fright. In addition to the missing arms and legs, he's an emotional black hole. On top of that, he's been banged up recently and is still on the mend. But, on the bright side, he's relatively free of turmoil. He looks calm, neutral, as he passively watches and listens.
Good, he thinks to himself. Bobby's doing what I hoped he would and putting them in uncomfortable situations. They're responding suitably given their respective backgrounds.
"I wouldn't call us a front, per se," Mato interjects when Raven uses the term. "We have a financial backer, perhaps with an agenda of his own, but in the last six months we've received no commands or orders."
This somewhat ignores Razak's instructions to help Cutty set up his gym, but this is minor enough that Mato is willing to sweep it under the rug for narrative convenience.
"We're not laundering money or running a hidden enterprise; we're operating a private business with positive cash flow that would pass an independent audit. We offer grey-market services on the outskirts of society, neither completely legal nor illegal. This lets us keep a foot in both worlds at once. As such, we need assets at both end of the scale." He looks meaningfully from Tamarind to Raven, who seem to embody the polarity of the scale nicely.
"We're in charge of day-to-day operations. We do things the Sioux way, which is to say communally. We share the chores evenly, including cooking and cleaning. Everyone is the boss and nobody is the boss, savvy? Everyone has a share, and everything gets split equally. Is that acceptable?"
Before Tamarind and Raven can answer, the mischievous BusyBuddy buzzes in the room, ostensibly to clean. This compact cleaning drone with two caterpillar-tracks vacuums, wet/dry sweeps, mops, polishes, and shampoos an extensive variety of floorings. Sensors in the drone analyze flooring composition and condition to provide optimal cleaning results. It should know better than to interrupt, but a sprite has been having fun with the Central Home Node (CHN) every since the 50-year anniversary of the Crash of '29 last week.
"Now celebrating NINE days without an explosion hahaha" the BusyBuddy cackles while vaccuuming the hardwood and wet-mopping the carpet. Mato scowls and looks tempted to kick it aside, but refrains.
Beauty looks atBusyBody with some alarm, but Tamarind cracks a genuine smile. "Aren't you a saucy one! Do you have a name? And would you like some friends?
She looks up at the metahuman occupants of the room and adds "If you want a clever drone you have to allow some quirks. But of course you need to provide guidance or how do they learn?. This is certainly not the general view about how drones operate, but it is undeniable that higher rating pilot programs are prone to developing quirks.
She looks up at the metahuman occupants of the room and adds "If you want a clever drone you have to allow some quirks. But of course you need to provide guidance or how do they learn?. This is certainly not the general view about how drones operate, but it is undeniable that higher rating pilot programs are prone to developing quirks.
It is not the cleaning bot that has quirks. It is likely some mischievous program that takes refuge in our home node. Since this one seems friendly enough, we just live with it. She comments and is happy that Tamarind has gained some footing.
We are more a commune than a workplace. I assume it gets easier with years of military service, but it took some adjusting for me. It feels good to be a part of a closely knit group, so it is worth it in my experience. she says, sipping from the tea again. We're also thinking about moving somewhere... More comfortable, but we have not started working on it yet.
We are more a commune than a workplace. I assume it gets easier with years of military service, but it took some adjusting for me. It feels good to be a part of a closely knit group, so it is worth it in my experience. she says, sipping from the tea again. We're also thinking about moving somewhere... More comfortable, but we have not started working on it yet.
"I like the sound of that," Rachel replies, when AM mentions 'comfortable'.
"And I did not quite expect to be treated as, you know, equal. That would be way more than just acceptable. Appreciated," she says to Mato.
The BusyBuddy's interruption irritates her a little, but as it does not seem to be much of a concern overall, Rachel quickly relaxes again. Spirits, sometimes, are mischievous as well, so this is something similar most likely.
"And I did not quite expect to be treated as, you know, equal. That would be way more than just acceptable. Appreciated," she says to Mato.
The BusyBuddy's interruption irritates her a little, but as it does not seem to be much of a concern overall, Rachel quickly relaxes again. Spirits, sometimes, are mischievous as well, so this is something similar most likely.
Sprite? Nobody had warned her of a sprite roaming the location! But maybe that was the point, to see how well she managed her security.
