Full Version: Charm City [IC]
Bongo raises a glass to Rose. "The history of our calling is peppered with people who changed paths when already well known. Only the lazy ones can't or don't find a way out if they get bored. If the bread gets stale, buy another loaf."
Angel replies somewhat hastily as Tubesnake finishes "But you already took out all the bugs! There isn't anything to stab up here. Well, I guess there is the ductwork sticking up."
There is a little pause (OOC: possibly with some intervention) and then she continues.
"Hey wait. So Brewster said something about how it's good for teams to stick together close enough to support each other. I'm not much use yet but you are, so we're kinda stuck here. But the next place isn't that far away. Could I fly out there with this? Just have a look around? You could piggyback and keep an eye on your drone without having to leave the comfort of your van."
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Rose smiles and says "Speaking of grains I'm ignoring this bottle you paid so much for. Actually I'm not a huge fan of moonshine, or whatever they call it, but they know to set out all these things to mix with it. Hmmmm. Maybe some grenadine"
She pours some moonshine into a highball glass, followed by a nearly equal portion of grenadine, she stares at it for a moment.
" and....more grenadine? I guess I'm not much of a mixologist. And a little simple syrup and soda and I'll call it good. Well, at least I hope it's good."
She takes a drink. Pauses and gives something of a shrug. "At least I like grenadine. "
Then her eyes go a little wide. "Oh! And I'd better get through this quick. That was my comlink letting me know the break is almost over. I guess wow me now while I'm drinking so I'll want to hang out afterwards."
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(OOC: Thanee hasn't posted, but she has time to observe a little more as Mike isn't pushing her, so I'll let her do that.)
Looking around the room the girls aren't simply homogonous. Actually the age issue varies quite a bit as does how they comport themselves. Though much of it could be an act. While they're all meant to convince customers they're young, and maybe, ironically, naive or innocent the lone elf and pair of dwarves could be much older, and age is complicated with Orks, who at least physically mature faster. The lone troll and a couple of the humans seem to have a certain confidence about them. Though pair of pigtailed humans in particular or either not so good at hiding their fear, or they're allowed to show it. Certainly it's attracting a type of attention from some of the guests.
The Orks and a single human that seem like they might be the pimps are by the fire escape and are watching the crowd but don't seem to be getting involved, though it appears they are occasionally doing things in AR.
Back on Selina's side of the room the crowd has filed by leaving her and Mike by the club bouncers and a couple middle aged humans in period suits, close enough to partially eavesdrop on with the somewhat quite music up here and her earbuds. Selina can't make out everything, but what she gathers from some snippets are that these are the managers one of them "Is creeped out by all this, we could turn this into VIP seating or another dance floor" the other feels "People can dance all over, they need a little mystery, a little feeling of bucking the system. Being around things they shouldn't. " the following points and counterpoints get lost in shouting over a poker match, though they seem to have started discussing if wageslaves are intimidated by older ork women.
There is a little pause (OOC: possibly with some intervention) and then she continues.
"Hey wait. So Brewster said something about how it's good for teams to stick together close enough to support each other. I'm not much use yet but you are, so we're kinda stuck here. But the next place isn't that far away. Could I fly out there with this? Just have a look around? You could piggyback and keep an eye on your drone without having to leave the comfort of your van."
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Rose smiles and says "Speaking of grains I'm ignoring this bottle you paid so much for. Actually I'm not a huge fan of moonshine, or whatever they call it, but they know to set out all these things to mix with it. Hmmmm. Maybe some grenadine"
She pours some moonshine into a highball glass, followed by a nearly equal portion of grenadine, she stares at it for a moment.
" and....more grenadine? I guess I'm not much of a mixologist. And a little simple syrup and soda and I'll call it good. Well, at least I hope it's good."
She takes a drink. Pauses and gives something of a shrug. "At least I like grenadine. "
Then her eyes go a little wide. "Oh! And I'd better get through this quick. That was my comlink letting me know the break is almost over. I guess wow me now while I'm drinking so I'll want to hang out afterwards."
--------------------
(OOC: Thanee hasn't posted, but she has time to observe a little more as Mike isn't pushing her, so I'll let her do that.)
Looking around the room the girls aren't simply homogonous. Actually the age issue varies quite a bit as does how they comport themselves. Though much of it could be an act. While they're all meant to convince customers they're young, and maybe, ironically, naive or innocent the lone elf and pair of dwarves could be much older, and age is complicated with Orks, who at least physically mature faster. The lone troll and a couple of the humans seem to have a certain confidence about them. Though pair of pigtailed humans in particular or either not so good at hiding their fear, or they're allowed to show it. Certainly it's attracting a type of attention from some of the guests.
The Orks and a single human that seem like they might be the pimps are by the fire escape and are watching the crowd but don't seem to be getting involved, though it appears they are occasionally doing things in AR.
Back on Selina's side of the room the crowd has filed by leaving her and Mike by the club bouncers and a couple middle aged humans in period suits, close enough to partially eavesdrop on with the somewhat quite music up here and her earbuds. Selina can't make out everything, but what she gathers from some snippets are that these are the managers one of them "Is creeped out by all this, we could turn this into VIP seating or another dance floor" the other feels "People can dance all over, they need a little mystery, a little feeling of bucking the system. Being around things they shouldn't. " the following points and counterpoints get lost in shouting over a poker match, though they seem to have started discussing if wageslaves are intimidated by older ork women.
<<Guess that depends on how much juice is in the batteries. Is it enough for a round trip plus overhead and a 20% safety margin? For that matter, why not try your electronic surveillance skills to figure out what it's like and where you're going first?>>
Bongo has to make a decision here. Stick with the plan or bugger off to have some fun with a pretty girl. "Well, I've been getting some messages, too. Looks like there is a lead for tracking down our lost soul. I don't know how much longer I can stay here. If I get called away before your set finishes, I'll leave the table and drinks for you and your band mates.
"But, I would like to see you again. Here's my contact link. If you want to see me again, that will find me. I'd love to do some music with you, where we can play off each other's strengths. Who knows, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."
"But, I would like to see you again. Here's my contact link. If you want to see me again, that will find me. I'd love to do some music with you, where we can play off each other's strengths. Who knows, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."
Selina nods to Mike's explanations. Looking around, she comments:
"It is such a shame. They could do so much more with this place. This looks just like a cheap brothel, and while they try to make it fit to the 1920's style, it just isn't. The girls are way too young, too. Do you really want to attract that crowd? I mean, a little sexy is always appreciated, but it should also have style. And you do not get that, if the dancers do not want to be here. And they clearly look like they do not. It's just not, you know, attractive. Make it more exclusive, put more effort into the style, and this could be flourishing. Let's go back down, at least the club is pretty nice there. This here is just sad. No way I would spend my money up here. Sorry for dragging you here, as I said, I was mostly curious. Let's go somewhere, that is not so depressive."
Moving around a bit while she talks, Selina makes sure, that she is close enough to the two managers, that they can overhear her. She also has to talk a bit louder because of the music, of course. Who knows, maybe that will give the one who seems to be open to change some ideas.
"It is such a shame. They could do so much more with this place. This looks just like a cheap brothel, and while they try to make it fit to the 1920's style, it just isn't. The girls are way too young, too. Do you really want to attract that crowd? I mean, a little sexy is always appreciated, but it should also have style. And you do not get that, if the dancers do not want to be here. And they clearly look like they do not. It's just not, you know, attractive. Make it more exclusive, put more effort into the style, and this could be flourishing. Let's go back down, at least the club is pretty nice there. This here is just sad. No way I would spend my money up here. Sorry for dragging you here, as I said, I was mostly curious. Let's go somewhere, that is not so depressive."
Moving around a bit while she talks, Selina makes sure, that she is close enough to the two managers, that they can overhear her. She also has to talk a bit louder because of the music, of course. Who knows, maybe that will give the one who seems to be open to change some ideas.
Ruby seems to like what she's hearing from Bongo until he gets to the "friends" part. At that her surprise is actually enough that she shoots a little moonshine out he nose. She gives out a exaggerated cry and quickly sets down her glass and grabs one of the nearby cloth napkins to clean her face.
She seems to flush with embarrassment but soon it turns into laughing out loud.
"Ahhh. I haven't laughed like that in a while. I just wish it didn't take getting stung!" She chuckles a little more as she finishes cleaning up.
"well, I didn't expect to hear the word friend, but I'm interested in seeing you again, and we'll see how it goes. All the same I think maybe I'll keep the table to myself. But I ought to get going."
She starts to slowly get up and get her things together to head back to the stage.
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An observer of expressions, Selina gets the feeling Mike might be feeling a little attacked and getting ready to be defensive, maybe at the use of "you" but eventually he notices the managers looking at and listening to his increasingly loud partner and seems to put two and two together. He gets back to cracking his smile as Selina finishes.
He turns his back to the managers and offers his arm to her. "Sure. we can get out of here and back to the dancing. Like I said not my scene either, but I wanted to satisfy your desires."
After they gets some distance he adds " I think the girls do enough with their act that they might manage to fool the managers into thinking that they actually want to be there instead of that just being a line for hypothetical cops. I'm always amazed at what people can believe when they'd really rather it was true. You might have just scratched up their nice palatable veneer there.
Anyway the band ought to be back by the time we get down to the dance floor. Or if you're curious about my place it's a nice uptown spot not far from here. It's got a great view you really ought to see."
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Angel sends Tubesnake a digital pout and says "Phooey, I wanted to use the drone. I still don't exactly get how the matrix works with all this physical stuff very well. But I guess I can start making a file."
At that the team gets pinged that Angel is sharing an AR file. She starts uploading the relatively basic info and some pictures that her sprite had gotten for her.
Frank Torres lives in Tourmaline Estates.
Located at
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EiP6A6tmwmD39oR98
Over the St Ambrose Housing Aid Center it goes from E25th to E24th and Barclay to Calvert.
The architecture is quite different from the default uptown structure. Most uptown buildings have very distinct "base" dividing them from the downtown areas, and then continuing up vertically as a simple rectangle with the external elevators running up their sides. The top of the building might have something unique, but most just have the standard flat top roof or helipad.
The Tourmaline Estates start out somewhat like four separate structures over the four columns of north/south running rowhomes they cover. However the structures then angle towards each other, closing the hundred foot gap between them over twenty stories. The four buildings are entirely connected across five floors, hence why it's considered a single structure. Then they angle away from each other, centered over the rowhomes and heaviest columns, coming to a point.
The structure also angles similarly out over the streets around it, causing it to loom over its neighbors who aren't uptown structures themselves, like the Brentwood Public Housing Development just to the east.
This and the shiny glass walls does give it a gemlike look, hinted at in the name, and is advertised as providing rooms with a view.