Tamarind made sure that she had Encryption running, then ordered all of the drones in her swarm to take turns rebooting. And she followed the sequence of shut downs and re-connections on her RCC, making sure that nothing skipped its turn. Then she checked Beauty over for marks herself, as a back up to her agent.
To cover her distraction she made some small talk. "More comfortable? But you have a house already! That is so nice. I grew up in Butte Below, in a rock pocket. It was comfortable and dry, but I did always dream of having a house where you could look out the window and see real outside. I've obviously lived in a lot of surface buildings since then, even a few that were houses, but always as a temporary thing. Never anywhere that I got to decide 'do I want to open up curtains or blinds in the morning to look outside? And what colour should they be?' And things like that. So to me this already looks pretty nice."
"I have rented a room and garage though. So I'm not desperate just for a place to stay.". She doesn't add that she doesn't have enough money set aside for next month's rent, yet. She'll figure something out, one way or another.
Tamarind made sure that she had Encryption running, then ordered all of the drones in her swarm to take turns rebooting. And she followed the sequence of shut downs and re-connections on her RCC, making sure that nothing skipped its turn. Then she checked Beauty over for marks herself, as a back up to her agent.
To cover her distraction she made some small talk. "More comfortable? But you have a house already! That is so nice. I grew up in Butte Below, in a rock pocket. It was comfortable and dry, but I did always dream of having a house where you could look out the window and see real outside. I've obviously lived in a lot of surface buildings since then, even a few that were houses, but always as a temporary thing. Never anywhere that I got to decide 'do I want to open up curtains or blinds in the morning to look outside? And what colour should they be?' And things like that. So to me this already looks pretty nice."
"I have rented a room and garage though. So I'm not desperate just for a place to stay.". She doesn't add that she doesn't have enough money set aside for next month's rent, yet. She'll figure something out, one way or another.
AM asks Tamarind "You seem to know a thing or two about security, how would you secure this property? Redmond is not a good neighborhood, we have gags, organized crime, thieves, vandalists, robbers. You get the gist."
Mato's poker face holds but his aura might reveal a hint of relief that Tamarind and Raven didn't pick up on the BusyBuddy's jest about explosions.
"Yes, we're expanding," he says. "To date we've been residing on premises, but with additional headcount comes additional needs for both living space and working space. We will maintain this building as our office but reside off-premises."
He hadn't put thought into how much to push the communal living. He had only expected one referral from Razak, not two. Does it make sense to allow investigators to live elsewhere? Or would that undermine the camaraderie and esprit de corps that seemed to work for the first six months?
Although it didn't work so well as to prevent Jawsey leaving, he thinks to himself. He decides not to push it as an official policy.
He turns to Raven and considers her beauty for a moment. His aura seems unmoved; his enhancements may have robbed him of such organic responses. He addresses her directly with a question:
"A hypothetical," he begins. "A dragon takes an interest in you and invites you to live with dragon and its Awakened followers in the lap of luxury. Everything top-of-the-line, everything paid for. A gilded cage, so to speak, but perpetual comfort. What would you say to an offer like that?"
Raven may reasonably suspect that this is not a hypothetical. Having grown up in Seattle, she will be familiar - by reputation, if not by direct experience - with Urubia, a dragon who treasures the Awakened and treats them like precious pets. The Funhouse is her lair, five apartment buildings deep in Redmond that are much as Mato's hypothetical describes.
"Yes, we're expanding," he says. "To date we've been residing on premises, but with additional headcount comes additional needs for both living space and working space. We will maintain this building as our office but reside off-premises."
He hadn't put thought into how much to push the communal living. He had only expected one referral from Razak, not two. Does it make sense to allow investigators to live elsewhere? Or would that undermine the camaraderie and esprit de corps that seemed to work for the first six months?
Although it didn't work so well as to prevent Jawsey leaving, he thinks to himself. He decides not to push it as an official policy.
He turns to Raven and considers her beauty for a moment. His aura seems unmoved; his enhancements may have robbed him of such organic responses. He addresses her directly with a question:
"A hypothetical," he begins. "A dragon takes an interest in you and invites you to live with dragon and its Awakened followers in the lap of luxury. Everything top-of-the-line, everything paid for. A gilded cage, so to speak, but perpetual comfort. What would you say to an offer like that?"
Raven may reasonably suspect that this is not a hypothetical. Having grown up in Seattle, she will be familiar - by reputation, if not by direct experience - with Urubia, a dragon who treasures the Awakened and treats them like precious pets. The Funhouse is her lair, five apartment buildings deep in Redmond that are much as Mato's hypothetical describes.
"Do you guys know any, like, normal questions?" Rachel grins.
"Anyways, I would have to lie that it wouldn't be tempting. I have been down in the dirt and I did not like it there. I am doing better today, but far from where I want to be. So, yeah, I would probably consider it. But it is not a complete offer, it certainly would depend on the circumstances and what would be expected of me, and what kind of freedom I would still have. And, of course, there is a dragon involved. Can't say I have had any experiences with them, but there is this saying... Never deal with a dragon. I guess, it is better to not get involved with them. But it would be tempting, as I said."
"Anyways, I would have to lie that it wouldn't be tempting. I have been down in the dirt and I did not like it there. I am doing better today, but far from where I want to be. So, yeah, I would probably consider it. But it is not a complete offer, it certainly would depend on the circumstances and what would be expected of me, and what kind of freedom I would still have. And, of course, there is a dragon involved. Can't say I have had any experiences with them, but there is this saying... Never deal with a dragon. I guess, it is better to not get involved with them. But it would be tempting, as I said."
Mato blinks languidly at Raven's response.
<<Let's keep her away from the Funhouse>> he DNIs the team, belatedly realizing that Jawsey is still on the distribution list. He shakes his head slightly at the oversight.
"Allow me to disabuse you of any notions of - or expectations for - normalcy," Mato tells Raven. "We are strangers in a strange land. We live and work where tricksters play. Occasionally, we play off that ourselves. As the saying goes, there is opportunity in chaos."
He turns to Tamarind. Luckily, Urubia would not want to poach her, he thinks to himself, already wondering where they're going to find their next mage, preferably an ugly, uncharismatic one.
Mato is opening his mouth to ask Tamarind a question when the power goes off throughout the building.
"How embarrassing," he mutters to himself.
"Ms. Pandey - Tamarind - might I trouble you to look at the circuit breaker? It's right this way, next to the hot water heater."
<<Let's keep her away from the Funhouse>> he DNIs the team, belatedly realizing that Jawsey is still on the distribution list. He shakes his head slightly at the oversight.
"Allow me to disabuse you of any notions of - or expectations for - normalcy," Mato tells Raven. "We are strangers in a strange land. We live and work where tricksters play. Occasionally, we play off that ourselves. As the saying goes, there is opportunity in chaos."
He turns to Tamarind. Luckily, Urubia would not want to poach her, he thinks to himself, already wondering where they're going to find their next mage, preferably an ugly, uncharismatic one.
Mato is opening his mouth to ask Tamarind a question when the power goes off throughout the building.
"How embarrassing," he mutters to himself.
"Ms. Pandey - Tamarind - might I trouble you to look at the circuit breaker? It's right this way, next to the hot water heater."
[ Spoiler ]
Oh dear, it doesn't sound like Razzamatazz gave them a very detailed background file.
"Oh dear, I'm afraid that Captain Razak may not have given a very clear idea of what I've worked on lately. To be blunt I've been on the ground crew for smugglers, either at refueling stations or terminal points. On the one hand it is very mundane, refueling, putting on camouflage nets, checking maintenance readouts, sometimes loading and unloading."
"On the other hand it is an ongoing struggle to stay unobserved. You would think the flights were the weak point in smuggling, but smart enforcement targets ground support. Abandoned buildings that are repaired, traffic going to what should be nowhere, likely landing spots that have been cleared. You have to be sneaky and subtle not to get spotted, you have to observe yourself to see what others might see, you have to take care with your signal intelligence. That is what I'm mostly good at. Spotting small things, not being noticed. Not security exactly."
"But I guess I know at least as much as most people. You can't make anything perfectly secure. Don't provide too much temptation. Make it likely that whoever does something will be identified. Make it likely that an identified person will be caught . Make people fear the consequences of being caught. There are different ways to do all of those, but classically that means don't show much wealth and don't make enemies and secure all entrances. Have obvious and hidden cameras and motion sensors and other alarms. Have people at home or have drones, and have a person or software live monitoring everything, all with proper instructions on how to deal with various scenarios. Extract vengeance on those caught in some way that will attract attention."