Based on info Angel found, Frank Torres has an apartment on the 12th floor that should have a 14 foot wide by 10 foot high single pane angled window looking down on the backyards around Falls street. Approximately above https://maps.app.goo.gl/HBQhFujS5EDCqLMR7
The windows are tinted and each "row" has a different tint color, given names corresponding to Tourmaline, so his window should be tinted green for being in the Verdelite section.
She seems to flush with embarrassment but soon it turns into laughing out loud.
"Ahhh. I haven't laughed like that in a while. I just wish it didn't take getting stung!" She chuckles a little more as she finishes cleaning up.
"well, I didn't expect to hear the word friend, but I'm interested in seeing you again, and we'll see how it goes. All the same I think maybe I'll keep the table to myself. But I ought to get going."
She starts to slowly get up and get her things together to head back to the stage.
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An observer of expressions, Selina gets the feeling Mike might be feeling a little attacked and getting ready to be defensive, maybe at the use of "you" but eventually he notices the managers looking at and listening to his increasingly loud partner and seems to put two and two together. He gets back to cracking his smile as Selina finishes.
He turns his back to the managers and offers his arm to her. "Sure. we can get out of here and back to the dancing. Like I said not my scene either, but I wanted to satisfy your desires."
After they gets some distance he adds " I think the girls do enough with their act that they might manage to fool the managers into thinking that they actually want to be there instead of that just being a line for hypothetical cops. I'm always amazed at what people can believe when they'd really rather it was true. You might have just scratched up their nice palatable veneer there.
Anyway the band ought to be back by the time we get down to the dance floor. Or if you're curious about my place it's a nice uptown spot not far from here. It's got a great view you really ought to see."
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Angel sends Tubesnake a digital pout and says "Phooey, I wanted to use the drone. I still don't exactly get how the matrix works with all this physical stuff very well. But I guess I can start making a file."
At that the team gets pinged that Angel is sharing an AR file. She starts uploading the relatively basic info and some pictures that her sprite had gotten for her.
Frank Torres lives in Tourmaline Estates.
Located at
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EiP6A6tmwmD39oR98
Over the St Ambrose Housing Aid Center it goes from E25th to E24th and Barclay to Calvert.
The architecture is quite different from the default uptown structure. Most uptown buildings have very distinct "base" dividing them from the downtown areas, and then continuing up vertically as a simple rectangle with the external elevators running up their sides. The top of the building might have something unique, but most just have the standard flat top roof or helipad.
The Tourmaline Estates start out somewhat like four separate structures over the four columns of north/south running rowhomes they cover. However the structures then angle towards each other, closing the hundred foot gap between them over twenty stories. The four buildings are entirely connected across five floors, hence why it's considered a single structure. Then they angle away from each other, centered over the rowhomes and heaviest columns, coming to a point.
The structure also angles similarly out over the streets around it, causing it to loom over its neighbors who aren't uptown structures themselves, like the Brentwood Public Housing Development just to the east.
This and the shiny glass walls does give it a gemlike look, hinted at in the name, and is advertised as providing rooms with a view.
Based on info Angel found, Frank Torres has an apartment on the 12th floor that should have a 14 foot wide by 10 foot high single pane angled window looking down on the backyards around Falls street. Approximately above https://maps.app.goo.gl/HBQhFujS5EDCqLMR7
The windows are tinted and each "row" has a different tint color, given names corresponding to Tourmaline, so his window should be tinted green for being in the Verdelite section.
Bongo puts a hand on one of Rose's as she is gathering her things. "Rose. The best relationships are built on friendship. Without that, a relationship is almost always doomed to end badly."
Wow. Out of young man's mouth? Maybe something from old Johnny Winnipeg's musings stuck.
Wow. Out of young man's mouth? Maybe something from old Johnny Winnipeg's musings stuck.
<<I guess that might be a bit far away. Bring the flyer back and I'll plug it in. I can drive nearer that destination if the folks over here don't need more help. As far as that building is concerned, any of my crawlers could slither up the side if I needed them to. What did ya think, for Frank?>>
Rose stares at Bongo for a few long moments while he holds her hands. She cocks her head to the side a few strands of her black hair getting lose with a look something of puzzlement. Eventually she says.
"I honestly have no idea if that's a line, genuine, or something else, and what it would mean if it was either of those. Well, maybe if I wanted some normal guy that acted like a normal guy I shouldn't have joined someone named Bongo at their table." She pauses and then adds "Whether or not that's your actual name. "
She starts to turn away and then looks over her shoulder as she swishes up the stairs and says "We're supposed to get off at two, but the owners like screwing around with local ordinances for the flavor, and basically stay open until some neighbor calls the cops. It gets a little punchy at the end, and I think sometimes they turn up the volume and open the doors if the neighbors aren't calling in time. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it fragging sucks, but you've got my number. "
Then she continues on her way, picking up the pace a little once she's out of eyesight.
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Angel must be putting a lot of thought into their reply because a few seconds pass while they're thinking at hot VR speeds. Eventually they come back with << Well, a drone should be able to see through the tinted glass if it's close enough. I had to search on that, most sources think it should. But I think it might look like a creepy bug to anybody looking out their huge windows, and if you do the cable dangly thing like before it'd be swinging over that park. The matrix says parks are full of people. Kids and puppies and stuff. I kinda wanna see it.
Um. You should probably ask the other people though. Could you do it Mr. Snake? I'm not so sure about talking to them and maybe they're up to stuff where they don't want to be bothered. Uh. I'll see if I can find some more stuff for the file. You do the planning stuff. >>
A little while later everyone in the group gets pinged that another file has been added. It looks to be the floorplan for the floor, the type of apartment Frank has.
The floor is exceedingly banal. It seems built to maximize apartment space there's just one straight hallway running down the middle all the way from the external elevator on the north side to the external elevator on the south. These large elevators move on an external track, allowing them to move along the slope of the wall. At 1/3rd and 2/3rds of the distance there are pairs of internal only elevators.
For the apartments seem built around the windows. The rest of the "luxury" apartment is a matching fourteen feet wide, but is almost seventy five feet long. The door to the outside is on the north side of the apartment and should give a view down a long hallway. First there would be a closet to the left, and then a dining room/kitchen area with an open floorplan and an island/bar between them. Next, continuing down the hall, would be a series of doors on the left. First a bathroom, then the master bedroom with its own bathroom, then a second and third bedroom, and then finally at the end of the hall is a doorway to a twenty foot by fourteen foot living room, with the window taking up the entirety of one wall.
(In case it doesn't go without saying, these sorts of windows do not open. The are attached to the masonry seperating the apartments.
"I honestly have no idea if that's a line, genuine, or something else, and what it would mean if it was either of those. Well, maybe if I wanted some normal guy that acted like a normal guy I shouldn't have joined someone named Bongo at their table." She pauses and then adds "Whether or not that's your actual name. "
She starts to turn away and then looks over her shoulder as she swishes up the stairs and says "We're supposed to get off at two, but the owners like screwing around with local ordinances for the flavor, and basically stay open until some neighbor calls the cops. It gets a little punchy at the end, and I think sometimes they turn up the volume and open the doors if the neighbors aren't calling in time. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it fragging sucks, but you've got my number. "
Then she continues on her way, picking up the pace a little once she's out of eyesight.
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Angel must be putting a lot of thought into their reply because a few seconds pass while they're thinking at hot VR speeds. Eventually they come back with << Well, a drone should be able to see through the tinted glass if it's close enough. I had to search on that, most sources think it should. But I think it might look like a creepy bug to anybody looking out their huge windows, and if you do the cable dangly thing like before it'd be swinging over that park. The matrix says parks are full of people. Kids and puppies and stuff. I kinda wanna see it.
Um. You should probably ask the other people though. Could you do it Mr. Snake? I'm not so sure about talking to them and maybe they're up to stuff where they don't want to be bothered. Uh. I'll see if I can find some more stuff for the file. You do the planning stuff. >>
A little while later everyone in the group gets pinged that another file has been added. It looks to be the floorplan for the floor, the type of apartment Frank has.
The floor is exceedingly banal. It seems built to maximize apartment space there's just one straight hallway running down the middle all the way from the external elevator on the north side to the external elevator on the south. These large elevators move on an external track, allowing them to move along the slope of the wall. At 1/3rd and 2/3rds of the distance there are pairs of internal only elevators.
For the apartments seem built around the windows. The rest of the "luxury" apartment is a matching fourteen feet wide, but is almost seventy five feet long. The door to the outside is on the north side of the apartment and should give a view down a long hallway. First there would be a closet to the left, and then a dining room/kitchen area with an open floorplan and an island/bar between them. Next, continuing down the hall, would be a series of doors on the left. First a bathroom, then the master bedroom with its own bathroom, then a second and third bedroom, and then finally at the end of the hall is a doorway to a twenty foot by fourteen foot living room, with the window taking up the entirety of one wall.
(In case it doesn't go without saying, these sorts of windows do not open. The are attached to the masonry seperating the apartments.
Selina winks at Mike as his expression changes and he, obviously, figures out that she was not really talking to him. "You are a smart guy."
She also mentally discusses a little plan with Fiona, which might help to further nudge the managers into a direction from where they might actually do something to turn things around for the better. Getting them on the same page might certainly help, and one of them seems to have some plans, already, so why not give him a little help there.
"Well, you got me there. Definitely curious. How about one last dance and then you can show me that nice place of yours. You know, I am actually looking for an uptown apartment, and so far I havn't seen much. Right now, I only have something temporary down here, which is clearly not an ideal situation."
Then she checks her messages and replies to the others.
<< That Frank guy has a nice place, it seems. I will be heading over to the uptown soon, and may be able to swing by there at some point, to get an impression. Probably in the morning. Depending on how tight magical security is up there, Fiona could also take a look at it. >>
She also mentally discusses a little plan with Fiona, which might help to further nudge the managers into a direction from where they might actually do something to turn things around for the better. Getting them on the same page might certainly help, and one of them seems to have some plans, already, so why not give him a little help there.
"Well, you got me there. Definitely curious. How about one last dance and then you can show me that nice place of yours. You know, I am actually looking for an uptown apartment, and so far I havn't seen much. Right now, I only have something temporary down here, which is clearly not an ideal situation."
Then she checks her messages and replies to the others.
<< That Frank guy has a nice place, it seems. I will be heading over to the uptown soon, and may be able to swing by there at some point, to get an impression. Probably in the morning. Depending on how tight magical security is up there, Fiona could also take a look at it. >>
Paul sighs, finishes his drink, crushes the cup and Nutzkrunsh wrapper together, and tosses them into the disposal. <<Just get the drones into autopilot to get back, or do you need me handle that?>>
While Angel figures out the intricacies of drone management, he works out some thoughts on the whole Frank apartment situation.