"Oh dear, I'm afraid that Captain Razak may not have given a very clear idea of what I've worked on lately. To be blunt I've been on the ground crew for smugglers, either at refueling stations or terminal points. On the one hand it is very mundane, refueling, putting on camouflage nets, checking maintenance readouts, sometimes loading and unloading."
"On the other hand it is an ongoing struggle to stay unobserved. You would think the flights were the weak point in smuggling, but smart enforcement targets ground support. Abandoned buildings that are repaired, traffic going to what should be nowhere, likely landing spots that have been cleared. You have to be sneaky and subtle not to get spotted, you have to observe yourself to see what others might see, you have to take care with your signal intelligence. That is what I'm mostly good at. Spotting small things, not being noticed. Not security exactly."
"But I guess I know at least as much as most people. You can't make anything perfectly secure. Don't provide too much temptation. Make it likely that whoever does something will be identified. Make it likely that an identified person will be caught . Make people fear the consequences of being caught. There are different ways to do all of those, but classically that means don't show much wealth and don't make enemies and secure all entrances. Have obvious and hidden cameras and motion sensors and other alarms. Have people at home or have drones, and have a person or software live monitoring everything, all with proper instructions on how to deal with various scenarios. Extract vengeance on those caught in some way that will attract attention."
What can AM say? She would have happily joined Urubia herself. She has no prejudice about dragons; dictators are dictators regardless of race. Having access to the person in charge means a lot, but Urubia has never been helpful in any way. She was charming and fun, and AM wanted the woman to be her friend - but she never once solved a problem or did her a favor. So she could not feel that the dragon lady was a contact. People have a give-and-take relationship, but Urubia seems to lose interest once she can't get the queen and subject relationship. Not that AM thinks she is interesting enough for an immortal dragon, Iktomi is, but how well does she embody him? She is not even a particularly strong sorcerer, just experienced and hard working. Perhaps the most offputting thing about joining Urubia are the sad faces of the Crimson guards. They always seem annoyed and miserable and desperate for Urubia's attention. Urubia does not give them attention; they are already in her pocket. The dragon likes the conquest rather than a relationship - perhaps this is why AM did not join.
She listens to Tamarind and says, "You are sort of expecting to fit in as you are, but there is no growth in that. We are problem solvers, not smugglers. Don't look to the past, look to the future. Life is a series of riddles to solve, so look into the next one. Once you start using your shiny and highly modified drones in here, we WILL have a security issue. As you said yourself, drones show wealth."
Then the power goes out. AM is uncertain if it is one of Bobby's tests or a glitch. Both are possible she guess, normally she wouldn't give it much thought as elves are comfortable in the dark. Humans often don't but Tamarind must have like a million sensors on Beauty, and Raven has astral sight that also works in the dark. She sits and pours another tea cup waiting to see what will happen.
She listens to Tamarind and says, "You are sort of expecting to fit in as you are, but there is no growth in that. We are problem solvers, not smugglers. Don't look to the past, look to the future. Life is a series of riddles to solve, so look into the next one. Once you start using your shiny and highly modified drones in here, we WILL have a security issue. As you said yourself, drones show wealth."
Then the power goes out. AM is uncertain if it is one of Bobby's tests or a glitch. Both are possible she guess, normally she wouldn't give it much thought as elves are comfortable in the dark. Humans often don't but Tamarind must have like a million sensors on Beauty, and Raven has astral sight that also works in the dark. She sits and pours another tea cup waiting to see what will happen.
When the light goes out, Rachen pulls a small flashlight from her pocket and turns it on, making sure to point it towards the floor.
"How long do those usually last?"
The light-out does not seem to be bothering her much, in fact, she probably thinks it's pretty normal.
"How long do those usually last?"
The light-out does not seem to be bothering her much, in fact, she probably thinks it's pretty normal.
She texts the team with her DNI ribbon under the heavy shirt >>She'll run into Urubia one day or the next. If Raven joins Urubia, I'll look for a mundane face rather than an uncharismatic mage. Negotiation skills are worth gold, we got by well even before Jawsey turned to a functional mage.
Since the timing seems off to AM, she asks
>> Is it part of the interview or an actual blackout?
Since the timing seems off to AM, she asks
>> Is it part of the interview or an actual blackout?
Bobby nodded:
<<How about we look for a sensible mage who knows not to meddle with dragons. In the meantime she'll do.>>
Loud he said: "Blackouts happen in this part of town pretty often, but their duration is pretty variable. With any luck it's just a little spike and not another devil rat gnawing on the wires. Another reason we are looking for accomodation elsewhere.
I'm pretty sure you know that already, but if you work with us you'll share our friends... and our enemies. And since we find out things for people that other people want to keep not found, we get a healthy dose of the latter.
We do equal share of most other things, but mainly pay of course."
<<How about we look for a sensible mage who knows not to meddle with dragons. In the meantime she'll do.>>
Loud he said: "Blackouts happen in this part of town pretty often, but their duration is pretty variable. With any luck it's just a little spike and not another devil rat gnawing on the wires. Another reason we are looking for accomodation elsewhere.
I'm pretty sure you know that already, but if you work with us you'll share our friends... and our enemies. And since we find out things for people that other people want to keep not found, we get a healthy dose of the latter.
We do equal share of most other things, but mainly pay of course."
<<And here I thought it was Iktomi's doing>> Mato responds to AM.
Out the window you can see lights on in other nearby buildings.
"It's not the gangers shooting the transformer this time," Mato notes. "Nor Gaeatronics shutting down a line tap.
"Likely just a circuit breaker but, yes, a devil rat in the wiring is not out of the question. And, to your question, Raven, this is not common. Utilities in Touristville are generally stable, but exceptions occur."
<<I'd rather have a boring magician than a mundane face. AM, I think you're selling your own skills short. You have a natural, approachable charisma and your negotiation skills are professional. And when you are magically enhanced, I think your talents exceed even Jawsey's. You're more of a leader than you give yourself credit for. For the good of the whole, we should put you front-and-center more than we do.>>
"To Bobby's point, this is a usually zero-sum game. And so, yes, our success comes at the expense of someone else. But that's true in any capitalistic system: we need to compete.>>
This is all very cold and business-like. Mato doesn't seem to have internalized his recent incapacitation or taken it personally. Is moving beyond it just a professional move to avoid unprofitable entanglements in the past, or is he missing the necessary emotional capacity to process what happened to him?
Out the window you can see lights on in other nearby buildings.
"It's not the gangers shooting the transformer this time," Mato notes. "Nor Gaeatronics shutting down a line tap.
"Likely just a circuit breaker but, yes, a devil rat in the wiring is not out of the question. And, to your question, Raven, this is not common. Utilities in Touristville are generally stable, but exceptions occur."
<<I'd rather have a boring magician than a mundane face. AM, I think you're selling your own skills short. You have a natural, approachable charisma and your negotiation skills are professional. And when you are magically enhanced, I think your talents exceed even Jawsey's. You're more of a leader than you give yourself credit for. For the good of the whole, we should put you front-and-center more than we do.>>
"To Bobby's point, this is a usually zero-sum game. And so, yes, our success comes at the expense of someone else. But that's true in any capitalistic system: we need to compete.>>
This is all very cold and business-like. Mato doesn't seem to have internalized his recent incapacitation or taken it personally. Is moving beyond it just a professional move to avoid unprofitable entanglements in the past, or is he missing the necessary emotional capacity to process what happened to him?
As soon as the lights went out Tamarind checked with her patrolling Pellipers (Pelican delivery drones, currently sporting imitation Taco Temple colours), which showed that the rest of the neighborhood was still lit, and that there was no obvious assault going on. She pulled them into a tighter patrol pattern, at the risk of them being more easily spotted as not being on delivery duty.
The she had her van briefly crack open a window, and asked Uncle to fly out. She AR road the spy eye to the building's front door and used its ultrasound sensor to check that there were no unseem objects there. Then she increased the glow from her RCC to give some low level of light and navigated by that to the window--she had noted earlier that they could be opened. And she did so while calling Uncle up to join her.
Once Uncle was hovering above her head and the window was closed, she asked "and in which room is the water heater? She left Beauty riding her shoulder on autopilot, and instead but an AR overlay from the ultrasound to what she could see visibly.