<<Folks, what's the play on Frank? Who's going, who's getting greasy, and what backup do they need?>>
While Angel figures out the intricacies of drone management, he works out some thoughts on the whole Frank apartment situation.
<<Folks, what's the play on Frank? Who's going, who's getting greasy, and what backup do they need?>>
Angel replies pretty quickly <<I think I can do it myself! It's easier when you can just go straight mostly. My sprite friends say they're really good that this. But they keep going away too soon.>>
As she starts moving the drone at a little below it's normally slow pace back towards the van she seems to have kept poking around, and uploads a promotional picture. It shows one of the external elevators with pair of smiling knight errant guards in it and a third helping a well dressed old lady by carrying a three foot tall sculpture from a limo into the elevator.
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Mike's mood is obviously high as he makes his way briskly to the dance floor. Back in his table Bongo could see Mike and Selina head down the main spiral staircase as Rose finally kicks off the next set with the electro swing remix of "A Friend Like Me"
Mike is smiling as they are about to get into the swing of things. "You might want to seriously consider it. I know it looks like there are nice uptown places all over near here, but most of them are exclusive to their corporate family. More like little isolated arcologies that need shipments. A lot of folks in the Shadow city scene down here come from my building. I find the sloped views...artistically inspiring. You'll see."
And at that he reaches out for her hands for the dance. "Don't worry, I won't try any crazy spins near this crowd"
As she starts moving the drone at a little below it's normally slow pace back towards the van she seems to have kept poking around, and uploads a promotional picture. It shows one of the external elevators with pair of smiling knight errant guards in it and a third helping a well dressed old lady by carrying a three foot tall sculpture from a limo into the elevator.
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Mike's mood is obviously high as he makes his way briskly to the dance floor. Back in his table Bongo could see Mike and Selina head down the main spiral staircase as Rose finally kicks off the next set with the electro swing remix of "A Friend Like Me"
Mike is smiling as they are about to get into the swing of things. "You might want to seriously consider it. I know it looks like there are nice uptown places all over near here, but most of them are exclusive to their corporate family. More like little isolated arcologies that need shipments. A lot of folks in the Shadow city scene down here come from my building. I find the sloped views...artistically inspiring. You'll see."
And at that he reaches out for her hands for the dance. "Don't worry, I won't try any crazy spins near this crowd"
Bongo replies to Tubesnake's question. <<I figure some astral reconnaissance will happen first, and then we can decide whether physical intrusion is necessary. Selina is working some kind of angle with a guy on the dance floor. She's our astral expert so we need to wait for her to be available.>>
"So far, I have only been 'window shopping' virtually. Havn't had any time to look at anything seriously, since I arrived. The harbor area looks pretty good, and that upper part of the... L-shaped area. Yeah, as I said, still pretty new to Baltimore. But the city does have its charms."
When the dance begins, she remarks: "Hey, nothing wrong with a little crazy, occasionally. Emphasis on a little."
In the meantime, Fiona has found a nice spot, where she can materialize in cover. She also conceals herself, just to be sure. Then she takes a quick peek, which is enough to lock onto her target, the manager that Selina pointed out to her, and she plants the idea into his mind, that it might actually be very beneficial to open the third floor up for dancing and such, and make it less of a hidden strip joint. Who knows, it's worth a try. Maybe it will actually help.
When she is done, she retreats back into the astral, making sure that noone is looking at her directly, and removes her astral signature from the area before slowly heading back out through the ward to reunite with Selina.
When the dance begins, she remarks: "Hey, nothing wrong with a little crazy, occasionally. Emphasis on a little."
In the meantime, Fiona has found a nice spot, where she can materialize in cover. She also conceals herself, just to be sure. Then she takes a quick peek, which is enough to lock onto her target, the manager that Selina pointed out to her, and she plants the idea into his mind, that it might actually be very beneficial to open the third floor up for dancing and such, and make it less of a hidden strip joint. Who knows, it's worth a try. Maybe it will actually help.
When she is done, she retreats back into the astral, making sure that noone is looking at her directly, and removes her astral signature from the area before slowly heading back out through the ward to reunite with Selina.
[ Spoiler ]
Fiona eventually opts to materialize underneath a poker table. With the men distracted by both the game and girls she figures they aren't going to look down there too often. That seems to work out for her as far as she can tell. At least she didn't get kicked.
What she can't tell is how well influence worked, but she put a lot of effort into it. Time will have to tell.
Without active magic security it's relatively easy to clear up the signature and she even manages to push through the ward on her first try.
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As Mike and Selina enjoy their dance steps on the floor, Angel 316 seems to be enjoying the little drone steps as it heads to the van. Or, as Tubesnake notes the drones cameras being angle all over, perhaps enjoying the crowds, scenery, or maybe the fight he can hear in the distance. No guns are fires of course.
By the time Mike is leading Selina outside Tubesnake has his drones back.
Since you haven't been sharing live feeds he wouldn't think much of the troll heading outside and a jet black luxury detailed Ares Humvee Civic pulling up to the curb. However he'd be much more likely to notice Selina coming out with a guy and leading her to the car. The AHC has an open node and advertises its taxi service.
Outside Mike looks a little on edge compared to the carefree fun a little bit ago. "I like that they keep magic and guns under wraps out here, but you hear that fighting in the distance? Maybe just some gangers letting off some steam and getting some scars where things don't get quite as serious. But not a safe place to hang out. I also feel out of place in this get up outside of the club. Imagine having a fashion faux pas in front of an assailant? "
He can't help but smirk at that and opens the door for her. An unnecessary gesture, as the car should have power doors.
The troll takes a break from scowling at anybody looking in their direction and shoots Selina a smirk. Based on the flush of his skin she suspects he might have taken her advice and indulged in the absinthe more than would be professional.
What she can't tell is how well influence worked, but she put a lot of effort into it. Time will have to tell.
Without active magic security it's relatively easy to clear up the signature and she even manages to push through the ward on her first try.
----------------------
As Mike and Selina enjoy their dance steps on the floor, Angel 316 seems to be enjoying the little drone steps as it heads to the van. Or, as Tubesnake notes the drones cameras being angle all over, perhaps enjoying the crowds, scenery, or maybe the fight he can hear in the distance. No guns are fires of course.
By the time Mike is leading Selina outside Tubesnake has his drones back.
Since you haven't been sharing live feeds he wouldn't think much of the troll heading outside and a jet black luxury detailed Ares Humvee Civic pulling up to the curb. However he'd be much more likely to notice Selina coming out with a guy and leading her to the car. The AHC has an open node and advertises its taxi service.
Outside Mike looks a little on edge compared to the carefree fun a little bit ago. "I like that they keep magic and guns under wraps out here, but you hear that fighting in the distance? Maybe just some gangers letting off some steam and getting some scars where things don't get quite as serious. But not a safe place to hang out. I also feel out of place in this get up outside of the club. Imagine having a fashion faux pas in front of an assailant? "
He can't help but smirk at that and opens the door for her. An unnecessary gesture, as the car should have power doors.
The troll takes a break from scowling at anybody looking in their direction and shoots Selina a smirk. Based on the flush of his skin she suspects he might have taken her advice and indulged in the absinthe more than would be professional.
Seeing that Selina and her beau are heading outside, Bongo figures the recce in here is over. He follows at a discreet distance, giving a nod and a wink to Rose as he does so.
Outside, he passes Selina as she approaches the man's vehicle and nods to her as well. He carries on to Tubesnake's truck. Once there, he checks in. "I'm not sure what Selina is doing, but we have a name and a place. You want to head there and have one of your pets check it out? Or at least, be present should a plan emerge?"
Outside, he passes Selina as she approaches the man's vehicle and nods to her as well. He carries on to Tubesnake's truck. Once there, he checks in. "I'm not sure what Selina is doing, but we have a name and a place. You want to head there and have one of your pets check it out? Or at least, be present should a plan emerge?"
""Sure thing, Boss. Here, move aside that roll of cable and take a seat.""
Tubesnake settles in the driver's seat and checks all the safety markers before engaging the motor and oozing out into traffic, warning lights flashing politely until well in the lane.
""I won't stop right at the door, but I'll get a bunch closer. What was going on in there, from what you could see?""
Tubesnake settles in the driver's seat and checks all the safety markers before engaging the motor and oozing out into traffic, warning lights flashing politely until well in the lane.
""I won't stop right at the door, but I'll get a bunch closer. What was going on in there, from what you could see?""
Tubesnake pulls out into traffic. Even taking it easy, after one right turn onto 24th and four minutes you're there. There's a fair volume of traffic flowing in this direction, many of them taxis.
Cruising by Falls street it's hard to get an exact bead on Franks window. Tubesnake and Bongo are sure they can see it, but they're all identical with just l little metal frame separating on window from the next, so you'd have to carefully count or tag it in AR.
Not show in the advertising photos, there are steel girders coming up from Falls street to support the center of the span looming over it and provide lighting for the downtown area. You could still drive down the street, but it'd be tight for the van without getting up on people's lawns.
And there are plenty of people, probably downtowners by the clothes, milling around down there.
In the matrix Angel 316 is bopping around excitedly chatting with the different team members.
"Bongo, you left your Rover behind right? Could I drive it if you gave me the access codes? Bring it around? Does it work like one of Mr. Snake's drones? "
That gets her thinking about Tubesnake's drones "Now that we're close do you think I could check things out? Though the last place had lots of spots to get away from everybody staring at me while crawling around. Here everybody could see me if I went up towards his window. " She started out excited, but sounds apprehensive by the end. "
Cruising by Falls street it's hard to get an exact bead on Franks window. Tubesnake and Bongo are sure they can see it, but they're all identical with just l little metal frame separating on window from the next, so you'd have to carefully count or tag it in AR.
Not show in the advertising photos, there are steel girders coming up from Falls street to support the center of the span looming over it and provide lighting for the downtown area. You could still drive down the street, but it'd be tight for the van without getting up on people's lawns.
And there are plenty of people, probably downtowners by the clothes, milling around down there.
In the matrix Angel 316 is bopping around excitedly chatting with the different team members.
"Bongo, you left your Rover behind right? Could I drive it if you gave me the access codes? Bring it around? Does it work like one of Mr. Snake's drones? "
That gets her thinking about Tubesnake's drones "Now that we're close do you think I could check things out? Though the last place had lots of spots to get away from everybody staring at me while crawling around. Here everybody could see me if I went up towards his window. " She started out excited, but sounds apprehensive by the end. "
Bongo's chuckle doesn't transmit through the Matrix, but he keeps the reply light anyway.
<Driving a vehicle through traffic takes a bit more experience and training, Angel. I'd be happy to help you out in that regard over the next few months. We don't need the Rover right now, but you being with us in the Matrix is good. I think we all still need to come up with a plan. We might have to wait till Selina is done her reconnaissance so we can have her skills available.>
Bongo's not too sure about Angel's worldliness, so he doesn't elaborate on the proclivities of Cat shamans.
<Driving a vehicle through traffic takes a bit more experience and training, Angel. I'd be happy to help you out in that regard over the next few months. We don't need the Rover right now, but you being with us in the Matrix is good. I think we all still need to come up with a plan. We might have to wait till Selina is done her reconnaissance so we can have her skills available.>
Bongo's not too sure about Angel's worldliness, so he doesn't elaborate on the proclivities of Cat shamans.
Tubesnake again doesn't stop right in front of the building, but half a block away from the corner. He doesn't go ploughing lines through fancy people's lawns with his van's tyres, but still eases one set of wheels up on the edge of the road. Does this mean that some driveway is a bit occluded? Shouldn't bought a house right by the utility access, shouldja? He carefully parks right by a manhole cover and takes his time setting out traffic cones complete with those fancy AR tags that announce WORK ZONE and all that boilerplate stuff. Down these manholes are everything from Matrix fibre cable runs to storm drainage monitor units, so there are abundant reasons for him to be here. Moreover, he works at the leisurely pace of someone who works on institutional money, just taking his sweet time. It gives everyone else a chance to do whatever they need to do.
To Angel he responds: <<Not to harsh your vibe, ma'am, but I don't know if you know enough about these buildings to stealth it up as you'd want to. Maybe start poking on the virtual side, instead.>>
Bongo he addresses more casually in person. ""Hey, can you throw down the manhole key? It's the lever-looking gadget there - it's hanging on the hook just to the left of the metal lathe, behind the lubricant rack.""
To Angel he responds: <<Not to harsh your vibe, ma'am, but I don't know if you know enough about these buildings to stealth it up as you'd want to. Maybe start poking on the virtual side, instead.>>
Bongo he addresses more casually in person. ""Hey, can you throw down the manhole key? It's the lever-looking gadget there - it's hanging on the hook just to the left of the metal lathe, behind the lubricant rack.""
Bongo finds the tool and tosses it to Tubesnake. In the process, he notes how many wonderful impromptu missile weapons there are in this van.
After that, he carefully remarks and commits to memory which window is Frank's. He adjusts his contact lenses to zoom in on the window and enhance the view. Who knows? Maybe he'll get lucky.
After that, he carefully remarks and commits to memory which window is Frank's. He adjusts his contact lenses to zoom in on the window and enhance the view. Who knows? Maybe he'll get lucky.
[ Spoiler ]
Tubesnake pulls up alongside the Greenmount Recreation Center https://maps.app.goo.gl/ceohf6tUH7ueBdbV6 It's closed for the night and so there is plenty of street parking.
The broad side of the building has continually gotten new murals over the years. Currently it shows an Ork family, standing together with the father looking strong and dignified. The fashion they're painted with hints at the "authentic" garb of the Cascade Ork Tribe and inspirational phrases in Or'zet are painted further down the wall.
From Tubesnakes van the Tourmaline looms not far away, but one couldn't see Franks window form here.
Except for Bongo. With his Eidetic Sense Memory and Three Dimensional Memory he's able to hand tools to Tubesnake while traveling back in his mind to the building he'd only been able to look at for a few seconds. More than enough time for Bongo, and he revisits zooming in, though the reflective tinted window doesn't let him see inside, except to be pretty sure the lights are on. It also gives him a little time to look around at the downtown area from his peripheral vision. It's crowded down there, and generally not by people with much money by the looks of it. Plenty of people laying out in the park under Franks window.
Actually, while he didn't get the best angle, it almost looks like people might be setting up show, with little tables here and there to presumably sell goods, but the items are tilted over, like they're meant to be viewed from above.
He could also spot a manhole in the road. Tubesnake would block a lane there, and have some difficulty flooring it, but going through the details in his mind Bongo can see lots of people and trash in the road, and a lack of cars in the driveways, so it looks like there is rarely traffic there. Though coming back to reality, the spot you're parked at right now has the advantage of not having anyone nearby, and being pretty dark.
The broad side of the building has continually gotten new murals over the years. Currently it shows an Ork family, standing together with the father looking strong and dignified. The fashion they're painted with hints at the "authentic" garb of the Cascade Ork Tribe and inspirational phrases in Or'zet are painted further down the wall.
From Tubesnakes van the Tourmaline looms not far away, but one couldn't see Franks window form here.
Except for Bongo. With his Eidetic Sense Memory and Three Dimensional Memory he's able to hand tools to Tubesnake while traveling back in his mind to the building he'd only been able to look at for a few seconds. More than enough time for Bongo, and he revisits zooming in, though the reflective tinted window doesn't let him see inside, except to be pretty sure the lights are on. It also gives him a little time to look around at the downtown area from his peripheral vision. It's crowded down there, and generally not by people with much money by the looks of it. Plenty of people laying out in the park under Franks window.
Actually, while he didn't get the best angle, it almost looks like people might be setting up show, with little tables here and there to presumably sell goods, but the items are tilted over, like they're meant to be viewed from above.
He could also spot a manhole in the road. Tubesnake would block a lane there, and have some difficulty flooring it, but going through the details in his mind Bongo can see lots of people and trash in the road, and a lack of cars in the driveways, so it looks like there is rarely traffic there. Though coming back to reality, the spot you're parked at right now has the advantage of not having anyone nearby, and being pretty dark.
Bongo replies to Tubesnake, """Yeah, this is a good, quiet spot to work from. If you feel this one isn't ideal, there's a manhole cover right under his window we could set up over. Dark and quiet here, close there. Not much traffic to worry about, from the looks of things. Trash and stuff floating around undisturbed. Either way, I might take a walk over to the vendors there, and see what I can learn from them.
""" You OK here, or should we move? """
""" You OK here, or should we move? """
"""Naw, man, I'm fine here. See, I can send a flyer up, I can send a bullet up, or I can just point a camera up. We can get in close if we need to, or stay at arm's length if we don't. It's perfect. Better yet, who cares we're here? Nobody, that's who. If the rest of the team needs something special, we have time and space to lay it out. That there's a luxury."""
"OK. Sounds good to me. I'm going over to see what the merchants have laid out for the folks up above. Let me know if you need me."
Bongo wanders over to see what the vendors have displayed and looks over the merchandise. While he's there, he gets a closr look at the structure up above. Are there any entry points here from below? Are there maintenance hooks for ascending on the outside? That sort of thing.
Bongo wanders over to see what the vendors have displayed and looks over the merchandise. While he's there, he gets a closr look at the structure up above. Are there any entry points here from below? Are there maintenance hooks for ascending on the outside? That sort of thing.
As Bongo gets closer he can see the multiple elevators at work. Based on Angels information there are a pair of external elevators on the south and a pair on the north that work the downward facing part of the crystal like structure of the building. Columns of four elevators come down to the sidewalk from above in a few spots, but these must be to service the upper floors. They all seem to be kept pretty busy as uptowners come and go. On a quick glance each elevator seems to have a pair of guards. Looking up as he approaches the through street it looks like platforms can be lowered to the street from above that are sized like they could haul up a whole small truck, but these aren't active at the moment.
The spaces between the uptown and downtown areas seem to have a bit more going on than a small gap for vents. There are periodic metal flaps. Maybe for flying drones, or really awkward fire escapes. Nothing like an obvious ladder though.
Back downtown there are crowds of people here. Some of them seem rather aimless and despondent, just sitting around in the park. Though, maybe oddly, they don't seem to be chipheads jacked in. The folks in what should be other folks backyards are the ones with the upward facing stands. They have an eclectic blend of stuff. Much of it is legit stuff. Arts, crafts, clothing, and foods. However interspersed there are little baggies or chip cases and while those aren't obviously on offer in the seller's AROs that pop up as he looks that way, it's fairly thinly veiled what else someone could get. Probably some of the folks sunning themselves in swimsuits too, especially considering there's no pool, it's night, and the sun never shines directly down here.
The streets is fairly crowded with people of all races, not just Orks, and once you get in past the elevators sometimes there are little tents next to the structural columns. It would be doable but something of a challenge for Tubesnake to get in here.
For Tubesnake a couple neighbors have wandered outside and taken a look, maybe keeping an eye on where kids play in the day, but nobody has bothered with a second glance as they go about their business or lack thereof.
As Bongo looks around Angel pipes up for him and Tubesnake. <<So. Good news. Sort of. It looks like they have systems connected directly to the matrix through their public site. I'm pretty sure I found the main security node already! Um...it might also have found me. But no Black IC so I figured I should just leave.
I mean I could have managed it! Just let me know! But I figured that might get people worried too early.
Now that I know where it is, since it's connected to the matrix I could hack in slowly to make it real hard to detect me. But that might take hours. The IC might still be active, and I know I saw somebody! I figure it should be security folks in a security node right?
I don't have to go right after that node though. If you get me access IDs or a drone I could hack or spoof lots of stuff.">>
The spaces between the uptown and downtown areas seem to have a bit more going on than a small gap for vents. There are periodic metal flaps. Maybe for flying drones, or really awkward fire escapes. Nothing like an obvious ladder though.
Back downtown there are crowds of people here. Some of them seem rather aimless and despondent, just sitting around in the park. Though, maybe oddly, they don't seem to be chipheads jacked in. The folks in what should be other folks backyards are the ones with the upward facing stands. They have an eclectic blend of stuff. Much of it is legit stuff. Arts, crafts, clothing, and foods. However interspersed there are little baggies or chip cases and while those aren't obviously on offer in the seller's AROs that pop up as he looks that way, it's fairly thinly veiled what else someone could get. Probably some of the folks sunning themselves in swimsuits too, especially considering there's no pool, it's night, and the sun never shines directly down here.
The streets is fairly crowded with people of all races, not just Orks, and once you get in past the elevators sometimes there are little tents next to the structural columns. It would be doable but something of a challenge for Tubesnake to get in here.
For Tubesnake a couple neighbors have wandered outside and taken a look, maybe keeping an eye on where kids play in the day, but nobody has bothered with a second glance as they go about their business or lack thereof.
As Bongo looks around Angel pipes up for him and Tubesnake. <<So. Good news. Sort of. It looks like they have systems connected directly to the matrix through their public site. I'm pretty sure I found the main security node already! Um...it might also have found me. But no Black IC so I figured I should just leave.
I mean I could have managed it! Just let me know! But I figured that might get people worried too early.
Now that I know where it is, since it's connected to the matrix I could hack in slowly to make it real hard to detect me. But that might take hours. The IC might still be active, and I know I saw somebody! I figure it should be security folks in a security node right?