Once she has directions she heads off, keeping appropriately paranoid. Not that she expected a house invasion, but rather some test of her abilities with who knew what surprise waiting for her.
The she had her van briefly crack open a window, and asked Uncle to fly out. She AR road the spy eye to the building's front door and used its ultrasound sensor to check that there were no unseem objects there. Then she increased the glow from her RCC to give some low level of light and navigated by that to the window--she had noted earlier that they could be opened. And she did so while calling Uncle up to join her.
Once Uncle was hovering above her head and the window was closed, she asked "and in which room is the water heater? She left Beauty riding her shoulder on autopilot, and instead but an AR overlay from the ultrasound to what she could see visibly.
Once she has directions she heads off, keeping appropriately paranoid. Not that she expected a house invasion, but rather some test of her abilities with who knew what surprise waiting for her.
>> Written like a true believer!
She comments on the comment about Iktomi. Even if he was cynical, the Trickster never takes himself too seriously. Otherwise, he would not be the loser in most of his stories. Iktomi teaches her that success is far from guaranteed, even if you are a force of nature.
Mato's following text message leaves her with conflicting thoughts. She enjoyed being Jawsey's sidekick. She felt the pressure when Jawsey was away - and now Mato suggests that they don't need to replace Jawsey because they got her. AM needs to think about it. She does not pride herself on her social skills. She is an elf, and people expect her to know what to say. They don't want to hear about shy elves or socially anxious elves. She just did what she needed to do as society expected of her.
The main thing that bothers her is the stress of holding negotiations when there is a lot of money on the table, and that money is the difference between life and death. On the other hand, now she owes Bobby money, and the worst he'll do is annoy her to the point she wants to die. After all, the harsh man spent a week as a Crow, and AM had to hear him inside the privacy of her own thoughts. It was not pleasant in any form, and a lesser woman would have lost it by now. Yet as annoying as he was, Bobby did not pressure her about the debt. Bobby is not the Mafia, so perhaps now the stakes are lower, and maybe she can handle it.
>> Thanks, Mato. You are very kind, but we're building castles in the air. Raven did not defect to Urubia.
She also feels the two guys are taking their warnings harshly. They have perhaps a single enemy, Carnevil, and even that is not guaranteed. He did not mean to send Mato to the hospital but to scare them and perhaps destroy some of their property in an 'eye for an 'eye' manner. After all, they lost him money. What they don't have is enough allies in Redmond to feel safe.
"Enemies are perhaps too strong. I'd use rivals as we keep it professional and try to keep antagonizing people to the minimum necessary to get the job done." she says softly.
She comments on the comment about Iktomi. Even if he was cynical, the Trickster never takes himself too seriously. Otherwise, he would not be the loser in most of his stories. Iktomi teaches her that success is far from guaranteed, even if you are a force of nature.
Mato's following text message leaves her with conflicting thoughts. She enjoyed being Jawsey's sidekick. She felt the pressure when Jawsey was away - and now Mato suggests that they don't need to replace Jawsey because they got her. AM needs to think about it. She does not pride herself on her social skills. She is an elf, and people expect her to know what to say. They don't want to hear about shy elves or socially anxious elves. She just did what she needed to do as society expected of her.
The main thing that bothers her is the stress of holding negotiations when there is a lot of money on the table, and that money is the difference between life and death. On the other hand, now she owes Bobby money, and the worst he'll do is annoy her to the point she wants to die. After all, the harsh man spent a week as a Crow, and AM had to hear him inside the privacy of her own thoughts. It was not pleasant in any form, and a lesser woman would have lost it by now. Yet as annoying as he was, Bobby did not pressure her about the debt. Bobby is not the Mafia, so perhaps now the stakes are lower, and maybe she can handle it.
>> Thanks, Mato. You are very kind, but we're building castles in the air. Raven did not defect to Urubia.
She also feels the two guys are taking their warnings harshly. They have perhaps a single enemy, Carnevil, and even that is not guaranteed. He did not mean to send Mato to the hospital but to scare them and perhaps destroy some of their property in an 'eye for an 'eye' manner. After all, they lost him money. What they don't have is enough allies in Redmond to feel safe.
"Enemies are perhaps too strong. I'd use rivals as we keep it professional and try to keep antagonizing people to the minimum necessary to get the job done." she says softly.
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