I don't have to go right after that node though. If you get me access IDs or a drone I could hack or spoof lots of stuff.">>
Once she realized, that Mike was actually talking about the same building, that Angel had figured as Frank's address as well, Selina messaged the rest of the team, using her trodes and skinlink to connect to her commlink:
<< Happy coincidence. I'm headed for Frank's address now, well, same building, at least. Once I am inside, I will keep a look out for any security measures, and let you know what I can see there. I will ask Fiona to find you, so you can show her which appartment is Frank's, then she can take a look on the astral side there. Maybe my new friend here knows Frank as well? I will figure out a way to ask about it without raising too much suspicion, hopefully. >>
When they arrive, she will take a look at the entrance. Do they have name tags of the residents there?
<< Happy coincidence. I'm headed for Frank's address now, well, same building, at least. Once I am inside, I will keep a look out for any security measures, and let you know what I can see there. I will ask Fiona to find you, so you can show her which appartment is Frank's, then she can take a look on the astral side there. Maybe my new friend here knows Frank as well? I will figure out a way to ask about it without raising too much suspicion, hopefully. >>
When they arrive, she will take a look at the entrance. Do they have name tags of the residents there?
Bongo replies. <<Great! I'm browsing among the merchants below the building. Tubesnake is at his van just down the road a bit. >>
Selina would figure out it's the same building as the taxi pulls up to it. The building has quite a distinctive shape. However Selina and Mike get out in the opposite corner (the northwest). Also instead of the elevators serving the lower half of the crystal Mike leads her towards the quad elevators coming down to the sidewalk. They seem at a glance similar. Although the guards don't have the beaming smiles from the ad Angel found. Instead they're wearing helmets, and there are only two of them. One of them is holding a shotgun, at least somewhat tastefully off to his side. They make sure any downtowners know they're noticed as Mike leads the way into the elevator.
At the door he turns to his bodyguard and gives his hand a shake "Thanks as always Reggie. Five stars and I hope to see you again. Have a good night. "
Reggie gives Selina a nod "I think I will. Actually, since I'm already in this getup and have a pass maybe I'll actually head back on my own. " He stands up tall, which is something, and heads back out into the night as the elevator doors close.
Instead the elevator in the rear corners are two Chariot drones. They've been modified with colored mirror plating so they match the Tourmaline theme. They might be there to help people with packages and things....
As far as getting in, the process is pretty seamless as far as the physical world. However Selina has a rather insistent pop up ARO asking her to agree to terms and conditions for being a guest in The Tourmaline and to leave their Comlink on and open at all times on the premises.
For his part Mike is ignoring the guards and drones entirely and is shifting between looking at Selina and out through the thick glass doors at the Baltimore streets shrinking beneath them. Eventually the elevator reaches where the building leans out far enough that the elevator has to go at which point internal doors block the view.
Mike gets out and excitedly gestures Selina towards his room once again hyping the room. In the elevator lobby there are some low doors that Selina suspects are for drones. The hallways are relatively bare. There aren't any chairs or anything to encourage people to sit around and chat. Just paths to and from the elevators up here.
The carpetless floor clacks under Selina's heels. The crystal theme is somewhat continued in here. Everything has the look of glasses, metals, and ceramics. Selina suspects you could open up with a flamethrower here and maybe you'd take out the security cameras, but otherwise the building would be fine. Fresh climate controlled air blows in from periodic vents, but not ones big enough for a metahuman to fit into, at least not here.
Inside Mike's room has much the same layout as Franks. Though he doesn't seem well set up for guests despite the extra bedrooms. One is set up as a home office, centered around a exceedingly large and comfortable looking leather chair. The other has armored fabrics and plates scattered around tables, one of which might be a guest bed.
The main difference is that while Franks window is angled downward, franks is angled up, being on the "top" side of the "crystal". Looking out Selina can figure out that they must be over E25th street. The large window does give quite a view of Baltimore.
Mike looks out and ads "I suppose it's more impressive during the day. Since we're looking down the street instead of staring at other buildings you can see a long ways. You can see druid park from here."
--------------------------------
(OOC: Hmm. Bongo actually has a decent logic too)
Among the crowd Bongo is starting to notice that some of the folks are odd for street people, especially chipheads. A lot of the clothing seems like it was a little too nice, even if it looks like it could use a wash. And some of the comlinks seem to nice for someone on the street. They're held close, but Bongo has sharp eyes. Gangers, or someone who has a house, if any of these houses are properly owned might have a solid revenue stream, but Bongo is pretty sure these people are settling into the part or into little makeshift tents or boxes for the night.
With the world leaving him alone a moment Tubesnake has a lot of options. He's also pretty sure he could get a drone, and probably himself, to that other manhole Bongo was talking about if he wanted.
At the door he turns to his bodyguard and gives his hand a shake "Thanks as always Reggie. Five stars and I hope to see you again. Have a good night. "
Reggie gives Selina a nod "I think I will. Actually, since I'm already in this getup and have a pass maybe I'll actually head back on my own. " He stands up tall, which is something, and heads back out into the night as the elevator doors close.
Instead the elevator in the rear corners are two Chariot drones. They've been modified with colored mirror plating so they match the Tourmaline theme. They might be there to help people with packages and things....
As far as getting in, the process is pretty seamless as far as the physical world. However Selina has a rather insistent pop up ARO asking her to agree to terms and conditions for being a guest in The Tourmaline and to leave their Comlink on and open at all times on the premises.
For his part Mike is ignoring the guards and drones entirely and is shifting between looking at Selina and out through the thick glass doors at the Baltimore streets shrinking beneath them. Eventually the elevator reaches where the building leans out far enough that the elevator has to go at which point internal doors block the view.
Mike gets out and excitedly gestures Selina towards his room once again hyping the room. In the elevator lobby there are some low doors that Selina suspects are for drones. The hallways are relatively bare. There aren't any chairs or anything to encourage people to sit around and chat. Just paths to and from the elevators up here.
The carpetless floor clacks under Selina's heels. The crystal theme is somewhat continued in here. Everything has the look of glasses, metals, and ceramics. Selina suspects you could open up with a flamethrower here and maybe you'd take out the security cameras, but otherwise the building would be fine. Fresh climate controlled air blows in from periodic vents, but not ones big enough for a metahuman to fit into, at least not here.
Inside Mike's room has much the same layout as Franks. Though he doesn't seem well set up for guests despite the extra bedrooms. One is set up as a home office, centered around a exceedingly large and comfortable looking leather chair. The other has armored fabrics and plates scattered around tables, one of which might be a guest bed.
The main difference is that while Franks window is angled downward, franks is angled up, being on the "top" side of the "crystal". Looking out Selina can figure out that they must be over E25th street. The large window does give quite a view of Baltimore.
Mike looks out and ads "I suppose it's more impressive during the day. Since we're looking down the street instead of staring at other buildings you can see a long ways. You can see druid park from here."
--------------------------------
(OOC: Hmm. Bongo actually has a decent logic too)
Among the crowd Bongo is starting to notice that some of the folks are odd for street people, especially chipheads. A lot of the clothing seems like it was a little too nice, even if it looks like it could use a wash. And some of the comlinks seem to nice for someone on the street. They're held close, but Bongo has sharp eyes. Gangers, or someone who has a house, if any of these houses are properly owned might have a solid revenue stream, but Bongo is pretty sure these people are settling into the part or into little makeshift tents or boxes for the night.
With the world leaving him alone a moment Tubesnake has a lot of options. He's also pretty sure he could get a drone, and probably himself, to that other manhole Bongo was talking about if he wanted.
Selina offers Reggie a genuine smile back. "Thank you, Reggie! And have fun!"
To the guards at the elevator, she winks and says: "Good evening, gents!" Not expecting any reaction out of them.
She takes note of all the security measures here and relates the information to the team, hoping that it might be easier to get access to Frank's place, as it is in a different part of the building.
She also takes a look into astral space, to see, if there is anything noteworthy around.
As they enter Mike's apartment, Selina takes a curious look around.
"You might have noticed, I'm an elf. I can see rather well in the dark. Much like a cat, actually. Lovely view!"
To the guards at the elevator, she winks and says: "Good evening, gents!" Not expecting any reaction out of them.
She takes note of all the security measures here and relates the information to the team, hoping that it might be easier to get access to Frank's place, as it is in a different part of the building.
She also takes a look into astral space, to see, if there is anything noteworthy around.
As they enter Mike's apartment, Selina takes a curious look around.
"You might have noticed, I'm an elf. I can see rather well in the dark. Much like a cat, actually. Lovely view!"
Tubesnake goes about his own methods of information gathering, while he is there. He brings up all the usual suspects on his goggles; Baltimore city utility access maps, flood and animal risk zones, zoning information, logistical access rules and all the rest of the fun goodies that make up the planning for a large city. Most useful in this area are probably the electrical and data conduits because of the way that they can cross over and give his drones close access up to, or into pretty much any structure.
While he brings this up, he stages some gear by the tailgate of his van, and starts to strategise approaches. He also uses the visual enhancers to confirm maintenance tracks around the external elevators, by which maintainers could perform external maintenance and service on the elevators and their safety systems themselves. This includes any cosmetic cover panels that they'd have in place, and lateral ledges that might exist in stages up and around the building. If the internal approach doesn't work, the external approach could bear fruit.
In the worst case, of course, the flatworkers and the shankworms could simply slither or creep up the sides of the building, but that would be more obvious than he'd like. Still, even a building with a shiny exterior has pillars that the shiny exterior masks, and those could in the worst case at least block internal views of external creepers. Options; there are always options. Even the flange of a girder creates a visual block.
While he brings this up, he stages some gear by the tailgate of his van, and starts to strategise approaches. He also uses the visual enhancers to confirm maintenance tracks around the external elevators, by which maintainers could perform external maintenance and service on the elevators and their safety systems themselves. This includes any cosmetic cover panels that they'd have in place, and lateral ledges that might exist in stages up and around the building. If the internal approach doesn't work, the external approach could bear fruit.
In the worst case, of course, the flatworkers and the shankworms could simply slither or creep up the sides of the building, but that would be more obvious than he'd like. Still, even a building with a shiny exterior has pillars that the shiny exterior masks, and those could in the worst case at least block internal views of external creepers. Options; there are always options. Even the flange of a girder creates a visual block.
Bongo sends a quick acknowledgement to Selina, and continues his touring. Ostensibly checking out the wares on display (even the living ones), he keeps his ears open for anything interesting the downtowners might be saying.
[ Spoiler ]
Not getting a response, after what felt like forever in hot VR, Angel messages the group <<Well...uh...I guess I'll start on carefully hacking that security node>>
------------
For Selina, looking into the astral while riding up in the elevator was something like being lifted out of a fog. The life and intensity of emotion of the quiet desperation among the crowded downtowners had also generated a background count as earlier. It makes astral space hazy, besides the clutter of astral forms. But the elevator lifted her away from the forms, and then out of the background count. Into an astrally crisp evening.
Not hanging too close, but flying in the astral down the street Fiona would be able to spot some fast movers, Spirits, in the vicinity of the building. Could be astral security, and they're keeping things moving to get coverage on a budget, or could just be spirits up to some task or other.
Nothing interesting astrally about Mike's apartment.
Mike smiles at the comment. "Well, then I'll leave the lights down low. Actually I enjoy doing that with this window. When you turn the lights up at night you can't see much of anything outside. Here, let me share something I sometimes like to do."
He goes over to a cabinet in the window room and opens it up, taking out a couple pillows and a pair of Japanese style futon set and carries large bundle over to the big window.
"Actually a lot of folks complain about these windows on the higher side of the building. They whine that they're losing usable space because of the inward slant as they go up. If the windows were flat like in a normal apartment they'd be able to walk right up to them. They feel they're losing something like forty square feet of usable space. But I like the nook it creates" He says as he arranges the bedding on the floor right up against the angled window in the middle of the room.
He lowers himself onto the futon set nearest the window and lays on his back. "I think people forget about the night sky. Most places in the city you can barely see stars. Just too many lights between you and them, if not the ceiling. " He smiles in the dark room and keeps looking up at the clear sky, but he invitingly pats the futon set right next to his.
--------------------------------
Tubesnake looks over at The Tourmaline. One thing he notes is that he actually can. Just a little to the west of here it's just one uptown structure after another with linked skywalks and sometimes including older skyscrapers downtown. Someone with appropriate clearance could hypothetically ride a personal mobility vehicle from one end of the L to the other. But here you're a little to the east of all that, and understandably no uptown structure would want to link with the tall public housing just to the north. Torn down homes to the south allowed for a proper skyscraper, so it's just townhomes between Tubesnake and The Tourmaline, which stands alone, unlinked with even it's shorter uptown neighbors to the north and east.
He may not be able to see Frank's (much less Mike's) apartment from here, but he figures they're pretty much the same as the ones facing him. Not much to see with the solid sheet of one way windows.
Zooming in on the elevators that service Franks floor, he can see they run in tacks along the wall.
(like https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-lloyds-of...mp;searchtype=0 but scaled up )
There are enough crossbars that someone could climb along those like ladders. However that would get exciting once the building starts angling out over the street below. Though Tubesnake thinks he might be able to rig up something someone could latch onto the rail and use to ride down it.
Tubesnake can see how the manholes connect underground in diagrams and link to the water, power, and data heading up into the building. It doesn't have information on the building itself, just the junctions. Reasonably standard stuff. Nothing a metahuman could fit in, and only the smallest hardbody drones, but Tubesnake has managed to squish some annelids through those. Larger drones could move in the water and sewer lines in and out, but that would require some welding and getting wet.
------------------
For shopkeepers they really aren't saying much. Mostly looking up at the glass above. Especially the flat section straight above the street. Angels diagrams don't indicate apartments there, so that's probably the common walkway on that floor. If the glass wasn't one way they'd be staring at the soles of people's shoes. But it seems a fair bit of business comes from there. Bongo does pick up on some of them mumbling about being watched. "It's getting so you can't spit in uptowners food anymore."
Bongo gets a feel for how things work. Sales must happen in the matrix. Periodically something gets packaged up and taken over to one of the many elevators. Not much business happens between the downtowners themselves.
More in the distance Bongo notices a trend of people trying to get a place to stay for the night, he eventually gets to notice a pattern of people saying they're new, and just need a place while the city figures out some housing for them. "Just a little while." How the conversation goes from there largely hinges on if they have anything of value to offer. Sometimes the newcomers press too long, and the person they're talking to outside an old downtown house opens their jacket to presumably flash a weapon, seaming weary of going through this exchange so often. However one seems to have a bit more energy and instead lands a punch on a young female Ork. Bongo in the distance can pick up "I told you I'd give you the same as the last guy that didn't know when to shut up and leave me alone. I'm all for equality among us Orks. Now get down to the park with the rest of 'em."
------------
For Selina, looking into the astral while riding up in the elevator was something like being lifted out of a fog. The life and intensity of emotion of the quiet desperation among the crowded downtowners had also generated a background count as earlier. It makes astral space hazy, besides the clutter of astral forms. But the elevator lifted her away from the forms, and then out of the background count. Into an astrally crisp evening.
Not hanging too close, but flying in the astral down the street Fiona would be able to spot some fast movers, Spirits, in the vicinity of the building. Could be astral security, and they're keeping things moving to get coverage on a budget, or could just be spirits up to some task or other.
Nothing interesting astrally about Mike's apartment.
Mike smiles at the comment. "Well, then I'll leave the lights down low. Actually I enjoy doing that with this window. When you turn the lights up at night you can't see much of anything outside. Here, let me share something I sometimes like to do."
He goes over to a cabinet in the window room and opens it up, taking out a couple pillows and a pair of Japanese style futon set and carries large bundle over to the big window.
"Actually a lot of folks complain about these windows on the higher side of the building. They whine that they're losing usable space because of the inward slant as they go up. If the windows were flat like in a normal apartment they'd be able to walk right up to them. They feel they're losing something like forty square feet of usable space. But I like the nook it creates" He says as he arranges the bedding on the floor right up against the angled window in the middle of the room.
He lowers himself onto the futon set nearest the window and lays on his back. "I think people forget about the night sky. Most places in the city you can barely see stars. Just too many lights between you and them, if not the ceiling. " He smiles in the dark room and keeps looking up at the clear sky, but he invitingly pats the futon set right next to his.
--------------------------------
Tubesnake looks over at The Tourmaline. One thing he notes is that he actually can. Just a little to the west of here it's just one uptown structure after another with linked skywalks and sometimes including older skyscrapers downtown. Someone with appropriate clearance could hypothetically ride a personal mobility vehicle from one end of the L to the other. But here you're a little to the east of all that, and understandably no uptown structure would want to link with the tall public housing just to the north. Torn down homes to the south allowed for a proper skyscraper, so it's just townhomes between Tubesnake and The Tourmaline, which stands alone, unlinked with even it's shorter uptown neighbors to the north and east.
He may not be able to see Frank's (much less Mike's) apartment from here, but he figures they're pretty much the same as the ones facing him. Not much to see with the solid sheet of one way windows.
Zooming in on the elevators that service Franks floor, he can see they run in tacks along the wall.
(like https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-lloyds-of...mp;searchtype=0 but scaled up )
There are enough crossbars that someone could climb along those like ladders. However that would get exciting once the building starts angling out over the street below. Though Tubesnake thinks he might be able to rig up something someone could latch onto the rail and use to ride down it.
Tubesnake can see how the manholes connect underground in diagrams and link to the water, power, and data heading up into the building. It doesn't have information on the building itself, just the junctions. Reasonably standard stuff. Nothing a metahuman could fit in, and only the smallest hardbody drones, but Tubesnake has managed to squish some annelids through those. Larger drones could move in the water and sewer lines in and out, but that would require some welding and getting wet.
------------------
For shopkeepers they really aren't saying much. Mostly looking up at the glass above. Especially the flat section straight above the street. Angels diagrams don't indicate apartments there, so that's probably the common walkway on that floor. If the glass wasn't one way they'd be staring at the soles of people's shoes. But it seems a fair bit of business comes from there. Bongo does pick up on some of them mumbling about being watched. "It's getting so you can't spit in uptowners food anymore."
Bongo gets a feel for how things work. Sales must happen in the matrix. Periodically something gets packaged up and taken over to one of the many elevators. Not much business happens between the downtowners themselves.
More in the distance Bongo notices a trend of people trying to get a place to stay for the night, he eventually gets to notice a pattern of people saying they're new, and just need a place while the city figures out some housing for them. "Just a little while." How the conversation goes from there largely hinges on if they have anything of value to offer. Sometimes the newcomers press too long, and the person they're talking to outside an old downtown house opens their jacket to presumably flash a weapon, seaming weary of going through this exchange so often. However one seems to have a bit more energy and instead lands a punch on a young female Ork. Bongo in the distance can pick up "I told you I'd give you the same as the last guy that didn't know when to shut up and leave me alone. I'm all for equality among us Orks. Now get down to the park with the rest of 'em."
Bongo wanders in the direction of the altercation. He's not interested in confronting the bully with the possible firearm, but maybe he can hear a bit more, maybe do something for the kid in passing. He works it so he can be in the line of flight if the girl runs.
Air rushes past Willie's face as he drives his hog along the highway. Time seems to slow down to him. It seems almost as if he had been driving for weeks, not the hour or so in reality.
Life is good for Willie when he is in this state.
Life is good for Willie when he is in this state.
"Figured you would be a bit of a romantic type," Selina comments.
She lowers herself on the futon and takes a look into the night sky. It is pretty beautiful, actually.
"People complain about everything, it's in our nature, I suppose. The windows are totally fine. A bit of a twist, not the usual boring. Seems good to me."
"Do you do this a lot? Going out, meeting people? You are, obviously, prepared for guests up here... In your job, you must have a pretty tight schedule, also. Guess, it is hard enough to find the time."
She lowers herself on the futon and takes a look into the night sky. It is pretty beautiful, actually.
"People complain about everything, it's in our nature, I suppose. The windows are totally fine. A bit of a twist, not the usual boring. Seems good to me."
"Do you do this a lot? Going out, meeting people? You are, obviously, prepared for guests up here... In your job, you must have a pretty tight schedule, also. Guess, it is hard enough to find the time."
Tubesnake thinks about the situation for a bit, and then sets up a couple of annelids for a scouting mission. This time, he sets them up for wireless, and looks for plausibly shaped data cable conduits. Part of the job is to see when, and whether, the structures interfere with his links to the drones. For this purpose, he has one hanging back as a relay so that in the event that one in the lead starts to lose signal, he still has a way to control it. As a safety measure, he also sets their autopilots to reverse and return in case of functional link loss.
Now: how far can they get?
Now: how far can they get?
The female Ork seems like they're about to say something or attack. But the steely gaze of the male Ork, presumably the proprietor of a unregistered flophouse of sorts, convinces her to keep moving.
She holds cover her face with her hands to hide the forming bruise, and probably a few tears as they head in the direction of the park that the Ork sent them to. The park underneath Franks window isn't all that large, but it's filling up with folks with that similar "recently down and out" look.
Something a bit more urgent catches Bongo's eye a little while later as one of Tubesnake's annelids comes into view. At least Bongo presumes it's Tubesnake's, as he hasn't seen anybody else using those things. Most places drones are just a fact of life and people don't pay much attention. Also if there's a drone there's someone responsible for it, and every single one is being tracked and has at least a camera feed going. Not a smart thing to target for theft.
But for a while now Bongo has been watching people like the young Ork woman in this little side street exhibiting a blend of desperation and naïveté about how one gets by in the streets.
(OOC: Things annelids could try are getting into or around include the downtown structures to see if there's connectivity there. There are also the elevator shafts and the support pillars in the middle of the street, which seem to have hardwire connections to lights and cameras up near the top. )
----------------------------------
Mike smiles in the dark and puts his arm over Selina's shoulders as they lay on the futon.
He gives a little sigh. " My working arrangements are nice in someways. I suppose actually I'm spoiled. It's an irony of the age that now that we can do nearly everything in the matrix most office workers still have to go in person just to get on the right side of the wireless blocking paint, otherwise their data is as good as gone. It took some doing, personal expense, and hitting some tough metrics to get to stay here some days.
But for all that I suppose I don't have people over all that much. But I do make an effort to both contact and friend and to get out to a club at least once a week. "
He partially rolls over towards Selina and puts his other hand under her chin and adds "And that makes me happy."
He looks like he's about to go in for a kiss, but pauses a moment and instead asks. "So how about you. Are you a high fashion social butterfly or on a rare occasion out of your cocoon?"
She holds cover her face with her hands to hide the forming bruise, and probably a few tears as they head in the direction of the park that the Ork sent them to. The park underneath Franks window isn't all that large, but it's filling up with folks with that similar "recently down and out" look.
Something a bit more urgent catches Bongo's eye a little while later as one of Tubesnake's annelids comes into view. At least Bongo presumes it's Tubesnake's, as he hasn't seen anybody else using those things. Most places drones are just a fact of life and people don't pay much attention. Also if there's a drone there's someone responsible for it, and every single one is being tracked and has at least a camera feed going. Not a smart thing to target for theft.
But for a while now Bongo has been watching people like the young Ork woman in this little side street exhibiting a blend of desperation and naïveté about how one gets by in the streets.
(OOC: Things annelids could try are getting into or around include the downtown structures to see if there's connectivity there. There are also the elevator shafts and the support pillars in the middle of the street, which seem to have hardwire connections to lights and cameras up near the top. )
----------------------------------
Mike smiles in the dark and puts his arm over Selina's shoulders as they lay on the futon.
He gives a little sigh. " My working arrangements are nice in someways. I suppose actually I'm spoiled. It's an irony of the age that now that we can do nearly everything in the matrix most office workers still have to go in person just to get on the right side of the wireless blocking paint, otherwise their data is as good as gone. It took some doing, personal expense, and hitting some tough metrics to get to stay here some days.
But for all that I suppose I don't have people over all that much. But I do make an effort to both contact and friend and to get out to a club at least once a week. "
He partially rolls over towards Selina and puts his other hand under her chin and adds "And that makes me happy."
He looks like he's about to go in for a kiss, but pauses a moment and instead asks. "So how about you. Are you a high fashion social butterfly or on a rare occasion out of your cocoon?"
Bongo guesses what Tubesnake is up to. Somebody might be watching from out here, and might see this ... thing crawling up the side of the building. Why not kill two birds with one stone?
He follows after the young woman into the park and feels a twinge or two for the people radiating the 'down-and-out' vibe. There are bits of garbage all around: syringes, burnt out BTLs, cans of whatever, opened and wiped clean of every calorie. broken bits of wood and metal. Bongo picks up a reasonably whole can and something hard with which to hit it.
He wanders into the middle of the park and starts a simple tap on the can. Tika-tika-tika-tika, Tika-tika-tika-tika the sound is almost lost in the open space, but as he calls up the Magic to empower his music and catch people's attention, he swings into an old, old song of inspiration by Eminem, driving vocal and machine rhythm old as heartbeats and eternal as hope to replace the hopelessness written on the faces around him:
'Cause sometimes you just feel tired
Feel weak, and when you feel weak
You feel like you wanna just give up
But you gotta search within you
Try to find that inner strength and just pull that shit out of you
And get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter
No matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse
He follows after the young woman into the park and feels a twinge or two for the people radiating the 'down-and-out' vibe. There are bits of garbage all around: syringes, burnt out BTLs, cans of whatever, opened and wiped clean of every calorie. broken bits of wood and metal. Bongo picks up a reasonably whole can and something hard with which to hit it.
He wanders into the middle of the park and starts a simple tap on the can. Tika-tika-tika-tika, Tika-tika-tika-tika the sound is almost lost in the open space, but as he calls up the Magic to empower his music and catch people's attention, he swings into an old, old song of inspiration by Eminem, driving vocal and machine rhythm old as heartbeats and eternal as hope to replace the hopelessness written on the faces around him:
'Cause sometimes you just feel tired
Feel weak, and when you feel weak
You feel like you wanna just give up
But you gotta search within you
Try to find that inner strength and just pull that shit out of you
And get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter
No matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse
[ Spoiler ]
(Ooc: I'd probably give a penalty for improper tools with a random can. But I endorse how you handled things. One nice thing about this edition from a GM POV is that it's easy to just move modifiers onto an opposing roll. It's only odd cases like casting magic on inanimate objects or if you have a small dice pool at high risk of a glitch that it would ever matter. And even then probably not worth missing out on a post ahead of time to sort out)
The reactions playing out on the crowds faces are all over the place. Some look like they're eating the inspirational lyrics up, others look insulted, some are just enjoying having a distraction.
However what Tubesnake would observe is that whatever the reaction is, at least they're paying attention to Bongo for the moment.
The reactions playing out on the crowds faces are all over the place. Some look like they're eating the inspirational lyrics up, others look insulted, some are just enjoying having a distraction.
However what Tubesnake would observe is that whatever the reaction is, at least they're paying attention to Bongo for the moment.
Selina grins. "Well, I do like fun, I do like music, and dancing. So, I do go out when I find the time, which - luckily - is often enough. Guess it helps if you are working freelance. And, no, I am not always looking for company, but if I do enjoy the company, then why not?"
In the meantime, Fiona will take a look into an apartment a few units away from Frank's from the astral side, obviously waiting for any patrolling spirits to pass before she moves in. She will not press the issue, though, if it seems like security is tight enough to stop her. She mostly wants to find out, whether it works, and if it does, she will head over to Frank's actual apartment to take a look around there.
* * * * *
In the meantime, Fiona will take a look into an apartment a few units away from Frank's from the astral side, obviously waiting for any patrolling spirits to pass before she moves in. She will not press the issue, though, if it seems like security is tight enough to stop her. She mostly wants to find out, whether it works, and if it does, she will head over to Frank's actual apartment to take a look around there.
Tubesnake removes his drones from anything resembling the exterior of the building, and instead focuses their attention on exactly what he intended them to be doing; crawling through conduits and pipelines to map out pathways as well as the degree of wireless accessibility so that if he later needed to perform an electronic infiltration to support a hacking run, he would know how to do it without being visible to every bored yahoo with a shotgun and time to waste.
Fiona spends some time watching the (12 dice 4 hits) Force 5 Spirit of Man that seems to be cycling around the building. It isn't going on a simple track, so it's movement's can't quite be predicted but (12 dice +3 situation for extended observation 4 hits) she managed get a guess of when it would be a good time to make a move. Slinking around the astral clutter of the people below, she gets underneath a window and makes a break for it through the open air when she thinks the spirit won't be looking. Popping up into the window room of an apartment a few down from Franks. The window is opaque on the astral, so she can't exactly tell if anything spotted her, but presumably a spirit would come barging in after her if it had, so she thinks she's safe after a few moment.
In the room a couple sits, drinking, seemingly without talking. The guy seems to be paying attention to something in AR. But the woman is watching everyone below while working on a bottle of wine. She seems to be looking in Bongo's direction.
Fiona shunts over a couple rooms and cautiously tries to enter Franks, but hits a ward in his wall. Unlike earlier with the ward at the club, without Selina's eyes on the other side Fiona couldn't be sure what she'd be popping into if she pressed through.
Back in the room Mike smiles and says "Well, I certainly hope to be very enjoyable company. " He moves to slide an arm behind her and finally moves in for that kiss.
(OOC: Not sure how you want to handle things moving forward there. I can kind of give you the reigns, but I'm not trying to turn Koekepan and pbangarth red here.)
--------------------
Keeping subterranean gives the drones a limited degree of moment in the storm sewer system. At least being able to make their way to the manhole cover Bongo had located earlier. However between calling up the diagrams and the drones exploring themselves, it doesn't look like there are any straightforward paths up.
Well, at least not straightforwardly. You can get a lot done once you start breaking out the power tools. You could slice through the cement pad into a downtown home. One could attempt cracking out a path through the cement between the small orangeburg pipes arrayed into duct banks for conduits to see if there's a way up. The sanitary sewer pipes are something else. It can be a bit like a Takeshi's Castle game trying to get up them on the inside, but if you open up an access point or slice in Tubesnake thinks he could maybe get a small enough drone up somebodies toilet.
What he can tell from the small slits in the manhole is that it seems wireless signals are getting out of the building. The windows aren't designed to block wireless.
In the room a couple sits, drinking, seemingly without talking. The guy seems to be paying attention to something in AR. But the woman is watching everyone below while working on a bottle of wine. She seems to be looking in Bongo's direction.
Fiona shunts over a couple rooms and cautiously tries to enter Franks, but hits a ward in his wall. Unlike earlier with the ward at the club, without Selina's eyes on the other side Fiona couldn't be sure what she'd be popping into if she pressed through.
Back in the room Mike smiles and says "Well, I certainly hope to be very enjoyable company. " He moves to slide an arm behind her and finally moves in for that kiss.
(OOC: Not sure how you want to handle things moving forward there. I can kind of give you the reigns, but I'm not trying to turn Koekepan and pbangarth red here.)
--------------------
Keeping subterranean gives the drones a limited degree of moment in the storm sewer system. At least being able to make their way to the manhole cover Bongo had located earlier. However between calling up the diagrams and the drones exploring themselves, it doesn't look like there are any straightforward paths up.
Well, at least not straightforwardly. You can get a lot done once you start breaking out the power tools. You could slice through the cement pad into a downtown home. One could attempt cracking out a path through the cement between the small orangeburg pipes arrayed into duct banks for conduits to see if there's a way up. The sanitary sewer pipes are something else. It can be a bit like a Takeshi's Castle game trying to get up them on the inside, but if you open up an access point or slice in Tubesnake thinks he could maybe get a small enough drone up somebodies toilet.
What he can tell from the small slits in the manhole is that it seems wireless signals are getting out of the building. The windows aren't designed to block wireless.
Fiona informs Selina of what she found, but won't try any further. If the spirit was mostly patrolling outside, she will just stay in the building, making her way up to Mike's apartment from the inside, going through stairways and/or elevator shafts mostly, if there are no obstacles preventing her from reaching it.
Using her trodes, Selina mentally sends a quick message to the team: << F's place is magically warded. Caution advised. >>
As Mike leans in, she returns the kiss. "You certainly are."
Using her trodes, Selina mentally sends a quick message to the team: << F's place is magically warded. Caution advised. >>
As Mike leans in, she returns the kiss. "You certainly are."
Fiona slinks (12 die 4 hits) through the in between places in the building, so a spirit set to patrol hallways and the like, or a random astral observer, wouldn't notice her. Besides not running through the mundane people, which might alert someone.
She does bounce into one other warded room, but it's easy enough to just slip around it since it wasn't an alarm ward.
With Mike, even in the dim light mostly from the starry sky and city, Selina suspects he could have gotten the cyberware to be a decent street samurai for the cost of the sculpting he had done on his body. His design is tasteful, avoiding the extremes of a fake shredded physique and ridiculous lengths one can get, but still a little too symmetrical and perfect to be natural. Perhaps it fits with his job that he cares a more for how his body is fashioned.
He certainly seemed to have been paying attention earlier when Selina was showing off the details of her dress and can remember with his eyes closed.
-----------------------------
(OOC: This seems to be a good spot to advance time. This would give Tubesnake time to potentially work with one of the options listed earlier to get his drones around, or do some extended electronic warfare scanning.
It would also give Angel some time for careful hacking, if anyone wants to direct her to do something. She's not so good with taking initiative, especially as it related to the real world.
Bongo could have also gotten up to some other things, maybe gotten a riot going, but I'll write this next bit under the assumption he'd want to avoid making a big scene and being too visible. You can always get that riot going if you want
-------------------
Perhaps normally after a song like that some of them would want to say some nasty comments about such delusions having no place here...and the rest might have been asking for help or a handout.
However the magical effects of the music leave them in something of a haze by the end of the song, which Bongo can use to put some distance between himself and them and get out of sight behind a column.
The rhythm of the area soon returns. Vendors occasionally taking their wares or a person to the elevators. Some from the community occasionally coming by to shop. And occasionally someone being roughly sent back to the park, since even the bums with their little tents or boxes seem territorial of their little patch of asphalt in the middle of the road, where presumably vehicles don't travel having to stick to the sides to avoid the support columns.
Bongo moves about keeping an eye open, but trying not to be in one place to stick out too long (9 dice 2 hits, I'll shift modifiers onto anyone that might be suspicious).
From what Bongo can tell the guards are pretty aloof. They'll be polite to people who own or rent there, and once even do help an older lady with some of her stuff. When someone from downtown comes to make a delivery they usually just take the package and set it on one of the drones. When it's a someone that's being delivered, they don't seem to regard them at all.
They don't seem particularly concerned. Mostly just interested in the downtowners not being too close to the elevators as they'll give someone a look and adjust their grips on their weapons if downtowners are too close to the area between the elevators and where the taxi's drop people who belong off.
One thing that after quite some time, catches Bongo's eye (I think 16 dice for visual perception) is that one woman in the park keeps looking up, suspiciously in the area of Franks window, while fiddling around in AR. She's a human, late teens or early twenties. What sticks out most about her are the pieces of Fox regalia on her clothes and backpack, and some fox ears on a headband. The other thing that Bongo can spot once he zooms in with his contacts is a Baltimore City College patch on her backpack. Not such a common thing in the gutter. Eventually she bites her lip and makes what is presumably a decisive button press in AR with a hand gesture and starts making her way towards the elevators.
--------------
OOC: A couple hours would have passed, but you left the club relatively early, so it's still only 12:30. People are still coming back from clubs and things.
She does bounce into one other warded room, but it's easy enough to just slip around it since it wasn't an alarm ward.
With Mike, even in the dim light mostly from the starry sky and city, Selina suspects he could have gotten the cyberware to be a decent street samurai for the cost of the sculpting he had done on his body. His design is tasteful, avoiding the extremes of a fake shredded physique and ridiculous lengths one can get, but still a little too symmetrical and perfect to be natural. Perhaps it fits with his job that he cares a more for how his body is fashioned.
He certainly seemed to have been paying attention earlier when Selina was showing off the details of her dress and can remember with his eyes closed.
-----------------------------
(OOC: This seems to be a good spot to advance time. This would give Tubesnake time to potentially work with one of the options listed earlier to get his drones around, or do some extended electronic warfare scanning.
It would also give Angel some time for careful hacking, if anyone wants to direct her to do something. She's not so good with taking initiative, especially as it related to the real world.
Bongo could have also gotten up to some other things, maybe gotten a riot going, but I'll write this next bit under the assumption he'd want to avoid making a big scene and being too visible. You can always get that riot going if you want
-------------------
Perhaps normally after a song like that some of them would want to say some nasty comments about such delusions having no place here...and the rest might have been asking for help or a handout.
However the magical effects of the music leave them in something of a haze by the end of the song, which Bongo can use to put some distance between himself and them and get out of sight behind a column.
The rhythm of the area soon returns. Vendors occasionally taking their wares or a person to the elevators. Some from the community occasionally coming by to shop. And occasionally someone being roughly sent back to the park, since even the bums with their little tents or boxes seem territorial of their little patch of asphalt in the middle of the road, where presumably vehicles don't travel having to stick to the sides to avoid the support columns.
Bongo moves about keeping an eye open, but trying not to be in one place to stick out too long (9 dice 2 hits, I'll shift modifiers onto anyone that might be suspicious).
From what Bongo can tell the guards are pretty aloof. They'll be polite to people who own or rent there, and once even do help an older lady with some of her stuff. When someone from downtown comes to make a delivery they usually just take the package and set it on one of the drones. When it's a someone that's being delivered, they don't seem to regard them at all.
They don't seem particularly concerned. Mostly just interested in the downtowners not being too close to the elevators as they'll give someone a look and adjust their grips on their weapons if downtowners are too close to the area between the elevators and where the taxi's drop people who belong off.
One thing that after quite some time, catches Bongo's eye (I think 16 dice for visual perception) is that one woman in the park keeps looking up, suspiciously in the area of Franks window, while fiddling around in AR. She's a human, late teens or early twenties. What sticks out most about her are the pieces of Fox regalia on her clothes and backpack, and some fox ears on a headband. The other thing that Bongo can spot once he zooms in with his contacts is a Baltimore City College patch on her backpack. Not such a common thing in the gutter. Eventually she bites her lip and makes what is presumably a decisive button press in AR with a hand gesture and starts making her way towards the elevators.
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OOC: A couple hours would have passed, but you left the club relatively early, so it's still only 12:30. People are still coming back from clubs and things.
Tubesnake grunts in satisfaction. Signal integrity works up to and through the sewers to reach up through every bathroom he chooses to enter, and the annelids in particular can easily slither through a standard four inch toilet bowl without even pushing the water around too much. A lamprey knot to clean things, and infiltration will be effected. The annelids would then be able to open windows, press buttons or simply serve as relays for communications.
He takes his time to cautiously assess the fittings to see whether there's easy access to wall spaces, such as an access panel or a drop ceiling.
He takes his time to cautiously assess the fittings to see whether there's easy access to wall spaces, such as an access panel or a drop ceiling.
Bongo relays to the team what he sees about the woman, and that he will try to get closer to see if he can learn more. Physical details to see if she can be identified. Auditory clues as to whether she is talking to someone as she progresses.
It is a coincidence that someone else seems to be interested in Frank at the same time. Someone who once was in the same boat as our lost girl? Is related to her? As he maneouvers, he does a quick matrix check whether Baltimore City College has a Journalism program. Expose a predator and start a career with a bang?
Bongo tries to get close to her before she gets to the elevators, but without being obvious about it. Huh. What if he can slip into the building with her? Or at least catch sight and/or sound of the entrance code?
It is a coincidence that someone else seems to be interested in Frank at the same time. Someone who once was in the same boat as our lost girl? Is related to her? As he maneouvers, he does a quick matrix check whether Baltimore City College has a Journalism program. Expose a predator and start a career with a bang?
Bongo tries to get close to her before she gets to the elevators, but without being obvious about it. Huh. What if he can slip into the building with her? Or at least catch sight and/or sound of the entrance code?
[ Spoiler ]
Even though, she would never do that to her own body, Selina appreciates Mike's taste. She has seen some ridiculous stuff in her life, and he definitely knows how to do it right.
When Bongo mentions the girl outside, she quickly sends a message using her trodes, as long as she still wears her headband that contains them.
<< That could be interesting. Definitely try and talk to her. Who knows what kind of information she might have. >>
When Bongo mentions the girl outside, she quickly sends a message using her trodes, as long as she still wears her headband that contains them.
<< That could be interesting. Definitely try and talk to her. Who knows what kind of information she might have. >>
A moment after sending the message to the crew, Bongo remembers to also send an image feed of what the young woman looks like.
She is walking slowly enough that he can walk past her and stop some way ahead of her by a lamp post. As he passes, he says without looking directly at her, "If Frank interests you, maybe your investigation and mine can help each other."
He leans on the lamp post and looks up at Frank's window.
She is walking slowly enough that he can walk past her and stop some way ahead of her by a lamp post. As he passes, he says without looking directly at her, "If Frank interests you, maybe your investigation and mine can help each other."
He leans on the lamp post and looks up at Frank's window.
(OOC: I did not anticipate that approach...)
Bongo's statement jerks her out of her internal thoughts with a start and a little yelp and jump. She then takes a part step away and says "Watch it or else!" while sticking a hand in her denim jacket pocket and pointing it at Bongo threateningly.
The result is...not very threatening with the kawaii fox patches on her jacket and the fox ear headband she's wearing. Perhaps more importantly (OOC: using the three hits from your check in the last post) Bongo is pretty confident she doesn't have any kind of gun in that pocket.
There's a tense moment (Bongo etiquette 10 die 3 hits) but Bongo seems pretty cool and she calms a moment to process what he said.
She gets a worried look on her face and she whispers "Why would Frank need an investigation?"
Bongo's statement jerks her out of her internal thoughts with a start and a little yelp and jump. She then takes a part step away and says "Watch it or else!" while sticking a hand in her denim jacket pocket and pointing it at Bongo threateningly.
The result is...not very threatening with the kawaii fox patches on her jacket and the fox ear headband she's wearing. Perhaps more importantly (OOC: using the three hits from your check in the last post) Bongo is pretty confident she doesn't have any kind of gun in that pocket.
There's a tense moment (Bongo etiquette 10 die 3 hits) but Bongo seems pretty cool and she calms a moment to process what he said.
She gets a worried look on her face and she whispers "Why would Frank need an investigation?"
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